Battery booster

Australia is awash with misinformation about climate change and renewable energy, much of it stoked by the coal lobby-supported LiberalNational government, aided and abetted by the Murdoch press.

So, I am not surprised to find that Andrew Kenny is misinformed about South Australia’s Tesla big battery project, “The Hornsdale power reserve, renewable energy will be a disaster” (April 23).

Financial information provided by French renewable energy developer Neoen shows the battery cost A$87m and took less than 100 days to install.

In the first year of operation it generated net revenue of more than 25% of the capital cost and saved almost A$40m in grid costs.

The Australian energy market operator confirms that the battery has stabilised the network and prevented blackouts as a result of its speed, versatility and accuracy in responding to events, especially as coal-fired units tripped out as demand peaked during a summer of record high temperatures.

Most importantly, it has reduced the cost of electricity to consumers and avoided load-shedding.

The cause of Australian electricity price rises from 2005 were mostly grid-based network costs and had nothing to do with renewables.

Renewables are bringing down the cost of electricity, as well as cutting emissions as coalfired plants are decommissioned.

This is what should be happening in SA, where we forget that the emissions from our coal-fired power stations contribute directly to the climate changes that caused flooding in Mozambique and KwaZulu-Natal in April.

Brian Paxton Claremont