What would you say to Daniel Westerman, head of Australia’s AEMO?

 Rafe Champion is fishing for responses

Daniel Westerman, AEMO

Daniel Westerman, AEMO

In May this year Daniel Westerman replaced Audrey Zibelman as the CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator. She was appointed in the Turnbull era after she was tipped as a possibility for Energy Secretary under President Hilary Clinton. In the event their loss was our gain.

Daniel Westerman is now the head man in the organization that runs the operation of our grid and prepares scenarios for decarbonization of the power sector.

What questions would you ask him if you were on the panel to interview the candidates for the position?

This is what you read on his cv.

Daniel held a variety of senior executive roles with London-listed electricity and gas utility, National Grid Plc. Most recently he served as Chief Transformation Officer and President of Renewable Energy, where he led the company-wide transformation program, and grew a large-scale renewable energy business in the United States. In previous roles he has been responsible for engineering, planning and operational control of the electricity transmission network across Great Britain, as well as the development of distributed energy systems, such as rooftop solar, storage and energy metering.

So what do you say?

This is a test and marks will be deducted for bad language.

More background.

Five organisations are involved in managing and planning the South-Eastern Australian grid (the National Energy Market, NEM.)

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has hour to hour and day to day responsibility for the function of the system and it also models scenarios to implement the green energy transition.

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) oversees the operation of the wholesale and retail energy markets under the national energy rules.

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) makes the rules for the operations of the energy providers under the national energy laws and provides advice on energy market developments.

The Energy Consumers Association (ECA) is the national voice for residential and small business energy consumers.

The Energy Security Board (ESB) provides strategic advice to the Commonwealth and State Governments on reforms to the rules and regulations in the energy market. Under normal circumstances this agency would probably not be required but the emerging crisis in the system has placed it in the spotlight.

More about the people in the agencies.

AEMO                   AER                 AEMC        ECA       ESB

The ECA is my most favourite agency of all because the dedicated professionals in the organization care so much about people and the planet.

 

8.8 out of 10 based on 34 ratings

93 comments to What would you say to Daniel Westerman, head of Australia’s AEMO?

  • #
    Ronin

    Is this the clown responsible for the fractured state of the UK grid.

    311

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      No. The German grid is in a worse state, and likely to crash as the Greens flex their muscles** in the incoming coalition. They will have to build more open cycle gas turbines to keep the system going. That means getting someone (Seimens?) to build them and a bigger supply of natural gas (bearing in mind that it was a shortage of gas that lead to the crisis in Sept./Oct)

      **I was going to comment on where the Greens keep their muscles but I realise they don’t exercise their brains at all.

      But never fear, with Boris channeling Peppa Pig it can only be a few weeks before there is a disaster in the UK. They rely on imports from Europe but France was, this week, importing electricity from Germany because of problems with several nuclear plants. Macron, if he gets re-elected, wants to shut down their nuclear and use wind turbines (worked well this year in Germany and the UK didn’t that?). Belgium is under pressure to shut its nuclear as well as Switzerland and Italy, so the UK will be looking for about 20% more (actual) generating capacity. They too, need more gas and someone to build Open Cycle plants quickly (as no-one has been keen to build the lower emissions and cheaper to run Closed Cycle plants for the last 10 years). Fortunately? they adopted the Australian practice of destroying old coal-fired plants so they cannot be used in an emergency, but will fall back on the South Australian tactic of relying on diesel (and occasional blackouts).

      291

      • #
        James Murphy

        France is starting to talk about building new nuclear power plants, but that’s never fast… and who knows how much is election related (presidential elections coming up in April), and how much is real…

        110

        • #
          stewartpid

          For France – build new or enlarge, add to or upgrade the old ones which should be much quicker for permitting.
          Re my question for Daniel Westerman: Are you nucking futs???

          40

      • #
        Ronin

        That’s what happens when dreamers and poets try to manage nuts and bolts stuff.

