Marshall’s first promise as SA premier: Kill Tesla battery plan

The newly elected South Australia premier, the Liberal Steven Marshall, has made his first promise – his government intends to kill the Tesla plan for the world’s biggest “virtual power plant” that would install batteries in low income households for no cost.

The Tesla plan – which aimed to install 5kW of solar and a 13.5kWh Tesla Powerwall 2 battery storage unit in 50,000 homes – would have created a virtual power plant with 250MW of capacity and 650MWh of storage.

The Labor Tesla plan was announced just before the official start of the election campaign. The first two stages of the proposal – for 1,100 Housing Trust homes – is apparently locked in with a $2 million grant and a $30 million loan, but the broader third phase is not yet set in stone.

“No, that’s not part of our agenda,” Marshall told ABC’s Radio National breakfast program, just minutes before being sworn in as premier.

Instead, Marshall said his government would proceed with his previously announced commitment to a $100 million subsidy to 40,000 homes, where he would offer $2,500 for each battery storage unit installed.

“(Former premier Jay Weatherill) was doing it for Housing Trust homes in South Australia … that’s not part of our plan. What we are going to do is provide a subsidy to get (those with) solar rooftops systems with some storage capacity.”

Marshall’s plans would, of course, be very difficult to access for low-income households because it would still require an upfront capital payments that they would likely be unable to afford. And they do not already have rooftop solar.

It’s an extraordinary start for the new Liberal government – promising to ditch a private initiative that would provide loans to low-income households in favour of a $100 million government subsidy that would be out of reach of those households most in need of it.

So much for free markets. But it also raises the issue of sovereign risk.

If the Liberal Party is to do back-flips on initiatives like this, will it also renege on the other contracts entered into by Labor’s Renewable Technology Fund – and there are many of those, for larger-scale storage developments, and for a variety of smaller and micro-grid proposals.

It could be that the Tesla virtual power plant could go ahead, seeing that it is privately funded and requires a retailer to be chosen to help roll out the scheme and act as an intermediary.

The idea was to install the solar and battery storage for free, and deliver a reduction of around one-third in the electricity bills of 25,000 Housing Trust homes, and another 25,000 private low-income households. Investors would provide the capital.

It would pool resources to deal with network issues and relieve any supply shortfalls.

However, given the new government’s antipathy to the scheme, it is entirely possible the tender process may be delayed and the private investors would not want to go ahead in such a hostile political environment.

It could also have an impact on Australia’s only solar manufacturer, Tindo Solar, which was looking to significantly increase its production capacity at its Adelaide manufacturing plant, and hire more employees, of course.

That’s because the Tesla plan would require half of the solar capacity to come from local manufacturers. It was also seen as an excellent platform for a new retailer to enter the South Australian market. The lack of competition in South Australia is one of the principal reasons for its high electricity prices.

The irony is that Marshall admitted he could see the benefits of battery storage – both at utility level and in households.

But he re-iterated his intent to scrap the state’s renewable energy target, because it would push up prices – even though the amount of projects under construction and promised by the new owner of the Whyalla steelworks would likely take the stake to Weatherill’s 75 per cent target, probably several years earlier.

Marshall also plans a new interconnector to NSW. Marshall says this will add to the “affordable reliable baseload” the state could access “when it’s not windy or sunny” in South Australia.

But appears to ignore the fact that NSW is already the state with the highest dependence on imports, even more than South Australia and may not been a position to export power to anyone.

But he also said the interconnector would allow for the “excess renewables” from South Australia to be exported to other states, “lowering prices across the entire nation.”

Hang on, didn’t you just say that the investment in renewables would push prices up? You can’t have it both ways. Please read this analysis of the implications of his election.

Update: Marshall later told a news conference he would not rescind contacts entered into by previous government. This however protects only the first two stages of the Tesla virtual power plant, affecting 1,100 households. The third phase, involving 49,000 other low income households, was not subject to a signed contract, RenewEconomy understands, because it would source private funding.

Comments

186 responses to “Marshall’s first promise as SA premier: Kill Tesla battery plan”

  1. technerdx6000 Avatar
    technerdx6000

    Seems like he is trying to sound like he knows what he is talking about, but he is really mish-mashing opposing issues together as policy which isn’t going to work.

    Obviously the scaled back battery plan isnt as good as what Weatherill was planning, however it isn’t the worst that could have happened. In Queensland, a liberal government would have scrapped it completely and built coal.

    Also SA definitely needs another interconnector. Also, with more solar and storage they will quickly become a net exporter. I actually think an interconnector to NSW makes sense. Another 1-2MW interconnector should be built from QLD to NSW too for good measure as well

    1. Paul Surguy Avatar
      Paul Surguy

      SA has 2 connectors to Victoria the western outpost of NSW is balra
      nald over a 100kms past the Red Cliff substation which has the Berri Link from SA not a good idea maybe a link to Silverton wind farm but that is wind farm

    2. Peter F Avatar
      Peter F

      It is not a bad idea but just far too expensive for the limited use it will get

    3. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      I’ll put money on QLD liberals or even the bernardi parti building a coal power plant with donations from Gina.

    4. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      1-2 MW, wow that would kill any undersupply issues, not!

      1. technerdx6000 Avatar
        technerdx6000

        You’re completely correct. I have my units mixed up. I meant GW

  2. Gyrogordini Avatar
    Gyrogordini

    Are these people just complete, selfish, self-interested morons? Off to a wonderful start, led by someone who doesn’t see the point of storage, but will provide a minor loan to those who already have solar, toward local storage. Stiff sh!t for the Housing Trust tenants.
    Amazing, appalling, and of course only the start. Well done, SA, NOT!

    1. wideEyedPupil Avatar
      wideEyedPupil

      It’s not a minor loan, its $2.500 for the early adopters. RDN also canvased this policy for Greens. I much prefer Weatherill/Tesla plan, even if I perhaps wouldn’t be a beneficiary of it. I vote Greens but subsidies to prime the market are not needed and not going to drastically move the learning curve on Australian battery prices in my view. At least the Weatherill will create some PV panel jobs (though Trina would be on the pork in a way), and probably drive adoption of battery systems more quickly leading to more installers familiar with the Tesla technology.

      1. Chris Drongers Avatar
        Chris Drongers

        I/we don’t know the details of the new Marshall Plan yet.
        On the face of the descriptions above the Tesla plan to use a relatively small government investment followed by massive private loan investment for 50 000 new battery+solar systems on government owned houses is to be rescinded in favour of a larger government grant to a smaller number of middle income houses which have already put on solar (partly because they have been able to afford it).
        Step 1 of the new Marshall Plan is to restart the Class War – public housing is occupied by bludgers and the better off middle class needs government subsidy. Also support traditional large industry structures of centralized generation against multigenerator distributed generation, digitally linked emerging technologies.
        Free pass to kick start the Federal Labor campaign.
        Step 2 is to try to square the circle of lowering power prices by investing in the cheapest forms of new power supply and energy security (wind and solar, mid-sized storage in pumped hydro and leveling batteries) while avoiding supporting the hated green conscious by investing in fairies-in-the-garden wind and solar with the low carbon, climate change is real, distributed generation by the consumer, winding back power of large industry types.

