Tuesday, 13 August 2024

Solar energy

Dylan WIGHT (Tarneit) (13:56): Many of those opposite would like to go nuclear, perhaps in more ways than one. But on the energy front economists could not be clearer. The Economist, a British weekly news magazine known since 1843 for economic insight, is not endorsing their nuclear fantasy. The Economist recently highlighted a different path in its special issue titled ‘Dawn of the solar age’. The Economist reported solar power is growing so quickly it is set to become the biggest source of electricity on the planet by the mid-2030s and surpass all other energy sources by the 2040s. This growth is evident right here in Victoria. Recently reported in the Herald Sun, Solar Run’s data from January 2020 to December 2023 had Tarneit with 2177 solar installations, earning it the title of Australia’s greenest suburb. The trend underscores the global shift towards renewable energy, contrasting starkly with nuclear power’s decline in the Northern Hemisphere.

Recently I also had the benefit of visiting RayGen’s factory in Hawthorn as well as their power plant in Carwarp just near Mildura, which is the world’s largest next-generation, long-duration energy storage project. RayGen’s power plant integrates multiple technologies to supply large industry as well as feeding distribution into the grid.