        70

    • #

      Ronin
      November 27, 2021 at 11:56 am · Reply
      Is this the clown responsible for the fractured state of the UK grid….

      Graeme No.3
      November 27, 2021 at 2:03 pm · Reply
      No. The German grid is in a worse state,

      ??… G 3,.. why do you say No ?
      Who did the number on the UK grid ?

      00

      • #
        Graeme No.3

        Chad:
        It was a Combined OP by politicians (who know nothing about electricity generation but wanted to sound good)
        The Bureaucracy (who know nothing about electricity generation but wanted to sound good)
        and the mainstream media esp. the BBC (who know nothing about electricity generation but wanted to sound good)

        and various money hungry b*st*rds (who care nothing about electricity generation but a lot about generating money)

        70

  • #
    Ian

    I think his name is Daniel but perhaps he answers to both. Whatever, he has headed AEMO for the last 6 months without disturbing the equilibrium of readers here so it seems he is not doing anything that is ruffling their feathers.

    In short I would say “Keep on keeping on as you are as you are obviously not in the forefront of people’s minds”

    223

    • #
      Rafe Champion

      Thanks Ian, he is Daniel, my bad.
      As to his low profile, I suppose people have other things on their minds but with the football finals out of the way it is time to turn to other priorities and one of them should be the slow-motion train crash of the power system.

      220

    • #
      R.B.

      Under your logic, fossil fuels are safe or have they increased albatross divorce rates in the Falklands?

      Sorry, I forgot that you can stick your head out the window and see things that have always happened before, and worse, are examples of climate change.

      410

    • #
      yarpos

      For the 1st 6 months he will be more interested in finding the toilets, working out the mudane aspects of relocation and confirming how his bonus package works.

      30

  • #
    Ian1946

    Are you concerned that current policies around closing coal fired power stations will cause rolling blackouts on calm sunless days? If so what do you plan to do to stop it happening.?

    450

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      The current idea in the UK and Germany is to install more “peaking plants” burning gas inefficiently. Cheaper to build, expensive to run (and maintain if cycled as they will be) and almost as high emissions as the latest black coal fired technology (except the latter want continuous running).

      The question is where are they going to get the extra gas from? Given that they have banned fracking and exploration for new fields, and Norway has cut supplies this year. Jingle bells, jingle bells, here comes Father Putin – so called because you put your gifts and goodies into his sack.
      Expect a rapid change of direction by Peppa Boris.

      110

      • #
        Anton

        Why almost as high emissions (per kWh, presumably) as coal? When you burn hydrocarbons you get the energy from the hydrogen oxidising (to water) as well as the carbon oxidising. By burning octane instead of high-quality coal (ie pure carbon) you get energy for about 40% less carbon emitted.

        50

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          CO2 emissions per MWh output.
          For CCGTs 400-420
          For OCGTs about 650 if running continuously (which can happen) but slightly higher with on/off running (maximum 700).
          Latest figures (calculated) for newest chinese type plants 712-720. That’s for good quality australian coal.

          91

  • #
    Steve of Cornubia

    Treat him like the politician he clearly is (hence his appointment) and ask, “Can you GUARANTEE that the phasing out of fossil fuels and their replacement with renewables will not result in more blackouts and supply constraints? If not, why not?”

    Also, “Can you GUARANTEE that the energy component of Australian manufacturing costs will not rise, relative to our competitors, without taxpayer-funded subsidies?”

    311

  • #
    Hanrahan

    Audrey Zibelman ….. She was appointed in the Turnbull era after she was tipped as a possibility for Energy Secretary under President Hilary Clinton. In the event their loss was our gain.

    Who wrote that???

    201

  • #
    Pauly

    Does the AEMO have a computer model of Australia’s electricity grid?

    If not, how does the AEMO determine how much rooftop solar PV can be added, state by state? And large scale solar and wind farms? And is there a way to determine how much storage is needed, as the proportion of renewable energy sources increases?

    Or is the AEMO simply reacting to problems created by ongoing state and federal government subsidies?

