Crossed wires

[happy daze john in oz]

It is often said that to any action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

Here in Oz as many would know we get an abundance of sunlight.
It is for this reason that we are engaged in creating some of the world's largest wind and solar farms.

But not just commercial sized ones, residents are encouraged to install solar on their roofs.
They offer subsidies to make the concept attractive to so many.

I have two lots, a six pack installed for free by the gov back at the time of the Global credit squeeze of 2008, and another 8 installed last year at half price, half paid by the state gov. Since installing them last October I have not paid for any electricity.
Look around now and about one house in six has solar panels on the roof.

All brought about by govs who take the 'climate emergency' seriously, or is it because pressure from the electricity companies to increase profits has an effect on it? No power stations, no mines, less costs.

But now another problem has reared it's head, oversupply.

It has been announced by the energy council that the current grid is in danger of collapse.
The grid is old, built at time when power came from conventional means such as coalfired power stations.
It came at a steady rate, one that the system was designed for.

But now that input is not regular or steady. Solar and wind do not generate at a constant rate such as was the case with the previous system.

The excess on the roof of any house goes back into the system, and the customer receives a credit at between 10 and 66 cents per KWH.
If this continues without a major change to it the system will collapse.

But the energy council in its infinite wisdom has come up with a solution.

All customers who rely on electricity for heating, air conditioners or recharging cars should do the following.

Only use such power when the grid is in an overload situation, normally between 0900 hours and 1600 hours.
What they have failed to understand is at this time of day most are at work, heaters and air conditioners are used when the customers are at home, certainly not between the hours put forward.

This only adds to the confusion on the matter of Climate Change and how the gov will manage it.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John, Unfortunately we now have not only politicians but their advisors who no longer come from the broader workforce, they are university educated in politics only. We no longer have the likes of, for just an example, a train driver, building foreman, in fact no one with down to earth common sense in our parliaments on any side.
Des

[Tony Taylor]

Reminds me of when I had some students on work experience. All Uni. training hence the clinical placements to build their practical work. I came through the old in Hospital system. Work all day there, go to lectures after work at night 3-4 times a week. Add to that one night a week call and every 2nd weekend on duty and that was before you were properly qualified!
These kids had loads of "book" knowledge but hopeless when confronted with actual patients. Equipment all modern with auto features so they didn't have to think.
Imagine the panic when those machines broke down..... these kids were ready to just down tools till the repair person arrived. Me I just switched over to the "manual" function and carried on using my own brain, which was how we were trained back in the day before all this modern technology. I quite often stayed on manual as the auto function was too inaccurate for my liking , besides it keep my mind sharp.

I have seen this on many occasions since coming ashore in other disciplines also e.g building services engineer designed a water storage tank for the roofspace of a large building, did not dawn on him about how it would be installed until one of the old hands asked him how he intended to take off and re install the roof.