THE Journalism LEADER BOARD for Mal- and Mis-Information
Dec 18, 2023 15:02:34 GMT 8
cardimona likes this
Post by NFA on Dec 18, 2023 15:02:34 GMT 8
The Australian editorial writer jumps to joint leadership for the Packham Williams medal
In the real world , in the six years since 2017 when Hazelwood in Victoria closed only one more plant has gone off line (Liddell in NSW) and when the sun is off duty coal still provides up to 80% of the power supply.
Boosters of unreliable energy celebrate the increasing capacity and the increasing average penetration, now approaching 40%. Like the editor of The Australian, they especially like sunny and windy Sunday afternoons in South Australia.
But the system has to deliver under the most adverse conditions, that is nights with little or no wind and the performance on windless nights has to improve or there will be no progress.
No amount of installed capacity of wind and solar will help on windless nights and no amount of so-called big batteries will help either.
This means that there will be no “green” transition as we close more coal plants, there will just be more frequent blackouts.
Looking at South Australia, the wind leader, through the other end of the telescope
The capacity factor has to exceed 50% to provide enough power to meet the local demand when the sun is not contributing.
This means that SA has not led the way to the show how to do without coal power because most days they depend on coal power from Victoria between sunset and sunrise. They can increase penetration by installing more windmills and they can reduce the time they depend on imported power but they will never eliminate dependency until some distant future when new storage technologies are invented.
newcatallaxy.blog/2023/02/13/looking-at-re-through-the-wrong-end-of-the-telescope/
The other point scorers
Hans van Leeuwen, Europe correspondent for the Financial Review scored two points for a steady stream of reports from Dubai
Tansy Harcourt at The Australian scored a point for passing on dodgy sea level alarms in the Pacific.
Eric Johnson delivered a really alarming report on a survey of the captains of industry. According to the byline CEOs call for energy revolution, including a nuclear debate. Well they hardly led the way on that did they?
Why can’t the leaders of the business community get competent advice on climate science and the engineering of the power supply?
Leaders like Jennifer Westacott, until recently the CEO of the Business Council of Australia, are leaders of a very peculiar kind, like the Judas sheep which leads the herd to the killing room of the abattoir.
Rafe Champion
www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
Warning!
Wind watching can be time-consuming and habit-forming.
Watch responsibly.
Attentive readers will recall that a prestigious Packham Williams award has been endowed to reward outstanding performances in the energy misinformation game that journalists play.
The COP28 conference of the powers in Dubai prompted a tsunami of misinformation in the press and over a dozen scribes could have got on the board with three points but the panel insisted on limiting the numbers.
THE LEADER BOARD
Laura Tingle 3
The Editor of The Australian 3
Hans van Leeuwen 2
Tansy Harcourt 1
Jennifer Campbell 1
Perry Williams minus 1
Graham Lloyd minus 2
Chris Mitchell minus 3
Laura Tingle 3
The Editor of The Australian 3
Hans van Leeuwen 2
Tansy Harcourt 1
Jennifer Campbell 1
Perry Williams minus 1
Graham Lloyd minus 2
Chris Mitchell minus 3
The Weekend Australian editorial was a standout, showing how promoters of unreliable energy look through the wrong end of the telescope and project a false sense of progress towards the green mirage.
[NFA says, An Example of standout misinformation from the joint leader :-]
Australia’s transition to a low-carbon economy is firmly under way, with a new Integrated System Plan released by the Australian Energy Market Operator showing a greater-than-expected decline in coal-fired power going into the grid. Ten coal-fired power stations have been retired, 90 per cent are expected to be retired by 2034, and all by 2038. In the middle of a sunny day, rooftop solar capacity can meet about half of total energy demand.
In the real world , in the six years since 2017 when Hazelwood in Victoria closed only one more plant has gone off line (Liddell in NSW) and when the sun is off duty coal still provides up to 80% of the power supply.
Boosters of unreliable energy celebrate the increasing capacity and the increasing average penetration, now approaching 40%. Like the editor of The Australian, they especially like sunny and windy Sunday afternoons in South Australia.
But the system has to deliver under the most adverse conditions, that is nights with little or no wind and the performance on windless nights has to improve or there will be no progress.
Consider the way the effectiveness of a flood levee is limited by the lowest point, the effectiveness of a fence is limited by gaps, a convoy moves at the speed of the slowest traveller, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link.
This means that there will be no “green” transition as we close more coal plants, there will just be more frequent blackouts.
Looking at South Australia, the wind leader, through the other end of the telescope
Looking at SA daily before breakfast and around dinnertime the picture is quite clear.
Whenever the wind power is running below the average capacity factor (29%) SA imports power from Victoria and also burns gas. And occasionally diesel as well!
The capacity factor has to exceed 50% to provide enough power to meet the local demand when the sun is not contributing.
This means that SA has not led the way to the show how to do without coal power because most days they depend on coal power from Victoria between sunset and sunrise. They can increase penetration by installing more windmills and they can reduce the time they depend on imported power but they will never eliminate dependency until some distant future when new storage technologies are invented.
newcatallaxy.blog/2023/02/13/looking-at-re-through-the-wrong-end-of-the-telescope/
The other point scorers
Hans van Leeuwen, Europe correspondent for the Financial Review scored two points for a steady stream of reports from Dubai
Tansy Harcourt at The Australian scored a point for passing on dodgy sea level alarms in the Pacific.
Perry Williams, of all people, fumbled and lost a point by sensibly noting that coal consumption reached a record level this year, against the run of play you would say if you listened to the proceedings.
He could have lost two points if he had gone on to say that coal consumption will continue to rise worldwide for some time to come.
Eric Johnson delivered a really alarming report on a survey of the captains of industry. According to the byline CEOs call for energy revolution, including a nuclear debate. Well they hardly led the way on that did they?
Why can’t the leaders of the business community get competent advice on climate science and the engineering of the power supply?
Leaders like Jennifer Westacott, until recently the CEO of the Business Council of Australia, are leaders of a very peculiar kind, like the Judas sheep which leads the herd to the killing room of the abattoir.
The Packham Williams leader board
Laura Tingle 3
The Editor of The Australian 3
Hans van Leeuwen 2
Tansy Harcourt 1
Jennifer Campbell 1
Perry Williams minus 1
Graham Lloyd minus 2
Chris Mitchell minus 3
Laura Tingle 3
The Editor of The Australian 3
Hans van Leeuwen 2
Tansy Harcourt 1
Jennifer Campbell 1
Perry Williams minus 1
Graham Lloyd minus 2
Chris Mitchell minus 3
www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
Warning!
Wind watching can be time-consuming and habit-forming.
Watch responsibly.