Dear
Editor,
Di
Koser (NT news Letters 15th September, 2014) extolls the virtues of
her roof top solar panels – which she has had installed on her roof since 2007.
Whether
Di used the taxpayer-funded subsidy to install her panels is unclear from her
letter. If the panels were installed with only her funds, then I have no
problem.
However,
I am most definitely against taxpayer funding (by way of subsidies) of
so-called renewable energy systems like solar and wind.
Does
Di not realise that the “cheap alternative energy” electricity that many
Australians are receiving is only possible because of massive taxpayer funding
running at well over $3 billion per annum? And let us not forget that there is
also significant government control in the marketplace to enable consumers to
“sell” their power back to the electricity supplier. This is not the way a free
society should operate.
Whilst
Di correctly points out that battery technology is advancing rapidly, I very
much doubt she (or I) will be around long enough to see a mass electricity
storage system of the capacity required to make solar and wind even slightly
competitive over power from coal, gas or nuclear.
Do
not get me wrong: I would like to see competitive advances in so-called
renewable methods of electricity generation – eventually making them viable
replacements to coal, gas or nuclear. However massive taxpayer subsidisation of
these expensive forms of power generation is the last thing any wise and fair
government should be doing with taxpayer’s funds. In fact it could easily be
argued that subsidisation of any industry destroys innovation and therefore
seriously reduces the chances of any eventual competitiveness.
The
years of subsidisation of automobile makers Mitsubishi, Holden, Ford and Toyota
--- only to see those companies pull out when the money was withdrawn is a
typical example of what occurs when governments try to pick winners.
Australia
has abundant coal reserves which at current estimates will last at least 400
years. We also have massive gas reserves. Australia should have the world’s
cheapest electricity, instead, we have amongst the most costly power on the
planet. And all due to unnecessary government intervention (rules, regulations
and subsidies) in the electricity market place.
Yours
Sincerely,
Dave
Wane
Darwin
