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Re: The Future of Australia
Wave technology. My friend is making heaps backing it at the moment.
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Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by NikiL
(Post 5754497)
You want to wait that long??
Theres a sea turbine off the coast of Dorset which is remarkably unobtrusive, and with the coastline that Aus has it could be a good way forward. Bottom line with economics is that only economists really understand it, and IMHO it tends to be driven a lot by what the politicians want to happen. Its just that every now and again real people have an impact and thats when it goes TU. |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by Amazulu
(Post 5755966)
Only 20% max. of a modern, Western economy's power can realistically come from renewables - wind, wave, solar, geothermal etc. Wind turbines need to be backed up by diesel generators and are not than efficient. Big base loads can only be provided by nuclear, coal or hydro power plants. Clean coal has a future - especially in a country like Australia that has lots of it. Ditto for gas. Nuclear is the way to go for Australia We have loads of space, coastline, uranium and we can afford it. 6 big nukes should do it - 2 in Qld and one each in NSW, Vic, SA and WA. That, and some coal, gas and hydro and 10-20% from renewables and Australia is set.
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Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by Amazulu
(Post 5755966)
Only 20% max. of a modern, Western economy's power can realistically come from renewables - wind, wave, solar, geothermal etc. Wind turbines need to be backed up by diesel generators and are not than efficient. Big base loads can only be provided by nuclear, coal or hydro power plants. Clean coal has a future - especially in a country like Australia that has lots of it. Ditto for gas. Nuclear is the way to go for Australia We have loads of space, coastline, uranium and we can afford it. 6 big nukes should do it - 2 in Qld and one each in NSW, Vic, SA and WA. That, and some coal, gas and hydro and 10-20% from renewables and Australia is set.
The Portuguese government is aiming for 100% renewable energy. I think they wouldn't be trying if the max they could achieve is 20%. Just because wind turbines (not my preferred option) have a problem providing baseload does not mean that baseload cannot be provided through renewable energy. Some of the generating capacity could be used to create hydrogen which could be used to generate the baseload (similar to LPG). Again it is not beyond the wit of man to come up with solutions. All it needs is people who can think outside the box. The nuke solution is wrong for so many reasons: firstly because it is highly polluting, secondly because it is economically unsound and thirdly because it is inherently dangerous. People may say that the spent fuel of the UK nuke industry only occupies a few football fields but they ignore the regular emissions into the atmosphere and the sea. The Irish sea is now the most radioactive sea in the world. Also what about all the irradiated pipework and plant. That's already filled more than a few football fields. The promised of cheap energy never materialised. This was just a marketing trick when the first nukes were built in the UK and did not take into account the cost of maintenance, reprocessing and decommissioning. 30 years of power and 100s (if not 1000s) of years of decommissioning. If you believe nuclear energy is cheap then you've been spruiked. The only way a government can get private enterprise to build a nuke is by offering free barrow loads of taxpayers' money. Chernobyl shows what happens when it all goes wrong. Oh but that was the USSR! 3 mile island shows what happens when it all goes wrong. And there but for the grace of god goes the UK. Nukes are not cheap, they're not quick, they're not environmentally friendly and they're not simple. It's just a big business solution (i.e. only good for big business) funded with taxpayers' money. |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by MartinLuther
(Post 5754319)
Not only is nuclear an environmentally stupid idea for Aus it's also economically stupid.
If Australia really was anti nuclear power it should stop exporting the stuff that makes your skin fall off and your hair fall out. |
Re: The Future of Australia
And what does the UK export now days?
Originally Posted by Loch Lomond
(Post 5752380)
Right now WA is riding an economic boom.....however it (and all of Australia) is in a commodity driven environment. What will WA and the rest of Australia rely on when the energy and mineral resources dry up? I mean, when nothings left, or our Asian clients decide they no longer need what we have.
As far as I am aware their is no commercial export manufacturing in Australia. Should we rely on tourism? I'm interested in everyones thoughts Cheers LL |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by themerlin
(Post 5756812)
And what does the UK export now days?
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Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by arkon
(Post 5756578)
But it seems OK to export and ship the ingredients for nuclear power all over the world to let others build nuclear plants. Afterall when a nuclear powerstation blows up it doesn't spread it's nuclear cloud around the world does it.
