MATTHEW Kelly's excellent article ("Eraring's burst of power", Newcastle Herald 2/8), discussed Eraring Power Station's output hitting a five-year high.
We installed solar panels and hot water on our home 8 years ago but did not include a storage battery.
Over the last eight years, our solar system has performed reliably and efficiently.
However, our system's power generation is substantially affected by weather and seasonal changes.
On a rainy day, power generated reduces by 80 to 90 per cent compared to a clear sunny day.
In addition, there is a consistent 50 per cent drop off in power generated between midsummer and midwinter, due to less hours of available sunlight and more angle of the sun's rays hitting our panels.
We export net energy to the grid from mid September to mid April each year and then import net energy over winter.
Autumn and winter so far this year have been wet and cold and our net energy imports have increased substantially with heating and clothes drying needs. I presume that many other domestic solar owners experience the same situation.
Recent Herald reports have discussed building of substantial battery banks at Eraring. These batteries have been described as "two-hour" and "four-hour".
What will happen after the drawdown time for these batteries, and how will they recharge during prolonged east coast wet periods?
Renewables are great but baseline power supply remains an issue and a system challenge.
Chris Taylor, Tea Gardens
The heat is on for travel plans
On a recent expedition to the Arctic, Garry Linnell got more than he bargained for ("A warming view of our perilous future", Opinion 3/8).
His account of scientists' predictions about the state of our planet is confronting. Antarctica continues to set records for melting sea ice, while July 21st of this year was the hottest day ever recorded on earth.
Warming oceans have been an effective carbon sink for decades, but they cannot protect us from the worst effects of climate breakdown indefinitely.
Unfortunately, tourism contributes to about 8 per cent of our greenhouse gas emissions. Air and sea travel are big offenders. It's a sad irony that the very trip Linnell undertook, is contributing to the problem.
Anne O'Hara, Wanniassa
Open road beyond firm foundation
HOW interesting it was to read that Newcastle University's Open Foundation is now 50 years old ('Transforming lives for 50 years', Herald 26/7).
My nephew left school in Maitland in 1987 after Year 4. After completing a three-year apprenticeship and unable to find appropriate work, he enlisted in the Open Foundation in 1992. He went on to gain a PhD in Research Psychology at the University of New England in 2001 and a PhD in Clinical Psychology at Queens University in Belfast in 2004.
At the time of the two Christchurch earthquakes he was working in that city. He continues to work there. In 2023 the two editions of a publication written with two other colleagues was published and this year he married a Kiwi girl. Thank you Newcastle's Open Foundation for opening up the world to this now 53-year-old local lad. I'm a very proud auntie.
Suzanne Martin, Newcastle
Good and bad debt costs the same
IN this time of gloomy news there has been a message coming from economists that is designed to cheer us up. According to global financial services UBS, there will be a 21 per cent jump in the number of US-dollar millionaires in Australia over the next four years, with 2.3 million people hitting this status.
This claim is based on the prospect that more people will become millionaires because property price growth has apparently made us the third richest nation in the world. But like all wisdom that springs from economists' tea-leaf analysis, this prospect needs closer examination.
According to the IMF, Australia's housing market has one of the highest risks of mortgage default. As of 2023 we had a mortgage debt of $2.2 trillion.
You have to admit it's a bit odd that one of the world's richest nations has a population saddled with a debt of that magnitude.
However economists tell us that this is "good" debt because it funds an asset, versus bad debt like a credit card.
But that's another oxymoron since any spending on consumption is supposed to be good for the economy and houses are fickle assets prone to price collapses in a recession.
Perhaps more importantly the concept of good debt has led us into complacency about its consequences. Now there are millions of households experiencing financial hardship that extends to skipping meals or going for days without eating.
Don Owers, Dudley
Celebrate how far Matildas have come
Although I often criticise football (soccer) coaches for their tactics and selections, I hope the Matildas coach is remembered for the good times and the euphoria he and his team created the last few years.
Unfortunately none of our team played the standard we have seen them play at the Paris Olympics.
Obviously without Sam Kerr we just weren't good enough.
Some journalists and ex players (like Robbie Slater) should stop writing about disasters and look to the positives.
My wife and I were at games in the 1960s when there were only a couple of hundred fans.
Go the Matildas.
Lyall Burrell, Wallsend
First in line for Olympic hype
THE Olympic Games have left me sleepless. I can't wait for the line dancing final.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
We're only human after all
We are all human beings, Steve Barnett, Matt Ophir and Steve Feenan ("Ideology matters as well", "October 7 attack started conflict" and "Humans can be inhuman too", Letters, 5/8), and capable of the most atrocious behaviour to each other. Those who suffer most are of different race and religion, the poor, migrants and asylum seekers, women and LGBTQI people. Our ultimate judge is not one of us.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Record heat is never too far away
PETER Devey's reply ("Cool jets on trumpeting hot days", Letters, 5/8) to Anne O'Hara's letter states the Earth's hottest day on record was on July 21st surpassing the previous record by only 0.01 degrees celsius should have delayed his letter a little longer. That record has been smashed just recently by 0.07deg. According to "Copernicus", the last decade has produced nine of the hottest days ever recorded. You won't have to wait much longer for another record hottest day.
Neil Meyers, Warners Bay
Alternate name may be a better fit
IT is time to face the facts and call Honeysuckle Drive The Canyon instead.
