A FEW days ago Newcastle was treated to a visit from the shadow climate change minister Ted O'Brien and Senator Ross Cadell because they think a $100 million investment in Port of Newcastle is under threat from the Albanese government.
I can't help but wonder why it took close to a decade for the former LNP government to announce this $100 million investment in this region.
I can't help but wonder why this project wasn't started immediately while the LNP was in government and while Mr O'Brien was chair of standing committee on environment and energy.
There's a running theme with these Coalition MPs and senators. Blame the Albanese government for everything yet mysteriously forget that they were all in government for close to a decade.
I call that Coalition hypocrisy
Nathan Bower, Cardiff
The hydrogen headache
IAN Kirkwood has started "belling the cat" in regard to hydrogen generation and Matthew Kelly has reported concerns about the Kurri gas plant. Some facts to consider:
- the $600 million, 660MW gas plant is being connected to the existing Sydney to Newcastle northern trunk pipeline for an estimated cost of $240 million.
- it will run on natural gas with diesel as back up to "fill the gap" after Liddell closes. Snowy Hydro has stated in its environmental impact statement that at best there will only be a 10 per cent blend of hydrogen in the fuel mix (Ian Kirkwood's articles explain why) and they will need to spend an additional $100 million investigating how to achieve that.
- the plant can run for 10 hours and then must be stood down for 24 hours while the pipeline recharges, so to adequately "fill the gap" the project would have to be at least four times larger than at present.
So the current project costs exceed $1 billion without hydrogen generation or associated "demineralised" water treatment plants, will not replace Liddell's capacity and will almost certainly run on diesel for extended periods of time.
It is well known that the production of hydrogen requires more power to be input than what can be generated and to scale the project to a current coal-fired capacity equivalence would require investment and land use (wind/solar farms, transmission, storage) far in excess of that required to utilise current land areas and infrastructure to replace existing ageing coal-fired plants.
Paul Hartcher, The Junction
Consider the nuclear option
IT really does not matter how our power is generated as long it is reliably available on demand and is affordable. If we are to move away from fossil fuels, a realistic alternative is imperative - wind and solar are not.
Hydrogen is the perceived saviour but, with current technology, it is a big call to say that it can replace current generators.
The most common form of hydrogen production is the electrolysis process which at best is 60-70 per cent efficient, which means that for every unit of energy produced 1.5 units is consumed.
Assuming the gas is then burnt in an open circuit gas turbine, which currently operates at about 30 per cent efficiency, for every unit of power generated three units must be consumed. Therefore, to produce one unit of power into the grid using this system 4.5 units will be consumed.
If this system were to be employed across Australia with an average consumption of about 30mws, 135 mws would need to be constantly available from renewable sources. Highly unlikely.
With available technology, the only realistic alternative to fossil fuels is nuclear. If, as a nation we could lose our phobia of this process our emission from power generation problems would be solved. It should be noted here that Japan has restarted seven of their reactors with three more about to restart, France has committed to building another 12 reactors, Germany is restarting theirs. What about us?
Raymond Stewart, Charlestown
Don't take risks with radiation
JOHN Cooper (Letters, 25/08) is quite correct. We are surrounded by radiation.
This is why we have stand-alone radiation safety legislation, separate from other safety law, where statutory radiation exposure limits are defined.
The fundamental principle for radiation exposure is known as ALARA, or keep it "as low as reasonably achievable" within the exposure limits. Opposition by some people to adding greater levels of radiation to our lives with the resultant radioactive waste is not an ideological position but an informed judgment.
As for radon gas, are we not lucky living on the sedimentary east coast compared to our western cousins who receive greater radiation exposure from the igneous craton?
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
Economy trumping environment
IT seems that the alarm created by the release of the State of the Environment Report has evaporated under the onslaught of a campaign of fear for the economy.
A barrage of media reports has demanded more skilled migration in order to maintain growth, and as a result, the federal government seems likely to ramp up immigration to 200,000 despite having no political mandate to do so.
This is another capitulation to the business lobby, one which we might have expected from the Coalition but not Labor and the Greens, who remain silent despite the State of the Environment Report stressing that "population growth contributes to all the pressures in this report. Each person added to our population increases demand on natural resources to provide food, shelter and materials for living".
The public have a right to know if the skills shortages are the result of the cuts to training, which saw TAFE funding reduced by 25 per cent, or COVID-related illness.How many positions could be filled if there was suitable remuneration, a prospect admitted even by the ACCI's CEO Andrew McKellar.
Even more concerning is the threat created by house prices, which not only place a burden on buyers but according to Deloitte Economics, are driving skilled Australians into seeking employment in countries where they can better afford to live.
Don Owers, Dudley
Battery system must be banned
AFTER more than 10 years considering the future of the battery system of egg production, the ministers for agriculture of the states and territories have decided that the battery system can remain until 2037. This means that up to 55 million more birds will live in misery in small cages, with no freedom to express their natural behaviours.
The battery system is cruel, and 167,000 individual submissions went to the governments on the issue: 99 per cent calling for a ban. This was the largest response to a review of animal welfare standards ever in Australia. Why would the ministers make such a poor decision?
Similar economies to Australia, such as the EU, the UK, New Zealand and some US states, got rid of the battery system years ago. The birds still produced eggs. What is holding Australia back? I believe this needs a "please explain" from the ministers.
Olga Parkes, New Lambton Heights
SHORT TAKES
ROBODEBT is what happens when you replace public servants with computers. You get the further destruction of the lives of the most vulnerable in the community, millions of dollars wasted and the loss of faith in public administration. Thank you minister or ministers ...
Gabriella Emmerton, Hamilton South
WAS Scott Morrison perhaps indulging in a superhero fantasy when he secretly appointed himself to those five ministries? Clarke Kent on the surface but with hidden superpowers.
Margaret Farrell, Adamstown Heights
IN reply to Richard Ryan (Short Takes, 24/8) about Scott Morrison staying on as a Liberal politician. I heard on the grape vine that said backbencher politician had applied for a business name. So let's watch that space as to how long it is before he does resign and leave with all the ex PM benefits for life ... grrrrr.
Lesley Pritchard, New Lambton
SCOTT Morrison said earlier this year that he didn't think about the legacy he would leave. He has certainly left his mark.
Martin Frohlich, Adamstown Heights
SO Albo wants us all to buy electric cars to save the planet. It's a pipedream. One EV uses 25 times more electricity over one year than your refrigerator. With our current power grid getting weaker because of the stupid Greens demands, we would not be able to power both our homes and EVs with our current infrastructure. Solar and wind alone will never meet the demand. Nuclear, gas and coal will be needed
Don Fraser, Belmont North
NEVER mind the poles! How smart is our council? Maybe the remaining smart poles can indicate the where car parking spaces are left? What a joke.
Vic Davies. Tighes Hill
TO Steve Barnett, Ian Plimer is a well-known paid-up mouthpiece of the fossil fuel industry and to quote him displays a complete ignorance of the facts.
Bob Watson, Swansea
COLES unveiled a $1.04 billion annual profit on Wednesday. Australia's second-largest grocery chain said prices across its stores rose 3.8 per cent in the six months to June - a sharp uptick from the prior half. Coles has managed to increase its gross margins over the year, with various cost reduction initiatives helping the company achieve a sizable 4.3 per cent uplift in its net profit after tax. I don't think there's any way the Reserve Bank can curb inflation by raising interest rates if our major corporations continue to increase prices and therefore profits.
Peter Holland, Wyong
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