That’s the title of Four Corners tonight.
It’s advertised as being about renewable energy. According to reporter Stephen Long on local radio, he and a photographer went to the United States and looked at developments, not just in alternative technologies in power production, storage etc, but also in new models of distributed energy production.
He likened what’s happening to the challenge of the new media to traditional newspapers. Old energy systems will have to adapt or shrink and die.
Newspapers, telecommunications and the entertainment industry have all felt the chill winds of change brought on by new technology. Now science is revolutionising power generation. Technology is making alternative sources of energy cheaper, more user-friendly and, crucially, it’s decentralising production to the rooftops of homes and commercial buildings across Australia.
So why is the Federal Government moving away from its commitment to renewable sources of energy? Why would it consider reducing renewable energy targets, favouring greenhouse-gas emitting coal and gas?
He also looks at new electric cars.
It was an impressive presentation.
Would have been good if it had said more about the ACT solar auction scheme which has been able to get results despite the Abbott antics.
No, no. You’ve got it all wrong. It’s not “Power to the people”; since rooftop solar became so popular, it is now “Get Power away from the people”. And, given the track-record of the obsequious, incompetent, monkey-business-friendly federal government; they may consider making rooftop solar illegal, as a national security measure, of course, because you never know who might be using them to signal Martians.
Seriously though, that 4 Corners program was very informative. Sadly, Australia has missed the boat.
Greg Hunt is a walking parody of a minister. He claimed that ‘clean coal’ will reduce emissions by 30 to 50%.
Sorry Greg, but that’s not nearly enough. We need 100%!