        Of course things will moderate as Marshall and his new ministers work their way through the lines of interested parties (sorry Lobbyists) formed overnight outside their office doors.

        1. StevoTheDevo Avatar
          StevoTheDevo

          You missed the important part of the Weatherill Plann, the Batteries would have been grid despatchable on demand… The Marshall private Batteries wont be.
          As a Middle Income South Australian with Solar Panels, the Marshall Plan sounds pretty tempting. We’re already very close to parity on investment versus grid prices, and this subsidy will tip the balance.
          But the State wont benefit from this plan like it would have under the Weatherill Plan.

          1. Chris Drongers Avatar
            Chris Drongers

            There is nothing (AIUI) preventing the Marshall Plan batteries being centrally controlled. Is there? There is not (yet) a statement by the incoming government of how the new system will operate. Hopefully the new scheme will incorporate centralized dispatch.
            The bit of ecology/evolution theory I know says that having a hundred different startups trying to hit paydirt with different ways of linking/charging/discharging/paying/selling batteries and their power will rapidly whittle down to a small number with a successful business model.
            My worry is that the Liberals with their big business bias will jump straight to giving complete planning and operational control to one of the existing gentailers.

          2. StevoTheDevo Avatar
            StevoTheDevo

            There’s nothing preventing it, but it’d be up to the individual owner as to if and when they might sell back into the grid. Unless they’re going to spring a clause in the subsidy agreement, but then, I’d be skeptical of paying for ~80% of a battery system where I was forced to sell electrons against my will.

            Unlike the Weatherill Plan where the Owner would be contracted to sell on demand whether the tenant in the building wanted to or not.

          3. Andy Saunders Avatar
            Andy Saunders

            Mostly won’t be for selling back into the grid, it will be for time-shifting solar generation into the evening peak to avoid middle-of-the-day exports.

          4. Chris Drongers Avatar
            Chris Drongers

            Actually I would love a voluntary system for selling my spare electrons back to the grid. Unfortunately don’t trust the incumbents retailers and regulators to do it fairly. Bring on Blockchain!

          5. Alastair Leith Avatar
            Alastair Leith

            Would seem to run against the ethos of promote self interest at the cost of society wide benefits and keep growing wealth inequality and energy poverty in check. INterestingly as I noted before it was also greens policy before Telstra came along with the Virtual Power Plant.

          6. Fungal Avatar
            Fungal

            Why is Marshall blowing his own trumpet without details of how his plan would actually benefit the state better?

          7. Joe Avatar
            Joe

            The concept of ‘The Greater Good’ is one that is completely foreign to COALition governments across Australia.

          8. Alastair Leith Avatar
            Alastair Leith

            Hence the name “Virtual Power Plant”!

        2. James Hunter Avatar

          Take some time to get by that many lobbyists !

          1. Joe Avatar
            Joe

            They have their own office next to The Marshall’s

        3. Fungal Avatar
          Fungal

          What? Marshall has a plan? It did not appear like it, I also think Jay took a dive, conceded way too early then resigned before the votes were even all counted. Bigger picture here to keep Turnbull in power. I think it was more a “not invented here” issue, when they really should be doing what is best for the voters and not self serving trying to demolish anything that ALP put in place, and don’t forget, within a week Marshall will start blaming Labor for something.

      2. Joe Avatar
        Joe

        ‘Trina’…I think you mean ‘Tindo Solar’.

    2. QueenKong Avatar
      QueenKong

      Were you people high on Saturday??? did you not see things were changing for the better?? So what Housing SA homes got solar big deal?, Deny them something as usual from the Middle class Moaning Crowd!! Well i hope you choke and regret your decisions! So when your choking you have that new shiny hospital to go to thanks to Labor. You think your power issues will be solve d lol stay tuned. I couldn’t care less if he was in for 30 yrs he was doing good, Sometimes i think SA is changing, then nope same old mentality.

      1. liz Avatar
        liz

        Totally agree with you. I think the sun was a bit strong thay day and fried their brains. Seriously, do they want to go backyards .

        1. Uncommon Sense Avatar
          Uncommon Sense

          Sore losses you leftwing clowns.S.A has the highest unemployment in the country thanks to 16 years of labour government. Now wasn’t that an achievement. My worry is what amount of debt is going to be uncovered over the next couple of months from the previous government

          1. Justin Gage Avatar
            Justin Gage

            Actually I think you’ll find that a few choice decisions from the liberal party out of Canberra had a fairly decent impact on the South Australian job market. Ripping the arse out of the motor vehicle manufacturing industry is one that stands out. There are jobs galore in the new economy. The coalition just have too much coal dust in their eyes to see further than the next opinion poll. It’s such a shame so many Australians are gullible enough to buy in to all that electioneering rubbish and not smart enough to think about what sort of world they want to leave their children.

          2. Uncommon Sense Avatar
            Uncommon Sense

            Actually the leftwing Unionists outpricing us in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry and many others are who to blame for job losses not the liberals.

          3. Justin Gage Avatar
            Justin Gage

            Rubbish. Technology is what’s driving the change in the automotive industry. Big expensive robots that need massive scale to amortise themselves. Do you think BMW pays its staff minimum wage? What a shallow short sighted point of view but carry on believing it if it allows you to sleep straight at night knowing what you did with your vote. The point isn’t whether the industry is viable or not, it’s how you manage the change.

          4. Alastair Leith Avatar
            Alastair Leith

            And it was viable with very modest assistance and have the car industry held other industries and suppliers in business compeditive. Abbott was so bloody minded about that. Only workers, unionised workers too, who cares? Even though as
            PM he needed to have his high vis fix twice a week.

          5. Barry Penney Avatar
            Barry Penney

            Crap. Your are a Fucking Brain dead Idiot Uncommon Sense. I cant believe someone is so Fucking stupid like you.

          6. Stu Hearn Avatar
            Stu Hearn

            So, you think theAu car building industry should have been subsidised, so that we could drive Aussie made crap forever
            Euro cars are a joy to drive and the roof linings stay up as do the engines, all our holdens were done at 200k
            Our bww bought at 150km now has 400km k,s on and guess what?
            The interior is like new
            Thank god the French will build our SUbmarines

          7. Justin Gage Avatar
            Justin Gage

            Not sure how you jumped to that conclusion. I was talking about who wiped the jobs off the South Australian not whether a holden is better than a beemer. A nations assets are it’s people and their capabilities. If an industry is flailing a responsible government would look at it’s human resources and find ways to redeploy them to more productive means. A liberal government on the other hand will rip the arse out of their industry, shunt them all on to the dole then drum up a bit of spin to get everyone bitching and moaning about the dole bludgers while they shunt billions of dollars out of the country and siphon the kickbacks in to foreign bank accounts. The whole bloody lot of them should be tried for treason.