    180

    • #
      Graeme No.3

      Pauly:
      1. Large scale solar tandwind farms output is measured (and sometimes directed to shut down).

      2. They estimate rooftop solar (S) by guessing what the demand (A) would be without solar, and subtracting the actual demand (D) (which they can measure) less output (if any) from wind etc. (C) to “calculate” rooftop output. A simple equation A(unknown) minus C(known) minus D(known) = S(guess).
      It is probably an improvement on the guesses from the IPCC and the State Health Depts. in that some factors are known.

      130

      • #
        Pauly

        Thanks Graeme No.3. I was being rhetorical. As far as I’m aware, no one has modelled a future electricity grid powered entirely by renewables. I am aware that Google spent over $1 Billion researching solutions, all of which have been quietly shut down without fanfare.

        There are two problems facing Australia’s grid.
        1. No engineering process to determine what problems may arise with increasing renewables.
        2. No evidence that it is possible to achieve a 100% renewables solution.

        The consequence is that the AEMO are tripping over problems in real time, and “solutions” are short term and knee jerk in nature.

        SA has already had a state-wide grid collapse. The NT suffers repeated grid blackouts with off-grid solar. WA has announced it is only 2 years away from rooftop solar causing serious grid instability, and now Qld is asking for options to improve system strength and inertia before a series of large solar farms come on line over the next two years.

        Yet we have no modelling to show what will happen, no experimental setup, no test rig and no pilot site that can be used for evaluation.

        Instead, the AEMO is populated by activists and zealots who are using the entire Australian grid as a crash test dummy. And you have to worry when you find out a bunch of these government appointees have suddenly left. Problems are bubbling to the surface, and they don’t know how to fix them.

        231

        • #
          Ronin

          I doubt there is a major grid anywhere in the world that isn’t in dire straits, the fools have got a tiger by the tail and aren’t game to let go.

          151

        • #
          Graeme No.3

          Nor have they calculated the effect of a change in the weather.
          Germany has burnt 20% more coal this year than last due to a 3.3% increase in electricity consumption
          electricity and heat generation from hard (black) coal increased by 28 percent.
          “Electricity generation by wind power plants fell sharply, by 18 percent for onshore plants and 14 percent for offshore plants.”
          Solar energy fared even worse, producing only half as much as the year earlier.

          the share of renewables has decreased by a total of 16.1 percent compared to the previous year,”

          And I don’t know if the Germans used any imports from Poland’s coal-fired generation.

          61

        • #
          yarpos

          From your list of woes it sounds like we have lots of pilot sites.

          10

    • #
      Tel

      Does the AEMO have a computer model of Australia’s electricity grid?

      Yes, they do claim to have such a model.

      https://aemo.com.au/energy-systems/electricity/national-electricity-market-nem/participate-in-the-market/network-connections/modelling-requirements

      Each large piece of infrastructure connected to the grid must be supported with a software model (including source code in FORTRAN) and block diagram, delivered to AEMO, as per their requirements.

      10

  • #
    Serge Wright

    The main problems to manage are:
    – the enormous variability of RE generation
    – the lack of technically and economically feasible storage solutions.
    – the maintenance challenges of maintaining the vast transmission networks away from human settlements
    – the contingency of managing the vastly increased risks
    – providing ongoing ancillary services for frequency stability

    The main problem the CEO faces will be how to handle these items which run directly opposite to the AEMO charter, which is to provide a guarantee of supply. We recently saw a battery operator in SA get fined by the AEMO for being unable to provide committed supply when a QLD coal fired power station suffered an outage. In this new era of lottery supplied energy, you can’t punish the providers for the failings of the energy solutions which you have mandated, so we can expect to see a great watering down of the regulatory framework along with a collapse of the grid supply.

    100

    • #
      Ronin

      Solar is eating the lunch during the day of the coal fired generators, who are needed when things go a bit quiet, this is headed for disaster.

