Fresh thinking needed

Energy Crisis demands fresh thinking

Today’s announcement that NSW is facing potential blackouts and increasing prices for electricity demonstrates the need for an overhaul of the way we supply and use energy.

It seems the biggest single problem is the increasing use of energy guzzling air conditioners on hot days. The major factor in the increasing numbers of hot days is, of course, climate change. Any option that does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions would therefore be counterproductive and must be rejected out of hand.

The people of NSW will not cop Sydney Labor yet again knocking on the doors of their mates in the coal industry. That would be a 19th century solution to a 21st century problem.

The Government has previously announced its reticence to go down the nuclear path, and that is to be applauded. It is a dangerous fossil fuel based red herring that will take decades to come on line. We don’t have that long.

There is no single solution to this problem. One area that ought be examined is demand management. The people of the Hunter have shown an admirable willingness to cut water usage. I have faith in their ability to demonstrate the same sense of public spirit and creativity on this issue. The people however, cannot be expected to make sacrifices on their own. They need government support.

The NSW Government has more gas fired plants in mind for dealing with peak demand. The Greens support this, but only as an interim measure whilst we wean ourselves off coal.

The long-term baseload solution however, is to be found in today’s other major announcement, that being the Federal and Victorian Governments announcing a joint venture to fund a solar plant in northern Victoria. This is only a small step, but at least renewable energy is on Steve Bracks’ and John Howard’s radar.

The time has passed for renewable energy to be considered only as a boutique option. Our future energy needs and the dangers presented by climate change demand that Morris Iemma and Joe Tripodi place it front and centre of their energy plans for NSW.