          8. Nicholas Folkes Avatar
            Nicholas Folkes

            Well said. The lefty losers are having a big cry, sucked in…..

          9. Joe Avatar
            Joe

            Ah, you back again Trolli,,,,,Nich Off.

          10. Justin Gage Avatar
            Justin Gage

            We are in the middle of a technological revolution. The third industrial revolution and these backward idiots think they’re gonna drive it with coal and oil. I’m not a leftie I’m a progressive (the one in the middle) and I’m not crying I’m laughing at the stupidity of you right wing wallies. Technological unemployment is a thing. Climate change is happening in real time (check your barometers).

            We need a government that can actually comprehend the changes that are coming and address them effectively. These establishment coal whores simply won’t do.

          11. Alastair Leith Avatar
            Alastair Leith

            whatever debt that emerges, a classic line for new liberal governments want excuses to reneg on election promises, it won’t even come close tonwhat Barnett and Nahan left in WA.

          12. Luke Beauchamp Avatar
            Luke Beauchamp

            Is that why the libs cancelled a plan for manufacturing solar panels in SA? To reduce unemployment?

        2. trackdaze Avatar
          trackdaze

          There was actually a swing to labor. Boundary redistribution did it in the end.

          1. neroden Avatar
            neroden

            Time to change to 100% proportional representation. Elect the lower house the way you elect the Senate.

      2. Nicholas Folkes Avatar
        Nicholas Folkes

        16 years of incompetence came to an end.

    3. Joe Avatar
      Joe

      The Housing Trust Tenants are probably Labor voters so the Marshall can screw them over without any political blowback.

      1. Rod Avatar
        Rod

        That is the truth of it, unfortunately.

      2. Reuben Fergusson Avatar
        Reuben Fergusson

        This doesnt just screw them over. This would reduce the cost of solar and batteries in general and provide a stabilizer for the grid. It screws us all.

        1. Joe Avatar
          Joe

          …straight out of The Liberals playbook.

      3. Trevor Nelson Avatar
        Trevor Nelson

        so true

    4. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      Great post.
      I see you mostly are on motoring, EV sites. Thought I hadn’t seen you here before.
      Don’t go away. You seem to belong here.

    5. Greg Hudson Avatar
      Greg Hudson

      If you think that’s bad… The current Vic Labor Govt under Andrews direction tore up an $8b deal, and had to pay a $1b fee to break the contracts. Yes, pay $1b, and get absolutely nothing ! Hopefully the South Australian pollies are not as stupid as the Victorian ones…

    6. stucrmnx120fshwf Avatar
      stucrmnx120fshwf

      Yes, they’re conservatives not conservationists, libertarians not liberals, they take away the money from the working poor and disabled, then they give it to the wealthy. Reduce social justice, those voters, voted Labor, even gave donations to Labor, subsidise the wealthy, who gave donations to the Liberal party and voted for them, it’s payback, an electoral bribe. Gina Reinhardt and the Koche brothers, don’t give money and expect nothing back, they want tax reductions, subsidies for coal, it worked for the mining tax after all. Now to try and crush Clean energy, they’re powerful, they can stop taxes, even when Labor, is in actual power. And the COALition, are their rent boys, they pay the rent for getting the seats, they want obedience.

  3. David Brooks Avatar
    David Brooks

    The first of no doubt many near-sighted and embarrassing decisions made by Steven Marshall. #notmypremier

    1. Joe Avatar
      Joe

      ..love that hashtag…but then I live in Sydney…Imma still loving that hashtag!!!!

  4. Filomena ???? Avatar
    Filomena ????

    AGL charge their customers more to subsides them being the provider of electricity to trust homes, that’s why they need to be on Solar

    1. frank Avatar
      frank

      AGL also currently owns the most polluting coal power station in the country and is only selling it as they don’t want to spend to stop it polluting.

      1. Hettie Avatar
        Hettie

        What have I missed?

  5. EVcine Avatar
    EVcine

    I have been so pre-occupied with other news that I did not realise that Jay Weatherill lost the election in SA. After all the positive things he had done and was doing how can people vote for someone who is going to shaft every forward thinking idea with his own dickhead ?!!

    1. Jo Avatar
      Jo

      It appears that around 50% of Australian voters love this kind of politicians. What does that say about the voters?

      1. Linda Lucas Avatar
        Linda Lucas

        Sad hey!

      2. James Hunter Avatar

        Most do not understand what their preferred clown will actually do (as opposed to what they say before the election) nor understand the technical implications. Sad but we get the politicians we deserve !

    2. Joe Avatar
      Joe

      Jay didn’t lose…it was just that The COALition won…the losers are the punters of SA.

      1. Nicholas Folkes Avatar
        Nicholas Folkes

        Jay was about as exciting as a dildo without batteries.

        1. Joe Avatar
          Joe

          Trolli Boy is back again

        2. Michelle Beavan Avatar
          Michelle Beavan

          A dildo without batteries is still kind of ok.

          1. Justin Gage Avatar
            Justin Gage

            A lot more exciting than Nicholas Folks posts. Could somebody please give the poor fulla some batteries.

    3. George Appleton Avatar
      George Appleton

      Here, here!

    4. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      This is what happens when the progressive future conscious vote is not mobilised. People voting Liberals/Nat are voting self interest usually hip pocket issues only. And also it’s time factor for 20 years of ALP.

      1. neroden Avatar
        neroden

        Nah, people voting Lib/Nat at this point are voting against their own self-interest. It’s basically habit to vote Lib/Nat.

        Apparently there was a swing to Labor but boundary redistribution (gerrymandering) got the Libs in in SA. No surprise.

  6. wideEyedPupil Avatar
    wideEyedPupil

    Listening to Marshall speak the last couple of months I’m wondering if he got his year 12 leaving certificate?

    1. James Hunter Avatar

      One would not think so, Most likely never did science either !

    2. solarguy Avatar
      solarguy

      Nobody needs education in the Liberal party.

    3. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      That’s not to suggest an education is essential to wisdom, Id never say that, it’s just that he seems, a) a bit thick b) a bit unable to string a sentence together with, you know, gramma, and c) pretty ignorant on most issues preferring cliches and slogans to informed content, now who does that remind me of, someone who is a Rhodes Scholar actually!!

      This came up in my FB feed right after I wrote the previous comment:

  7. wideEyedPupil Avatar
    wideEyedPupil

    Surely AEMO will have something to say about interconnectors and when and where they get built? You’d hope so anyhow.