      250

      • #
        Rafe Champion

        At present the demand in the SA grid is down to double figures with enough surplus rooftop solar to export to Victoria.
        However in recent weeks there have been wind droughts in SA and Victoria that would have seen SA go black without coal power from over the border.
        The RE enthusiasts celebrate the increasing penetration of RE on weekend afternoons and ignore the times that the system will crash.
        More people need to understand this, but don’t waste time with the fundamentalists unless other people are listening and learning.

        200

  • #

    Hmm! Where to begin?

    How about this then.

    I would show him this graph, shown at this link.

    Then I would ask him if he could explain it.

    Tony.

    380

    • #
      Rafe Champion

      Thanks Tony, that is just brilliant!

      160

      • #

        Thanks Rafe.

        More coming on Wednesday or Thursday.

        Tony.

        130

        • #
          robert rosicka

          You need to make another graph of what forms of electricity generation they intend to bridge the gap Tony .

          I suggest Uninicorn flatulence – 7.9% , People on exercise bikes converted to generate electricity – 15% , Free energy – 3.75% , Perpetual motion – 6% , Hitting the master switch – the rest etc etc .

          60

    • #
      yarpos

      He would say “thank you, clearly we need more wind power then”

      10

  • #
    Destroyer D69

    I would ask him why has this technology been promoted and installed as a matter of extreme urgency? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXW0bx_Ooq4

    160

  • #
    Robber

    AEMO’s mission is to “Design and operate a sustainable energy system that provides safe, reliable and affordable energy for all Australians.”
    What is your key success metric for “affordable energy”?
    How will you ensure reliable energy given the intermittency of wind and solar?

    120

  • #
    Ronin

    I would like to ask Daniel, what are the lessons we in OZ could learn from the UK experience.

    150

  • #
    Ronin

    “The ECA is my most favourite agency of all because the dedicated professionals in the organization care so much about people and the planet.”

    BWAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHA, oh, for gods sake.

    80

    • #
      Lawrie

      If that is what the agency is for, looking after consumers interest, then why are there no consumers on the board? Consumers like Tomago Aluminium or some mum and dad business owners or a few irrigators and manufacturers. Instead we have perennial director types who on their salaries could not care less if power prices go up or the power goes off.

      30

  • #
    Mark Allinson

    ” … decarbonization of the power sector.”

    Otherwise known as the rationalisation for the process of de-industrialising Western nations to facilitate the world-conquering rise of one-world Communism under Chinese leadership.

    160

  • #
    Travis T. Jones

    With China issuing coal coupons for folk to keep warm this winter (the coldest is yet to come, it says), I would ask our AEMO weather controller Dan approximately how much colder he would like China to get, and how many windmills will that take, counting the ones we have now?

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-25/return-of-mao-era-coal-coupons-show-china-s-crisis-isn-t-over

    If the question is stupid, wait until you hear the answer.

    130

  • #
    Geoffrey+Williams

    Five organisations responsible for managing our grid;
    Talk about too many cooks, and jobs for the boys . .
    My question to Daniel Westerman would be ‘why so many organizations?’
    GeoffW

    80

  • #
    Ross+Holding

    I would ask him if he had an understanding of the photosynthesis process in plants.

    140

  • #
    Doug Lavers

    I would ask him what he will do if it is discovered that our planet is entering a major COOLING phase.

    150

  • #
    Geoff Sherrington

    1. What is the real comparison of the cost to the NEM consumers’ door, of renewables (wind and/or solar) versus coal fired electricity, annually for the past 20 years?
    2. Why do you allow AEMO use the inaccurate term “renewable”?
    Geoff S

    60

  • #
    clarence.t

    Daniel, Your job is to control the provision of affordable, reliable electricity to all Australians.

    The very best way to do this would be to ignore the anti-CO2 nonsense, and get on with the real task of building a new, large, high efficiency coal-fired power station in each of the eastern state.

    This would set up a legacy of dependable, dispatchable electricity for decades to come.

    Get on with it… now !!

