At some point Australians must ask themselves: What is our future for power supply?
Shall we choose independence, or will we continue on a path of grid and supply line to our homes?
With gradual acceptance our dependency on coal must end, many alternative power sources are presenting themselves as viable alternatives.
Solar is now well established, wind is a fine supplementary source when the sun doesn’t shine and wave technology is poised at the starting blocks.
It is all very well to protest government expenditure on renewable energy technology, but little is said about the government’s continued support for industries such as smelting basalt to make aluminium.
For smelting companies to argue that their industry is not viable without massive government subsidies on their electricity demands suggests one thing – their industry is not viable.
Every farmers knows that sustainability is shaky enough at the best of times.
And yet they do not expect the government to intervene in their business model as a matter of course to prop them up.
That adding a blend of energy production to farmers’ bottom line is now possible thanks to established technologies is cause for relief. Adding the element of mutual benefit with solar schemes that not only benefit farmers, but townsfolk and investors looking for equitable return on their investment only betters the equation.
The University of New South Wales just this week announced development of a prism that will dramatically bolster solar panel efficiency.
It is investment in research and development that smooths the path for our scientists to convert expensive prototypes into cheaper, mass-produced commercial installations that will free the people from the yoke of power bills.
And one other thing
If independent Senator Nick Xenophon considers ‘exit’ packages for farmers part of a ‘good night’s work’, as he said on the ABC’s Lateline on Tuesday night, we must ask: Does the bloke have a clue?
It’s time politicians took a more responsible approach to food production and if cheap technologies producing free energy helps farmers’ lot, then why are we not seeing government programs that promote installation of that technology?