    1. BushAxe Avatar
      BushAxe

      Electranet is already doing a study on the NSW interconnector, it’s part of AEMO’s ISP. From the number of RE projects in the pipeline in SA I’d suggest they want to export alot of power to NSW.

      1. Alastair Leith Avatar
        Alastair Leith

        Export makes sense, if that’s the case maybe just maybe there’s a case for HVDC from the border to Greater SYD.

  8. Gold Platinum Avatar
    Gold Platinum

    Well I guess all those African kids in the DRC who are digging up 20 times as much cobalt than any other country in the world might be sighing in relief that their activity isn’t going to be fully taxpayer subsidized while all the money goes to someone else.

    Cobalt which CRUCIAL to high performance long lasting lithium cells, Cobalt is synonymous with the color blue, the blue color is easily visible in a deconstructed Tesla lithium cell as Tesla cells are loaded with cobalt!
    See all the blue in this Tesla cell deconstruction video

    1. Malcolm Scott Avatar
      Malcolm Scott

      Lithium batteries are moving away from cobalt. Problem will be resolved.

      1. Gold Platinum Avatar
        Gold Platinum

        I been hearing that for years. The Lithium Cobalt based battery chemistry has continued to reign supreme performance of all the lithium cell chemistries since its inception. Cobalt is crucial for high performance and high cycles.
        The only thing that’s been happening is more desperate sourcing, proving how hopelessly the industry is addicted to the lithium-cobalt combination.
        https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mining-cobalt/battery-makers-descend-on-australia-canada-cobalt-developers-idUSKBN1GV0C2

        1. Mike Shurtleff Avatar
          Mike Shurtleff

          Nope, number of other lithium chemistries will work just fine for stationary storage AND there are other non-lithium storage technologies: Flow Batteries do not use cobalt are already available and competing, Ambri’s LMB available at end ot this year, 1414 thermal battery, and others in development …troll.

          What the flock are you doing to reduce child slavery? That’s certainly not a requirement for cobalt mining. It’s a problem in the war torn Congo.

        2. Mike Shurtleff Avatar
          Mike Shurtleff

          Human slavery is booming thanks to dislocation of populations due to effects of global warming. Keep burning coal you hypocrite.

        3. My_Oath Avatar
          My_Oath

          Its not a hopeless addiction. Cobalt chamistries require lithium carbonate – which is what most of the brine operations produce.

          The newer chemistries that use more nickel and lower or no cobalt require lithium hydroxide. Currently, there isn’t the refinery capacity to produce much lithium hydroxide globally. But that is changing.

          Right now there are two hydroxide reineries being built in Australia with two more in feasibility and another being investigated. Before 2025 more than 50% of global lithium prodduction will be hydroxide.

      2. Justin Gage Avatar
        Justin Gage

        Actually hydrogen sequestration seems to be the most promising way forward for renewable energy storage. Highest efficiency, best price, lowest input and absolutely no harmful outputs. That seems to be the direction the movers and shakers are taking and the beautiful side effect is the utilization of existing gas power plants meaning much less in the way of stranded assets.

    2. Mike Shurtleff Avatar
      Mike Shurtleff

      “Cobalt which CRUCIAL to high performance long lasting lithium cells”
      Nope. Preferred right now for EV/PHEV lithium batteries, but not necessary, especially not for stationary storage which does not have to be high energy density (volumetric) and high specific energy (gravimetric). …troll

      Canada opening large new cobalt mine right now. No child labor.

      1. Gold Platinum Avatar
        Gold Platinum

        https://seekingalpha.com/article/4061069-cobalt-weak-link-teslas-supply-chain
        “Quote: Tesla cannot manufacture high-energy lithium-ion batteries for EVs or stationary energy storage systems without plentiful supplies of cobalt, a strategic metal that’s essential in a wide variety of high-value products.”
        Unless you lived in a cave, ALL tesla products including Tesla Power walls use cobalt based lithium cells. I can’t believe how clueless you guys are.
        Read some articles on it,
        https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2018-cobalt-batteries/
        Around 10 TIMES more cobalt comes from DRC Africa than any other country.
        https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DW6YFL7VMAEEWop.jpg
        You are giving me insults? But you are the most horrible animal in the world, there is no argument.

        1. Mike Shurtleff Avatar
          Mike Shurtleff

          Yes, I’m giving you insults. You are constantly on about this. Tesla is not the only energy storage game in town. There are good options other than lithium cobalt for stationary storage.

          Insufficient supply of lithium has been the past false information lament of trolls and fools. Your lament about cobalt is more of the same.

          >>there is no argument<<
          LOL Extremely narrow minded of you. …troll!

    3. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      THis is why I welcome the next generation of cleaner battery technology. Closer than you think…

  9. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    $2,500 for a 10 gWh system drives the economics in favour of batteries for those whose alternative is to put money in the bank. Particularly if they join Reposit or Sonnen to aggregate the power in in the batteries to make it available in high cost scenarios. I see this acting a bit like a “Virtual Power Plant”…

    Redflow would probably be happier with this outcome.

    1. StevoTheDevo Avatar
      StevoTheDevo

      I will definitely be looking into making the jump.

      Probably just in the MWh range though, not sure that my block is big enough for even a 1GWh installation and it might upset the neighbors if I were to build multi-storey.
      🙂

  10. airtonix Avatar
    airtonix

    If we actually worried about carbon and energy prices we’d be following China and it’s LFTR. but unfortunately there’s too much military interest in fast breeder reactors and left wing propaganda around nuclear in general.

    1. Justin Gage Avatar
      Justin Gage

      China is installing a national solar energy grid.

      1. neroden Avatar
        neroden

        Yes. China has the biggest solar and wind and battery installations in the world, is expanding them, and is winding down their overpriced, underperforming nuclear projects.

  11. RobertO Avatar
    RobertO

    Hi All, Remember the COALition wants Coal Power so any thing they do will be to the advantage of Coal. If the AEMC get control of the AEMO then the AEMO ISP will go out the door. Remember AEMC want to charge Solar grid fees and the Fed Gov may try to stop Solar via a connection fee, or justification fee or somthing like that. Introduced on a state level in SA with the rest to follow on ESB orders for security reasons. There are lots of ways that they can try to stop RE (and I believe they will try). Gov have been known to tack unrelated regulations onto the back of genuine laws that they are trying to pass just to get them through.

    1. Paul Jury Avatar
      Paul Jury

      Acronyms? The only one I get is ISP, Internet Service Provider but it doesn’t seem to fit the context so your entire comment is useless to me.

      1. Hettie Avatar
        Hettie

        Good point. The first time you use an acronym, put the full name in brackets. Then go for your life. It’s very off putting to be unable to figure out what a comment means because you don’t know the shorthand.