    100

  • #
    FrankH

    My questions:

    1 When the country has completely transitioned to zero carbon electricity generation, how much nuclear power do you think will be needed to cover those days when the wind doesn’t blow and the nights when the sun doesn’t shine?
    2 If the amount of nuclear power needed for backup is the same as the unreliables, why not do away with the unreliables and just run nuclear all the time?

    170

  • #
    Will

    Question?
    1 How about ceasing the blackouts? That would be nice as even a one second switchover crashes my hardware.
    My father told me that blackouts were the norm in the late 1940s and the 1950s. But in my own experience
    in Oz (as opposed to some truly dreadful places elsewhere) I must have experienced about one per decade,
    until ~ 2010 and since. Now one per month is the new norm and one lasted 6 hours.
    If that is any indication, we can expect it all to become very third world very soon.

    2 How come we pay 3x what the average Chinese do for power?
    Perhaps because they do not even bother to play lip service to the climate nonsense and stick with coal while
    laughing their heads off as they sell solar panels and wind generators to the fools.

    They called Menzies “pig iron” Bob because he sold scrap to the Japanese preWW2.
    What are we going to call someone when a Chinese AFVs (see “tanks”) made from Australian iron ore in furnaces
    fuelled by Australian coal, roll up to Canberra?

    120

  • #
    Ed Zuiderwijk

    I’d ask him this.

    Given that you are scientifically naive – meaning that everything you think you know about the energy balance of the planet you know because you have been so told – how competent do you consider yourself in judging the necessity of measures to control the climate.

    Whatever the reply, then ask if he considers himself competent enough to judge whether what he has been told is not a load of balderdash.

    Then ask if he is comfortable navigating on some compass provided by others and of which he only believes that it works because those same others say so. Would you risk your boat on such an arrangement?

    If he answers ‘no’ to the last question, hire him.

    40

  • #
    Raven

    Dear Daniel,

    When will you mandate that any proposed renewable projects are to include sufficient storage so that their dispatchable power potential is consistent with our 24/7/365 demand based grid and thus, deemed fit for purpose.

    And before you ask, no, I don’t want taxpayers to subsidise it.
    The reason is simple: after all these years I’m now suitably conditioned to believe renewable energy is cheapest.

    30

  • #
    Philip

    In the shadow of failure of the UK energy grid and now poised to ruin what remains of the Australian energy grid, all to save the planet from carbon dioxide, explain this:

    “those observed features show that the changes of tropical temperature do not follow from changes of CO2, but rather produce them. Changes of CO2 produced in this manner track the observed evolution of CO2, including its systematic increase.”

    https://scc.klimarealistene.com/2021/10/new-papers-on-control-of-atmospheric-co2/

    20

  • #
  • #
    Erasmus

    Government Failures:
    Manufacturing, Education, Nuclear and Hydro Energy, Sabotage of Coal, The Family, Pandemic Management, Housing Affordability, Defence, Gas Exploration and Extraction, The National Broadcaster, The NBN, Budget Deficits.
    That’s for openers.

    50

    • #
      Forrest Gardener

      You could have save time by listing government successes: NIL

      40

      • #
        Tel

        Their main success is they manage to keep the same small circle of people in power and lock down any dissent so that parties such as PHON or UAP cannot gain traction. I think it’s going to require widespread failure before the average Australian cares enough to make an effort to sort this out.

        50

  • #
    Neville

    I would ask Dan if he has ever watched Mark Mills video and if not why not?
    Also can he tell us where Mark is wrong and why would anyone want to install these vile, TOXIC dilute failures in the first place?

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqppRC37OgI

    30

  • #
    Strop

    If CO2 emissions was not a factor in your considerations and you had to design a reliable national energy supply network, what would you choose to be the source of generation in Australia and why?

    50

  • #
    Lawrie

    Instead of complaining you should all write to your local members or to Mr Westerman himself. I sent him this this morning. He won’t read it he won’t even get it probably but someone in his office will see a negative response. Everyone should do it just to make the point that Australians are not unanimous in their love for renewables.