If Australia really was anti nuclear power it should stop exporting the stuff that makes your skin fall off and your hair fall out. Or were you talking about Ti-Tree (Tea Tree) Oil :D |
Re: The Future of Australia
Australia has large proven mineral reserves, I doubt we'll see them exhausted even in our grandchildrens lifetimes. As the mining boom continues, so the expertise in extraction grows. This expertise becomes a viable export to other countries starting to exploit their mineral wealth. The type of work changes from being industrial based to service based.
Of course, this makes the assumption there is still an external market, be it China, India or wherever. With regards nuclear power and comments on it being inherently dangerous: Modern station designs run with a negative temperature coefficient and a negative void coefficient which means that as a core heats up it becomes harder and harder to sustain a reaction, thus when left alone, the core tends towards a cool shut down. I saw a brief mention of Solar earlier. There have been significant developments in solar panels in the last 2 years, Nanosolar I think it was managed to develop thin-film, pliable photovoltaic cells. So, as long as there's a global market with no downturn I can't see Australia's economy suffering. My (rather large) 2c :) |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by MartinLuther
(Post 5756458)
You're making these numbers up!
The Portuguese government is aiming for 100% renewable energy. I think they wouldn't be trying if the max they could achieve is 20%. Just because wind turbines (not my preferred option) have a problem providing baseload does not mean that baseload cannot be provided through renewable energy. Some of the generating capacity could be used to create hydrogen which could be used to generate the baseload (similar to LPG). Again it is not beyond the wit of man to come up with solutions. All it needs is people who can think outside the box. The nuke solution is wrong for so many reasons: firstly because it is highly polluting, secondly because it is economically unsound and thirdly because it is inherently dangerous. People may say that the spent fuel of the UK nuke industry only occupies a few football fields but they ignore the regular emissions into the atmosphere and the sea. The Irish sea is now the most radioactive sea in the world. Also what about all the irradiated pipework and plant. That's already filled more than a few football fields. The promised of cheap energy never materialised. This was just a marketing trick when the first nukes were built in the UK and did not take into account the cost of maintenance, reprocessing and decommissioning. 30 years of power and 100s (if not 1000s) of years of decommissioning. If you believe nuclear energy is cheap then you've been spruiked. The only way a government can get private enterprise to build a nuke is by offering free barrow loads of taxpayers' money. Chernobyl shows what happens when it all goes wrong. Oh but that was the USSR! 3 mile island shows what happens when it all goes wrong. And there but for the grace of god goes the UK. Nukes are not cheap, they're not quick, they're not environmentally friendly and they're not simple. It's just a big business solution (i.e. only good for big business) funded with taxpayers' money. Good luck to the Portuguese in their push for 100%........ |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by Katsmajics other half !!!
(Post 5754083)
I would rather be in a desolated backwater like Australia than in a really fooked place like the way the UK is going.:thumbsup:
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Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by KLF
(Post 5757531)
:rolleyes:
I too before coming here would and could easily have written a post like that one, very easy to slag off the UK when everyone brainwashes each other into the falacy that the UK is crap and getting worse. It's only after you have experienced something else that you truely come to appreciate just what was good about home. I for one will never slag off any aspect of the UK again, and that includes the welsh or the close proximity to France. |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by arkon
(Post 5757626)
Notice I never replied to that answer, Spoken too much like someone that hasn't actually lived here in paradise yet.
I too before coming here would and could easily have written a post like that one, very easy to slag off the UK when everyone brainwashes each other into the falacy that the UK is crap and getting worse. It's only after you have experienced something else that you truely come to appreciate just what was good about home. I for one will never slag off any aspect of the UK again, and that includes the welsh or the close proximity to France. Life is so good in blighty yet you cant be arsed to move back, is this your story that you are sticking to, or is it the record you play thats sticking ? |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by arkon
(Post 5757626)
Notice I never replied to that answer, Spoken too much like someone that hasn't actually lived here in paradise yet.
I too before coming here would and could easily have written a post like that one, very easy to slag off the UK when everyone brainwashes each other into the falacy that the UK is crap and getting worse. It's only after you have experienced something else that you truely come to appreciate just what was good about home. I for one will never slag off any aspect of the UK again, and that includes the welsh or the close proximity to France. |
Re: The Future of Australia
Originally Posted by Luke I Amyofath
(Post 5757671)
Why on earth would you slag off the superior welsh, its the rest of the country that is shite.
Life is so good in blighty yet you cant be arsed to move back, is this your story that you are sticking to, or is it the record you play thats sticking ? |
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