      2. Hettie Avatar
        Hettie

        AEMC Australian Energy Market Commission.
        AEMO Australian Energy Market Operator.
        ISP Interim Service/Security Plan (AEMO’s interim plan to provide secure energy supply. Far more sensible than the NEG. You would know that one. Allegedly National Energy Guarantee, but more accurately Nasty Emissions Guarantee. )
        ESB Energy Security Board. A 3 person committee set up to produce the NEG. Staffed by people from AEMC, the most pro coal, anti renewable group in the byzantine management of the electicity market.
        RE Renewable Energy.
        Hope that helps.
        A year ago, I didn’t know any of that. Reading this newsletter, commenting, asking questions, I have learned heaps. Also purchased a solar system that is eliminating the power bill and almost paying for the green loan.
        Stick with us, and learn.
        Have some fun too. The commenting community is just that. Some genuine boffins, some trolls, and a lot of interested amateurs.

        1. RobertO Avatar
          RobertO

          HI Hettie minor correction to ISP its Integrated System Plan. AEMO is trying to workout, where / when / why of the changes occuring in the National Energy Market (NEM) and how to manage the system. We used to have about 20 energy supplies 20 years ago and now we have some million or so and we seem to be adding thousands each year (each solar system is one generator). AEMO may have to manage possibly 8 million systems or more.

          1. Hettie Avatar
            Hettie

            Oops. My bad. I was groping for that in the not quite dark. Thanks for setting us straight.
            Looking at each rooftop solar system as a generator that AEMO needs or aspires to manage is sobering.
            I do see that it is important for them to be aware of all that extra power surging around. No doubt each system has an ID number, like a tax file number.
            Just as well there are computers to organise all that data.

          2. Hettie Avatar
            Hettie

            I wrote a reply, thought I had posted it. But it’s gone. I’m half asleep.
            Yes .I wasn’t sure about the ISP. At least I got Plan right. Thanks for the correction.
            Gotta go to bed.
            Źźzzzzz.

  12. lin Avatar
    lin

    Why do the Libs hate the poor so much? Everything they do looks like part of a plan to increase inequality and division within society.
    Could be a case of buyer’s remorse in SA pretty quickly, which will not help Turnbully’s cause at all.

    1. neroden Avatar
      neroden

      The corrupt, inherited wealthy — which is the core of the Lib politicians — always hate the poor. Because they know that they don’t deserve to be rich.

      Same dynamic in every country in the world.

      The voters eventually realize that the Lib politicians are lying to them, but it can take a long time.

    2. Justin Gage Avatar
      Justin Gage

      Libs are the competition party, labour is the collaboration party. Liberals see the planet as a finite resource and their job is to compete to get as much of it for themselves as they can – while simultaneously pointing the finger at the plebs for squandering resources in a finite system. Labour voters are overwhelmingly working class and used to working to create things for the liberals to take control of. In short Labour = givers, Liberal = takers however the Liberals work very hard to reverse the perception of that reality and the working class are gullible enough to beleive them.

  13. Linda Lucas Avatar
    Linda Lucas

    Why oh why does the public get so easily tricked? Libs made a scratchie ticket in my electorate about why we shouldn’t vote for Nick X. Sadly it worked.. Esp sad as they didn’t have any innovative ideas of their own, only negativity for everyone else. We deserve the crappy Marshall BS. SA needs more courage to think and to go with decency next time.

  14. Richard Bowen Avatar
    Richard Bowen

    if Mr Marshall would only listen to the people that have been paid over and over to do studies and tell us the best way to go,if governments would just do this we would all be in a better place and on a path to a brighter cleaner greener future but instead they keep ignoring all these highly paid scientifically proven experts because most of these people don’t believe in things like climate change.
    The point I might make is if Mr Marshall is saying we need a second connector between South Australia and New South Wales I think this might come under the “goldplating” crap that big companies have been allowed to get away with, don’t know all the facts of how much things like this would cost but let’s just say in a straight line it is 1000 km from South Australia to New South Wales and let’s just say it was $1 billion or more surely that money would be better spent shoring up what we already have here in the way of meaningful storage, the big battery is great and does lots of grid style stabilisation but I mean the kind of storage of hundreds of megawatts running for several days if needed, I’m sure the kind of money he talks about a second connector would go a long way to achieving the cleaner energy but more importantly now with storage.

    PS, get ready for these idiots to introduce high-level radioactive waste storage facilities in South Australia and this time around many people traditional owners included will not have a say, and with the kind of policy and people in charge now we mow surely will get a coal-fired power station because I only know how to be environmental bastards, with so many clean options available to us now I struggle to understand why many people don’t get this.

    one last thought you can kiss goodbye to the great inroads we had made with electric car charging infrastructure and the acceptance of,we were quite possibly on the cusp of seeing some good electric cars being offered to South Australians.

    1. solarguy Avatar
      solarguy

      All that you mentioned is likely to come true because of corporate greed.

    2. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      Something worth remembering is that Arnie Schwarzenegger sold California on the idea of clean energy by saying, “Forget about climate change, and think about air pollution. Your kids with asthma, the stinking smog, your bronchitis. The black smuts on the washing when you hang it outside to dry.
      If you want clean air, we have to go with renewable energy.”
      California listened, supported clean energy, and the rest is history.
      Now we can add, think about your crazy power bills. Renewables are actually cheaper. Think of what you could do if your power bill was $100 less each quarter.
      That’s the sort of message that gets people to listen.
      Climate change is too big, too scary. People really don’t want to think about the prospect that life on earth may be extinguished in their lifetime. But helping their kid with asthma, being able to dry the washing outside, reducing the power bill, those are small enough to think about, to motivate change.

      Some of you will remember the 1988 Grim Reaper ad campaign to persuade people to practice safe sex. It bombed, because it was too scary. Had to be taken down.
      Frighten people a little bit, that works to change behaviour. Frighten them too much, and bingo! See all the ostriches. A lot of carrot and a rather small stick gets the best results.

      1. Joe Avatar
        Joe

        ‘The Grim Reaper’ has made a comeback…in SA….its The Marshall!

      2. Alastair Leith Avatar
        Alastair Leith

        The Grim Reaper ad not only didn’t bomb, it was internationally studied because it was so successful, Hettie. It caused the otherwise ignorant and unconcerned at risk groups to sit up and listen. It would have bombed had it not been accompanied with a very strong public education and free testing and healthcare system to stop it just generating prejudice against highly at-risk groups (IV drug users and the gay community). Minister Blewitt was also a Dr or public health official before politics and he knew he had very little time to get it right and have a big disruptive effect, it worked.

