Roger Pielke Jr. runs the numbers on renewable energy and tells us what any thinking person already knows, that renewable energies are incapable of substituting for a fraction of our energy needs.
Now he has to adjust revise his figures again, on the basis of the reality of Cloncurry solar plant, and the looting of taxpayer money therein.
Energy Minister Stephen Robertson has broken the official commercial-in-confidence line of the state’s commercial partner, Sydney-based Lloyd Energy Storage, to reveal the technological glitch.
“There was a glare issue exceeding what they consider to be appropriate levels,” he said. “If the glare issue cannot be addressed the project will be moved somewhere else in Cloncurry or it will not proceed.”
The State Government earmarked $7 million for the project. Of that, $900,000 had been spent so far, he said.
“We are talking about a sunrise industry here, no pun intended,” Mr Robertson said.
“Sometimes we’ve got to take a risk with taxpayers’ money to prove up this new technology.”