Despite warnings that go back an extremely long way.Total failure of Australian governments
The deal was written up by one of global KRudds goonsTotal failure of Australian governments
The conversation about commercial solar farms vs agricultural needs often throws more heat than light on the subject. But what if both ventures could co exists on the same land and through natural synergies create substantial additional overall profits ?
This is another story of how running sheep in a solar farm improves the productivity of both ventures in numerous ways.
... Everyone benefits
Sheep-based agrivoltaics is a particularly good symbiotic system where every participant benefits, from the animals and farmers to the local community and environment.
The solar panels shade the sheep and make them more comfortable on hot days, while fences around the solar farms protect them from predators. The grass shaded by solar panels also grows faster than unshaded grass, so there is more food for the sheep and, in turn humans, than naked pastures with no solar shade.
The benefits extend to energy production as well. The grid enjoys more solar power, which is the least expensive electricity in history, because the grazing sheep keep the solar panels clear of weeds.
In addition, solar farm owners and investors save money on vegetation management by avoiding the risks of mowing (which can damage panels with flying debris) and the costs and environmental harms of herbicides.
Solar shepherds make more money than traditional shepherds do for three main reasons. According to Glassdoor, shepherds in Canada normally make $58,000/year, while solar shepherds can expect to make two to three times as much.
Solar shepherds benefit from increased grass for their sheep, they don’t have to lease pastures and, most importantly, they earn bonus pay for solar farm vegetation management, which comes from contracts with the solar farm owners.
The advantages of solar shepherding ripples out to local communities as well. Solar farms generate significant tax revenue, often enough to fully fund local schools in small farming communities. Residents also gain access to locally produced lamb and sheep meat, along with high-paying local employment.
There are also benefits from an environmental perspective. An earlier study I did with sustainability engineering professor Robert Handler showed that agrivoltaics sheep pastures were twice as land-use efficient than maintaining separate systems for solar energy and sheep grazing. They also outperformed conventional sheep farming and grid electricity systems by 280 to 894 per cent.
Despite warnings that go back an extremely long way.
The issue was well understood at a detail level by the late 1970's and at a conceptual level some years before that.
Nothing further needs be said really other than that both sides of politics are to blame.
And as we all know if the Government of the day needs more funds there is an endless supply of funds from the long suffering taxpayer.Well this was predictable, the ruler is being run over the processes and some are coming up short, so will it be taxpayers paying for coal generators and smelters, it is interesting times.
It wont be the last industry that will want bailing out, meanwhile we keep importing batteries, it must all be becoming a bit scary for the Govt.
Smelters will close without green aluminium funding, Albanese warns as Dutton labels $2bn pledge a ‘con job’
Federal government aims to encourage power-intensive producers to switch to renewables by 2036www.theguardian.com
And thanks god the gov is not adding batteries on top.And as we all know if the Government of the day needs more funds there is an endless supply of funds from the long suffering taxpayer.
The deal was written up by one of global KRudds goons
I think it was the Gillard Gov that sealed the disaster. No one seems interested since.
either or it was under the ALP both PMs were rubbish Rudd egotistical and Gillard intruduced the Australia to victim politics. im not sure of the details of the contract but no LNP PM since has tried to make an effort as to re arrange the contract. Scomo did announce a new gas power station out near Gattern back in the day but not sure how far that gotBoth played a key role, since it was going on during the leadership change so it'd be a technicality to pin it on either PM - it was happening with or without the change of leadership from Rudd to Gillard.
Both played a key role, since it was going on during the leadership change so it'd be a technicality to pin it on either PM - it was happening with or without the change of leadership from Rudd to Gillard.
WA is run differently to the east coast and surprisingly isn’t even classed part of the national energy grid. The arranged a separate deal and had different folk doing the negotiating than The dynamic duo clowns Rudd & Gillard. The WA suppliers have to keep a regular supply to the local market for a decent price, the national grid is a different clown showState politics has also played a role the fact WA Labor called the gas companies bluff / stared them down and made them reserved gas for domestic market makes the rest look pretty bad.
WA Labor just signed a 50 year extension to Woodside which gives a hint as to how they see reality of the future of gas in WA.
Not very pleasant but a fact of life for this time of the year.45deg in parts of Perth today and some wont need to buy a sauna tonight.
Power outages across Perth amid sweltering conditions
Thousands of homes across Perth had power cut on Monday night as the city experienced scorching temperatures.thewest.com.au
Thousands of residents across Perth were in for a long, hot night following several power outages on a day the city experienced scorching temperatures.
More than 4000 homes in the northern suburbs — including Balcatta, Osborne Park, Tuart Hill, Dianella, Stirling, Yokine and Nollamara — experienced an unplanned power outage on Monday night.
Power was first cut in Balcatta at about 6.30pm with the other suburbs soon following suit.
A Western Power spokesperson said the power outage was “due to a feeder trip around Balcatta and Osborne Park but we have been able to restore the majority of these customers by backfeeding”.
“Around 610 customers are currently without power, with an estimated restoration time of 12am,” they said.
Meanwhile, more than 3000 homes in Belmont, Rivervale, Carlisle, Cloverdale and Kewdale also lost electricity.
Western Power crews arrived at the source of the outage at about 7pm to begin assessing the damage caused with power turned back on about 8pm.
Western Power urged people to be “patient if they are experiencing an outage during the challenging conditions ahead”.
While temperatures reached more than 45C in parts of Perth metropolitan on Monday, the mercury is expected to drop to 30C throughout the evening.
At 7pm, the temperature reached 37C.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts temperatures between 38C and 41C through to Friday.
It will be interesting to monitor the issue, to see if it is temp/weather related faults, or lack of generation for abnormal demand periods. It will become a bit of a juggling act at some time, as fossil fuel generation becomes less available I would think.Not very pleasant but a fact of life for this time of the year.
SWIS system load past 7 days through to 6am this morning WA time.It will be interesting to monitor the issue, to see if it is temp/weather related faults, or lack of generation for abnormal demand periods. It will become a bit of a juggling act at some time, as fossil fuel generation becomes less available I would think.
Plus the little known gas one at the Red Hill Rubbish Tip that produces enough for the eastern end of the world but is not exclusively for us though.SWIS system load past 7 days through to 6am this morning WA time.
I'm not aware of what occurred at the peak yesterday but that looks very much like some load was lost either intentionally or due to network faults.
Note that all generation, including distributed solar, is included in this data.
View attachment 191700
Generation by source for the week:
Gas = 29.0%
Coal = 28.5%
Solar = 24.5%
Wind = 17.3%
Bio = 0.3%
Diesel = 0.07%
For those with knowledge of WA coal plant, I'll add that all operable units are presently running.
Muja 6 started early Sunday morning. Collie started Sunday afternoon. Bluewaters 1 & 2 plus Muja 7 & 8 on the whole time.
Too many sites with the other technologies so I won't list them individually. They've all generated at least something in the past 48 hours though, they're all being used.
And imho, there is no structural/ fundamental issue there.**** happens and or undersized grid capacity in localised areaNot very pleasant but a fact of life for this time of the year.
How many more I wonder?Interesting times, April isn't far away.
Add to that the taxpayer is paying to keep Bluewaters running, hopefully some good news starts coming through.
Reprieve for coal as potential WA power blackouts forecast amidst renewables transition
WA is facing a potential power shortfall over the coming decade amid the transition to renewables, leading the government to keep the Muja coal-fired power station operating longer than planned.www.abc.net.au
The Muja 6 plant was due to close in October 2024, but that will now be delayed until April 2025 after a report from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) flagged increased demand could lead to a shortfall
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