Antinuclear

The blackout was not a failure of wind or solar. It was proof that we need to speed up the switch to renewables. It shows the vulnerability of a grid system in transition and a failure to think beyond a mandated renewable energy target. The old power network is a “one to many” design, with large-scale, point source generation and energy flowing in one direction. The future grid will be “many to many” – when one path is under stress, the current finds an alternative route. This also balances supply and demand for when the wind is not blowing in a particular area, as well as battery storage, consumer-side load switching, etc. However, building renewable capacity alone will not give us a reliable, low-carbon energy system. We need rapid transition of the grid, as well as everything that plugs into it. Urgent priority should be given to a national carbon tax. We should open up the economy to the innovation of the market. This is the fastest, cheapest and most effective solution.

The demonisation of the clean energy sector, Andrew Laird