energy dinosaurs get trampled in the rush, page-13

R25, I haven't gone into the actual costings but:

once shale gas is found the extraction process is continuous. From what I've seen the costs are up front then the gas is put in pipelines on flows to where it's either used or put on ships..

Coal of course needs to be mined and transported.

As we are aware, to reduce the cost of the carbon foot print governments aren't too backward in taxing pollution now. Therefore coal will be taxed more heavily.

Changing our coal fired generators to gas will be hugely costly but looking at our electricity stations, most will only last to the end of this decade. Victoria should pay to get rid of their brown coal fired stations but here is the problem.

Private enterprise is expected to pick up this costly change over tab and will if they aren't restrained by government meddling.

I believe that the electrical generation industry should be treated like a playpen where the industry providers are allowed to do what they have to in modernizing their assets without restraints placed upon them but a frame work they must stick to.

Unfortunately a large percentage of electrical supply is still in the hands of government so they can and will happily pass on the tax until they are either forced to sell their aging assets or convert them themselves.

You would think it's a simple matter because of the global warming aspect.

I see that no one is really treating reducing global emissions as urgent.

Australia was the front runner is taxing carbon electrical generation but I can't see the same commitment in physically changing from coal to alternatives.

That's life I guess.