    Dear Mr. Westerman,

    Congratulations on your appointment. Your huge success in crippling the UK electricity grid will stand you in good stead here where the government is rapidly succeeding to do the same.

    Meanwhile in the real world China powers ahead using good old coal while we pretend to save the planet with solar panels, made in China, and windmills also made in China.
    No doubt you see the connection. You could gain some credibility if you were to introduce some modern HELE coal fired power stations into the system or even some nuclear powered generation. Otherwise you will continue the destruction of our once affordable and available electricity network. A few hot summers will show how ridiculous is the lurch to renewables which are not really renewable when we consider whole of life and their constant need for backup.

    The Global Warming alarmists will love you; the people trying to scratch a living and survive on the pension not so much.

    Welcome to the once great Australia.

    120

  • #
    Forrest Gardener

    My question is what personal liability Mr Westerman accepts for negative consequences of his actions.

    Will he, for example, repay all or part of his salary under any conditions?

    50

  • #
    Gerry

    Is there a role for backup plans if all or part of the rollout plan is not able to go ahead or is not fulfilling projected targets?

    20

  • #
    Kim

    A challenge: Via the use of zoning regulations – ie via private finance – create a town that is 100% fully off grid – off grid electricity generation via solar and wind, off grid water and off grid sewerage, and off grid rubbish disposal. Completely self contained. Complying 100% with your ‘renewable’ and ‘sustainable’ criteria. Implement it and let’s have it running with plenty of publicity – let’s see how it goes.

    50

    • #
      Ronin

      “A challenge: Via the use of zoning regulations – ie via private finance – create a town that is 100% fully off grid – off grid electricity generation via solar and wind, off grid water and off grid sewerage, and off grid rubbish disposal. Completely self contained. Complying 100% with your ‘renewable’ and ‘sustainable’ criteria. Implement it and let’s have it running with plenty of publicity – let’s see how it goes.”

      I nominate the small town of Canberra for the exper… test.

      70

  • #
    Rob

    My questions for candidates applying for the position of CEO of the AEMO:

    Would you advocate for –

    1./ The nationalisation of the entire electricity grid,
    2./ The dismissal of the 5 bodies currently meddling in the management of Australia’s electricity grid,
    3./ The appointment of an august Electricity Commission comprised entirely of electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers,
    4./ Charging a new Electricity Commission with the responsibility for delivering the lowest cost electricity commensurate with the lowest possible level of emissions – and likely to include nuclear power.

    50

  • #
    CHRIS

    Westerman doesn’t even understand the definition of “renewable energy”. There is no such thing. Yes, solar and wind might be cleaner (wrt CO2 emissions), but they are NOT renewable. As Lawrie states, solar panels and windmills are mainly produced in China…and from what, CLEAN AIR?? I am sick and tired of politicians and people referring tp renewable energy, as it does not exist. The only two energy sources which MIGHT be classed as “renewable” are wood and water. Anything else is a big fat joke, as they require MINING for their existence.

    10

  • #
    Faye

    Please give us an in depth account of your CV. What exactly did the large scale renewable energy business do and describe your leadership role in it.

    Rooftop solar in Britain for reliability is a stretch of the imagination considering the availability of sunlight.
    Please elaborate on whether it was successful or not.

    Batteries for the storage? added how much to the cost? and how many needed per household?

    If already available working meters were suffice, why add cost replacement by new meters?

    Are you philosophically committed to renewable energy only? without consideration of cheaper, more reliable and less grid complicated systems?

    50

  • #
    Analitik

    What would I say?

    Remove all subsidies and the semi-scheduled designation and let the market sort things out.

    30

  • #
    Daffy

    How are you going to manage unreliable power generators while bringing energy costs down as a matter of equity for low and middle income earners? We are tired of the less pecunious subsidising the energy frolics of the wealthy.

