{"id":45271,"date":"2020-12-28T13:40:13","date_gmt":"2020-12-28T03:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=45271"},"modified":"2024-01-25T10:56:59","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T01:26:59","slug":"2020-in-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/2020-in-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2020 In Review: Fossil Fuel Industry Running On Fumes"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

\"2020<\/p>\r\n

The year 2020 was wonderful except for one little thing, and it’s hard to get littler than a virus.\u00a0 Thank god Australia got off lightly compared to most.\u00a0 <\/p>\r\n

If you’d like to give credit to those who saved our bacon rather than upper management, you can thank the medical professionals. \u00a0They refused to let the Government make a dog’s breakfast of our pandemic response.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

I know it has become almost mandatory to deride 2020 as an annus horribilis<\/em>, but if you join me in looking on the bright side of things, I’ll show you how to find joy in this horrible annus.\u00a0 So please don your gay apparel — which in this case should be a festively themed facemask — and join me in clearing coronavirus contaminated corrosion from what I know appears to be the most lacklustre year since disco died. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Under The Dross, 2020 Contained Brilliance That’s Ready To Shine Through.\u00a0<\/h2>\r\n

The baddest of bad news for this year has taken many good\u00a0people<\/a> from us. \u00a0The goodest of good news is there’s an excellent chance we won’t die in the future.\u00a0 And by we, I mean humanity.\u00a0 No – immortality is not yet available.\u00a0 Things are looking up, but not that far up.<\/p>\r\n

Renewables are undeniably cheaper.<\/h2>\r\n

The good news is renewable energy — especially solar power — is now cheaper than fossil fuels.\u00a0 And when I say it’s cheaper, I don’t just mean:<\/p>\r\n

    \r\n
  • When including the health and environmental costs of fossil fuels.<\/li>\r\n
  • When the sun shines, or the wind blows.<\/li>\r\n
  • When deciding between building new fossil fuel capacity or new renewable capacity.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    I’m saying that a combination<\/a> of solar and wind generation and energy storage is now cheap enough to drive existing, paid off, fossil fuel power stations out of business.\u00a0 It’s not just cheaper, it’s so much cheaper there is no escape from the revelation, and soon only fools and the mad will deny it.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    \"Craig<\/p>\r\n

    I’m talking about large-scale renewables and energy storage here.\u00a0 Rooftop solar in Australia started paying for itself years ago, although home batteries still don’t pay for themselves under normal circumstances.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    Strangely, the rest of the world has mostly ignored Australia’s success with rooftop solar just as they ignored our handling of the Global Financial Crisis, our raising of worker incomes in an English speaking country, and Aussies mostly not dying from a plague.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    But giant wind farms, big solar and big batteries are big business and can no longer be ignored. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n

    Much to my chagrin1<\/a><\/sup>, this doesn’t mean we can run up to our remaining coal power stations, give them a stiff kick and watch as they crumble into dust.\u00a0 It won’t be quite that easy.\u00a0 But a relatively rapid demise of coal power followed by gas is certain. \u00a0<\/p>\r\n