        VicRoads road speeding advertising was also very successful, and again cited in the literature a lot from what I’m told. They needed, and always planned, to shift from the graphic attention grabbing but also not necessarily behavior changing ads they opened the campaign with to more consequence focused ads that dealt with not just victims but perps facing the families of their victims etc.etc

        Carrot is all very well, but the literature suggests small carrots — the so called nudge effect by neo-con types where tiny financial incentives/penalties are applied — is almost completely ineffectual for behavioral change in many instances. I think refundable drink containers would be an obvious one where it can work, as long as automated deposit machines and/or shops are everywhere. Interestingly something the neo-cons at Coke and Cadbury Schweppes spent millions of dollars opposing in Australia just because they can.

  15. SA_Jack Avatar
    SA_Jack

    The two solar/battery schemes proposed by the major parties were never contingent on the other falling over to succeed. It is therefore ridiculous the Libs would choose to kill the Tesla Battery scheme given how little upfront capital contribution the government would need to make.
    The Libs kill a private offer to increase consumer generation and off-set bills in low-income households so they can parade their $100 million dollar subsidy for existing solar owners. Talk about trying to score cheap political points (after an election) at the expense of a great initiative. Very unfortunate.

    1. solarguy Avatar
      solarguy

      It’s criminal really.

    2. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      They could easily do both, if the VPP is mostly privately funded.

      1. Ian Avatar
        Ian

        Shh Hettie, you might let the cat out the bag : Weatherill plus Marshall’s plans could equal 90 000 battery systems.

        1. Hettie Avatar
          Hettie

          To quote Tony Abbott,
          “And would that be a bad thing?”

  16. Ceeking Avatar
    Ceeking

    Wouldnt need all these alternatives for power if they didnt hide tesla’s work from public in first place, they just do it for money, we live in the stone age compared to the technology we already have but government and organisations hide from us. They are asking for a revolution. Wake up people

  17. Graham King Avatar
    Graham King

    Libs doing what they do best, screwing the underprivileged

    1. QueenKong Avatar
      QueenKong

      Agree!

    2. frank Avatar
      frank

      by ‘underprivileged’ you mean state funded schools and hospitals?

      money does not grow on trees and the housing trust residents already enjoy the benefits of low cost taxpayer funded housing…

      1. Mustapha Leek Avatar
        Mustapha Leek

        Sadly you are incorrect! Money does grow on trees! But only ones owned and controlled by the State or Federal Governments!!!

  18. DevMac Avatar
    DevMac

    Who was saying that solar rebates favour the ‘rich’ and leave the poor behind?

    SA Libs are now doing exactly that by discontinuing the project that would enable solar and battery for housing trust. Where’s the conservative media uproar? I want my conservative media uproar!

  19. Rachel Avatar
    Rachel

    Typical liberal government stop anything that’s helpful, push for coal power and sell anything off that we have. Hope those idiots that voted these dicks in are happy with their we need a change for the sake of change attitude.
    These are the dicks that sold off most of what we already had and brought you a one way expressway the last time they were in power

    1. Adonis Price Avatar
      Adonis Price

      As an American, I’m a little confused because I’m unfamiliar with your politics. Are “liberals” in your country anti-environmentalists or something? It just surprised me to see that dynamic reversed.

      1. Hayden Avatar
        Hayden

        Your entitled to be confused, Adonis. And your right. Liberals in Auz are on par with your republicans. Our labour party equate to your democrats.

      2. Rachel Avatar
        Rachel

        Yes liberals are all about helping out their big business mates and screwing over the little guys are the environment. The government (liberal) just changed the zoning to our protected reefs
        so very much so liberals are evil here that sell off everything and are all about coal and think coal is the best thing since sliced bread

        1. Adonis Price Avatar
          Adonis Price

          So basically the way republicans act here in the US. Ah, I see.

      3. stucrmnx120fshwf Avatar
        stucrmnx120fshwf

        It’s like when the facists, in Russia, called themselves Social Democrats.

      4. neroden Avatar
        neroden

        The “Liberal Party” in Australia is basically the right-wing party — the equivalent of the Tories in England. Or what the Republicans used to be before the Republicans adopted full-on fascism. (Thankfully there are no fascist parties in Australia yet, unlike the US.)

        The left-wing party in Australia is called “Labor”.

    2. stucrmnx120fshwf Avatar
      stucrmnx120fshwf

      Privatise Telstra, get unmaintained copper, privatise powerplants, get unmaintained powerplants, privatise Qantas, the airliner fleet, once one of the newest, is getting pretty old, it’s called asset striping. Here in Tasmania, we privatised the railway lines and guess what, they ran the track, into the ground so bad, companies used the roads more, it’s taken a decade for the government to fix the problem. Funny the oligarchy, can afford to give themselves, lots of executive pay, support conservative parties, give the rich fat profits, asset striping, big pays for government executives, but no surprise, there’s no money, for virtual powerplants, for the poor.

  20. Faz Avatar
    Faz

    This place is #@$%@#$!! Problem with Australia we got too many dipsticks in places of power that argue against any good idea. Their lord help us all.

    1. D. John Hunwick Avatar
      D. John Hunwick

      Don’t blame the politicians that get elected – blame the lazy, uninterested voters who respond only to instant financial return and have no interest in longer term change that will prove cheaper in the long run. Australia will soon feel the impact of of climate change so badly (will it be the GBR or fires or sea level rise) that real action will be taken – but too late for many of the living.

  21. Nick Avatar
    Nick

    What a joke, boosting solar and battery installations will create thousands of jobs in the country. Forget coal, in a decade we’ll still be digging dirt while the rest of the world has moved on. We have endless sunshine, endless space in which to build. What the hell are we waiting for? Stupid moron politicians who think they know better than chief scientist Alan finkle. Maybe we need a complete political change, this clearly isn’t working.

    1. frank Avatar
      frank

      by “this” I assume you mean “democracy”?

    2. Mimi 67 Avatar
      Mimi 67

      Here here!!

  22. DugS Avatar
    DugS

    There is one silver lining to the election result, when SA votes the Libs in the rest of the country typically votes the Federal Libs out! With any luck, Malcolm will be convinced Labor is on the nose (close in QLD, lost in Tas and SA) and call an early federal election later this year. I sense a major kicking is in the offing.
    Regarding the comments about how could SA voters be so be so blind as to chuck out a good government, I present Brexit and the Trumpet as sumptuous examples of this not being terribly unusual, Russian interference notwithstanding.
    Nevertheless there was a significant redistribution of electoral boundaries that effectively handed the state to the Libs on a plate (based on the previous election results). Despite this handicap Labor performed quite well.

    1. neroden Avatar
      neroden

      It was pretty much the gerrymandering which gave Marshall the premiership. We’ll see how long that lasts.

  23. John Queripel Avatar
    John Queripel

    Let’s hope the previous gov’t entered into an unbreakable contract which would enable Tesla to sue the arse off the bastards.

    1. frank Avatar
      frank

      tesla might be able to make a profit for the first time in history!