    30

  • #
    Billy Bob Hall

    Question to present:

    Why is there no planning whatsoever to replace all our electricity generation in Australia with Nuclear Energy – both from Pressurized Water Reactors and Molten Salt Reactors ?

    10

  • #
    Graeme No.3

    Storm Arwen packed a big punch.
    https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/storm-arwen-cuts-power-tens-thousands-britons-2021-11-27/

    LONDON, Nov 27 (Reuters) – At least two people died and tens of thousands were left without power as Storm Arwen brought strong winds across many parts of the United Kingdom, with gusts of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kph).
    One man died in Northern Ireland’s County Antrim when his car was struck by a falling tree on Friday evening, police said in a statement. Local media reported the man was the principal of a primary school.
    Another man was killed in Cumbria in the northwest of England when he was hit by a falling tree, police said.
    More than 100,000 customers were without power, Northern Powergrid, which delivers electricity to properties in the North East of England and Yorkshire, said on Saturday morning.

    Engineers were also working to restore supplies in Scotland and southern England. Parts of Scotland reported to have been blacked out for 26 hours.

    10

  • #
    Cookster

    Three questions from me, apologies if these have already been asked upthread:

    1. Are you confident rolling blackouts won’t occur when coal plants are shut down? If so, why?
    2. Where is the gas coming from on the East coast of Australia to firm overnight demand when the wind isn’t blowing? We know the private sector invested $60bil at Gladstone and are entitled to sell offshore to recoup that investment at the best possible price.
    3. Is AEMO’s Integrated System Plan an engineering or political document designed to fool school children?

    30

  • #

    Question 1:
    Please show actual evidence that man’s CO2 is causing serious global warming.

    Be sure to explain contra evidence such as what caused the Minoan, Roman & Medieval warm periods, all of which were almost certainly warmer than now, and why that cause is NOT the cause of the current warm period.
    Of course you know that these are NOT evidence that man’s CO2 is the cause:
    evidence of bad weather, unusual weather, melting ice, storms
    some percentage of scientists making claims
    organizations or governments making claims
    But the basis of those claims might be evidence if they are based on data, pro & con plus well reasoned analysis of those pros & cons.

    Be sure to properly address these contra indicators:

    1. Existence of warmer, warm periods: Minoan, Roman & Medieval
    2. There is nothing unusual about our climate compared to climate history, therefore nothing to explain with CO2
    3. Solar cycles are a better fit to climate than CO2.
    4. Recent warming is at same rate as during the late 1800s but with much more of man’s CO2.
    5. Our CO2 rise after the Medieval warm period is broadly consistent with the timing of CO2 rise after the end of ice ages.
    6. No one has shown actual evidence that man’s CO2 is causing serious global warming.
    7. Admitted (criminal) misconduct among top climate “scientists” at the CRU.

    Question 2:
    Please tell us the actual cost of electricity when all fossil fuels are eliminated from the grid and no longer needed for backup.
    Notes:
    You must assume highly reliable electricity supply with no blackouts and normal industrial loads.
    You must assume no reduction in commercial and industrial production output.

    Question 3:
    What role should nuclear play in the power grid.

    Question 4:
    If the electric grid fails (accidents, storms, sabotage and wartime damage do occur) what is our alternative source of energy for needs like:
    Chain saws to clear roads of fallen trees after a cyclone.
    Travel after a storm knocks down wires for a few weeks.
    Powering hospitals, traffic lights, police vehicles and stations, food distribution, water system, communication.
    Heating/cooling homes, refrigerating/cooking food.

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    Barry

    What is your target price for residential and industrial electricity?
    You must have a target price, and it should decrease by about 2% p.a. subject to actual extraction costs (not including subsidies / taxes?
    How will you meet the annual target price reductions after 5, 10, 15 years?

    Anyone who has worked in any sort of real manufacturing industry will be very familiar with this sort of thing.
    Electricity is manufacturing and distribution. Not that hard really.
    Have a target, and a plan to meet the target.

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    Gerry

    What will he do do eliminate all subsidies from the system? These are what distort the whole market.

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