What’s the definition of humbug? I’m not sure exactly, but it’s something involving Russel Bloody Norman and his Green Party. Who are on Red Radio this morning arguing that the country needs security of electricity supply!
Excuse me, this is Russel Bloody Norman from the Green Party arguing for security of electricity supply!?
It just makes your jaw drop.
This is the Green Party who partied when the coal-fired Meremere Power Station was mothballed and protested when it wanted to re-open transforming waste to power. Who celebrated when Marsden A closed and Marsden B was disallowed from opening—and whose protesting helped to make the closing necessary and the opening impossible. Who cheered when power stations closed in New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Te Awamutu. Who help to throttle every proposed expansion of every existing power plant, and who helped to kill new generation from Project Hayes, Project Aqua, Mokihinui Hydro, Tongariro Hydro and hydro using the Whanganui River, Wairau River, Matiri River, Makititaki River or the Arnold River; any further hydro on the Clutha River; any possible gas or tidal generation around the Kaipara; and who even as we speak are helping to delay new generation projects at Dobson, Castle Hill, Hurunui, Matiri, Mill Creek, Mokau, North Bank, Puketoi, Rotoma, Stockton, and Wairau.
They’ve protested every coal-fired power-station that has been opened—and every gas-fired and oil-fired power station proposed—and they’ve resisted every coal mine, gas field and oil field being explored, coming on stream or being exploited. They’ve argued against every wind project—and helped to spearhead resistance. They’ve helped to stop every new hydro scheme proposed –and every oil or gas-fired plant dreamed up. They helped to promote the Kyoto Protocol and the related Emissions Trading Scam, which serve to strangle coal, oil and gas-fired power stations, and the Resource Management Act, which helps to kill off hydro, wind and thermal power stations.
If we have no power, and we’re perilously close to that unhappy state, then it is they and their fellow travellers will have played the largest part in making that happen.
And now they have the cheek, they have the effrontery , to complain that selling state-owned power generators is going to threaten the security of electricity supply!
I’m staggered.
The only thing worse than the absolute bloody hypocrisy is the abject bloody acquiescence of the journalists who didn’t bother to ask Russel Norman how he looks in the bleeding mirror in the morning without vomiting.
7 comments:
This is a beat up on many angles. Genesis have been talking about closing Huntley for at least five years and writing regular warning letters to govt to try and get some sweetheart deal.
Power stations only have a fixed life and get shutdown if uneconomic like Meremere was.
In this case It has nothing to do with privatisation and a lot to do with the cost of carbon imposed by Kyoto protocol compliance. it also has to be remembered that long term security of supply is not the responsibility of individual powercos but of the regulator
insider
I was cursing the Greens this morning when we ran out of hot water. The ripple control electricity had been turned off since 8pm last night! The only explanation for this is a complete dearth of reserve generating capactiy, courtesy of those misanthropic nihilsts!
@Tim Ng
That sucks! I have not had that happen yet but rest assured that I disable that control quick smart if this happens to me.
The other forked tongue moment is the incessant desire by the Greens to reduce energy consumption, but also to keep the price low for consumers.
The inane contradictions deserve closer scrutiny, but New Zealand still doesn't have a journalist worthy of the name to take the bastards on.
I couldn't agree more, and its replicated across the world. Thermal capacity made to sit idle whilst renewable junk blows on and off the system should be paid a capacity payment to cover costs. I've never met a greeny yet who accepts the absolute laws of physics. Thermal plant is needed when there is no water and wind - end of - Huntly should not be closed!
I say build a thorium reactor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeder_reactor
Best thing out there. It is classed as nuclear though (interesting fact, NZ’s nuclear free stance as far as law goes is to do with weapons, not power generation), but the material, and by-product cannot be used for military purposes, and is not dangerous as compared to nuclear waste.
Thorium reactors can also burn old nuclear waste as part of the energy cycle ... only safe disposal method of nuclear waste currently.
How efficient are these things? ... the total USA energy usage for 1 year can be achieved via 5000ton of thorium (supposedly America already has a couple million tons of the stuff in storage)
How much thorium is there? ... 10x more abundant then uranium used for current nuclear power plants (another interesting fact, uranium is about are rare as silver ... we would be considered stupid burning silver wouldn’t we?)
Where is thorium found? ... everywhere. It can be found in everything on the planet in varying quantities. Highest deposits are found in rear earth mines which exist all over the place. Thorium is currently not used for anything, it is simply stock piled waiting for someone to find a use for it.
The big question, how safe are these things? ... current nuclear power plants require electricity at every stage to keep things going. If the power plant stops producing power then it falls back to gas powered alternatives, if they fail, basically you are fucked, like in Japan.
Thorium reactors though use a liquid form of thorium, if something fails, just pull the plug out of the bottom of the tank, let the thorium drain out, and bingo you are safe.
Finally, just how awesome is this stuff .... to put it in perspective, your total life’s energy requirements in thorium is about the size of a tennis ball.
Google 'thorium reactor' for lots of goodness.
Thanks
YorT
@YorT
Except there are no working Thorium reactor at this point.
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