  24. Joe Avatar
    Joe

    The Marshall Plan…on RE…..he’s already all over the shop. I live in Sydney and if I was the Marshall or the good citizens of SA I wouldn’t be hanging me hat on relying on imports from NSW. We are the ‘Coaler Kings’ here in NSW and our Coaler clunkers perform not very good in the heat, we have had a few ‘issues’ the last two summers. Me thinks SA is better off under ex-Premier Jay’s FULL RE Plans.

  25. Peter F Avatar
    Peter F

    Hers’s my prediction. If the Gupta storage goes ahead the interconnector will be quietly put on the never never as maximum imports to SA now are about 650 MW and with new wind and solar coming on line, that number will fall. In any case even if the line was there brown coal from Victoria is cheaper than black coal from NSW so how would they possibly get sufficient utilisation to justif the investment

    1. RobertO Avatar
      RobertO

      Hi Peter F, the interconnects work both ways, under AEMO rules SA has to have certain combo of Gas Generation running so in times of high RE they will be curtailed (solar and wind lose out, used to be set at 1200 MW wind until the Telsa Battery came online) but with a new interconnector they may be able to reduce the curtailment and at the same time reduce the amount of Gas Generators on line may also be reduced. If built through a RE zone and auction off the line capacity to help pay for the interconnect.

      1. Peter F Avatar
        Peter F

        Yes the interconnects work both ways but a new interconnect all the way to the Sydney basin will have a very low utilisation so its cost can’t be justified. Local storage in SA is much cheper and has much higher stabilisation value because a) it has much higher probability of availability and b) because it is close to the load provides a much “stiffer” therefore more stable grid and will therefore allow even more gas to be taken off line.

        1. RobertO Avatar
          RobertO

          Hi Peter F did you read this one?
          https://reneweconomy.wpengine.com/journey-to-zero-emissions-electricity-what-happens-when-sun-dont-shine-wind-dont-blow-83142/

          Also why go to the Sydney basin, there are better alternatives available when building interconnections too. And selling off the access to the line through the RE zone will help pay for the interconnect.

    2. D. John Hunwick Avatar
      D. John Hunwick

      The justification for the interconnector won’t be based on cost, it will be based on politics – coal for the Federal Libs. What happens in SA in the coming months will not be logical, it will be anti-renewable and Marshall is the man to do it.

      1. Peter F Avatar
        Peter F

        When they have to find up to $2.5 bn to do it some sanity might prevail.

  26. solarguy Avatar
    solarguy

    Looks like there is gunna be a shot out with the Marshall, boys!

  27. Sooky Das Avatar
    Sooky Das

    It was easy for him. Just tell electorate electricity prices will go Up with Tesla plans, and you’re In. Labor should have campaigned better on that lie. This is what happens repeatedly. Ministers who bury all virtual environment urgencies & aren’t Big enough to oversee the changeovers. Should be, Out with bad & in with the good.Companies & jobs invested in dirty environment outcomes have to disappear sometime, for us to advance. Marshall doesn’t see it that way. Refuses to take that simple vital leap. Not a wise minister we needed urgently for planet.

  28. Sooky Das Avatar
    Sooky Das

    In parts of USA batteries are on rental basis, $ 30/ mth. to housholders. Paid by councils (or providers)

  29. Tony Gie Avatar
    Tony Gie

    Like here in WA we learned the Liberal government
    are just toxic to everything

  30. scottishterrier Avatar
    scottishterrier

    as they say when voting in an election you end up with a politician and you end up with what you vote for

  31. Mimi 67 Avatar
    Mimi 67

    Well done Steven youve just taken us back to the 1800’s, why not reinstate the horse & cart while your at it.There is such an aversion to renewables by these Liberals. You talk about an holistic approach to governance & that should include both rich & poor. Stop looking after your mates at the big end of town & your coal investments & start thinking of the future. Europe has been using & investing in renewables for years & as we have an abundance of sun, wind & nuclear we should also be. Thinking of future generations & the decisions that you make in your positions of power should be a huge consideration.

    1. Ian Avatar
      Ian

      Love the ampersands , we definitely need more @‘s & &’s &c.

  32. frank Avatar
    frank

    $100 MILLION dolalrs will build a lot of extremely efficient homes for low income earners.

    it will also staff schools and hospitals. Why should the states education and health systems miss out so those that are already in low cost govt provided housing can save 30% on their power bills?

    1. John Inglis Avatar

      Here is an example of the dog-in-the-manger blindly idiotic thought processes the LNP and their supporters have. frank, it’s a distributed 250MW power station with 650MWh of storage. Your petty jealousy over housos saving 30% of their bills is just that, petty jealousy. The benefit to the commonwealth is the storage and the generation. Housos aren’t going to use all the power their roof is generating. Rooftop solar is a lot cheaper to install than solar farms, plus the generation (and storage) is a lot closer to load centres. Get it?

      1. frank Avatar
        frank

        of course we can expect personal insults and vitriole from ‘people’ such as yourself john. You’d rather have your ideology met than thousands of extra beds for the homeless. You are a disgrace to humanity.

        1. rob Avatar
          rob

          POST YOUR ADDRESS!

        2. John Inglis Avatar

          Here’s another one – binary thinking. This example is a delusion that putting panels on roofs preclude all other actions. Most of us can ‘chew gum and walk simultaneously’, unlike your personal experience.

    2. Peter F Avatar
      Peter F

      Frank I am not sure if you are talking about the Liberal policy or the Labor one.

      The Liberal policy is grants to better off people who already have solar i.e. it is at the expense of other needs although if it reduces peak pricing then everyone benefits. If a $100 m reduced peak demand by 150 MW that would probably reduce peak prices by $15-20 and average prices by $3-5 or so. For the average SA household that could be around 7-11% reduction in power costs, longer term it takes pressure off transmission and distribution resources resulting in further saving, so not necessarily a bad thing. A total of $5/MWh reduction is an annual cost saving to SA customers of $57 m per year not a bad return for the taxpayer on $100 m investment.
      As I understand the Labor policy the savings on power would be split between reduced power prices for the tenants and repaying for the private financiers of the systems so the VPP had little or no long term cost to the budget but would have had a similar or greater affect on peak power prices for everyone.

      Thus both from a social equity and economic efficiency the Labor plan was better but both are good value. The Liberal one is a lot simpler to implement

    3. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      What makes you think any Liberal Gov’t would spend money on low income famileis or the homeless?

  33. Paul Mason Avatar
    Paul Mason

    Typical Liberal agenda, lets see what they blame when the coal fired power stations black out the state

  34. Alex Hromas Avatar
    Alex Hromas

    SA energy prices will probably go through the roof and they will only have themselves to blame. I for one will resist any federal move to get them out the ditch they have just dug with their own hands

  35. Nicholas Folkes Avatar
    Nicholas Folkes

    It makes more sense to build coal power stations instead of relying on expensive renewables. Name me one blast furnace that is powered by solar or wind?

    1. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      Oh please! Do try to keep up. The Whyalla steel works is being reopened, to run on renewables. The blast furnace doesn’t care where the electrons come from. All it wants is enough of them to reach the required temperature.
      Renewables plus battery are now way cheaper than coal, and getting cheaper every week.

      1. Joe Avatar
        Joe

        Hettie, he’s a Trolli. Just ignore the crackhead

        1. Hettie Avatar
          Hettie

          You are right, Joe.
          I should save my breath to cool my porridge.

    2. My_Oath Avatar
      My_Oath

      Indeed it does.

      But it makes even more sense than that to use normal priced renewables than either expensive renewables or expensive coal. Near zero marginal cost always trounces coal with expensive raw materials and water costs.

    3. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      Troll account.

  36. Ramon de Avila Avatar
    Ramon de Avila

    Those idiots who voted for this ignorami get ready to plunge back into the dark ages. Powercuts galure.

  37. Peter Weise Avatar
    Peter Weise

    It blows my mind that a government body, with acess to all the stats, cant see, that by reducing the strain, on lower income families, would also lower the strain on welfare, and charity groups. Allowing those families, the chance to buy there kids a new computer for school.
    In my lower social economic area… that would allow parents to feed there kids, before they went to school
    I think its maybe a little more about generating GST revenue, and political donations wake up government… start caring about the people, and planet….. not economic growth.

    1. Justin Gage Avatar
      Justin Gage

      The Liberal voters like to think you all spend their taxes on drugs and alcohol. The idea of low income earners (all beneficiaries as far as they’re concerned) trying to do anything to improve the lot for their children is too far fetched for them to accept. As far as they’re concerned if you aren’t winning at raping the planets resources you’re bludging and that’s that.

  38. Jake Frederics2 Avatar
    Jake Frederics2

    Let me guess; most people commenting here would support a free Tesla battery/Solar combo installed in low cost income home already partially or completely subsidised by government.

    I think the Tesla virtual power plant idea is good but rather focus on the middle class that will pit some of their own money/skin in the game. Imagine installing it in a low income household and finding it broken or missing 2 weeks later.

    1. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      Prejudice rules!
      Oh, it’s you Jake.
      Do go away.

      1. Justin Gage Avatar
        Justin Gage

        Low income earners break and steal solar panels. Omg these right wing winners crack me up. It must be horrible inside their heads. Lucky their high incomes allow them some serious retail therapy.

    2. My_Oath Avatar
      My_Oath

      Ddidd you miss the part about the private fundding compoment for the lolw income homes?

  39. Greg Hudson Avatar
    Greg Hudson

    ”The lack of competition in South Australia is one of the principal reasons for its high electricity prices.”
    IMO this is why Tesla should be starting up their own retail power arm… and be Australia wide, not just limited to SA

  40. Oliver MG Johnson Avatar
    Oliver MG Johnson

    wtf

  41. Val Slater Avatar
    Val Slater

    Naff of back to where to where you came from Steve! We are in a big enough state without you making it worse!

  42. Anthony Boz Avatar
    Anthony Boz

    SA election was RIGGED! LNP bought all the donkey and protest votes! FAKE PM Malcolm TurDBull did the SAME in 2016! AEC needs to be reformed ! We need voter ID numbers and Vote ballot ID tracking numbers!

    1. Alastair Leith Avatar
      Alastair Leith

      Not to mention Gerrymanders according to ALP MP on the ABC TV panel that night.

  43. MaxG Avatar
    MaxG

    Like I always said: the LNP are wreckers! Not to be under estimated.

    People need to realise that the neoliberal agenda (at the core of the LNP) is to reduce government -> more power to corporations and to hamper, remove, stifle anything which could benefit the people, thus making profit for corporations. The strongest promoters of this neoliberal agenda were Reagan and Thatcher.

    1. neroden Avatar
      neroden

      Right-wing political parties are always wreckers who strive to destroy all that is good. It has been this way since the terms “right-wing” and “left-wing” were invented in the French Revolution. The “right wing” were monarchists who supported foreign invasions of France for the purpose of suppressing democracy.

      1. MaxG Avatar
        MaxG

        Yes, but do people know that? Every time I ask people whether they know the core agenda of their political party, the eventually confess to having no idea. You know, I know; most don’t… the problem is in the education system, which is being dumbed down further every year. Which leads to under-educated people; compared to Europe, AU is far behind the eight ball. Even Howard acknowledged that the AU education system is on first place (pause, and low emphasis) in the third world category.

  44. Jan Rose Avatar
    Jan Rose

    Installation of solar panels should have been an idividual contribution to environmental interests not for getting reduced costs of electricity at the expense of those whom did not have the right roof and garden conditions for installation or the upfront cost of paying for the solar panels. When are people going to think of others instead of their own greedy agendas. South Australians without the solar panels pay more for electricity than those that do and so what that ooh but we forked out in the first place for the solar panels, where is your empathy, I can’t afford to pay my council rates now because they too have increased considerably and also because of those escalatiing South Australian power costs. I hope the council rates are capped as they are another huge expense with some councils charging more than others, there needs to be a fair distribition of charges by all councils across the State.

    1. Hettie Avatar
      Hettie

      Jan, you sound seriously angry, and not without cause. To see people all around you going solar and expecting you to get excited about how they are saving, and feeling it is out of your reach, that must be galling.
      Please do some homework. You may well find that you can manage to go solar and save far more than you thought possible. The system I installed in October last year has not only eliminated my power bill, it is covering two thirds of the loan repayments as well. I am about $80 a month better off. And panel prices have dropped sharply since then. I have no idea how much my generation will decline as the days get shorter. Only time will tell.
      Although battery uptake is growing, most solar rooftops are still connected to the grid, and the output on hot sunny afternoons is driving prices down for everyone. It doesn’t show up in your power bill yet, but it is likely that next July 1, instead of yet another jump in the price you are charged, there will be fall.
      Do NOT believe what the Gov’t and the Murdoch media tell you about renewables being expensive. They are not. So do some investigating. You may be pleasantly surprised.
      (I am an age pensioner with no other regular income, and damn all irregular income too, so I’m not talking at you from the comfort of $100,000 a year.)

  45. Mustapha Leek Avatar
    Mustapha Leek

    It is sadly as I feared, The Lieabrals will be immediately influenced not by good policy and good decision making but by lobbyists and political decision making, The Fact that the Tesla plan borders on genious and is icredibly cost effective is irrelevant to intellectual giants like Marshall who are well and truly in the pockets of the fossil fuel companies. Prior to the election I expressed to our local liberal candidate that whilst I was incredibly impressed with him as a candidate and the amount of work he was putting in to the electorate and in getting out and meeting the people, I had grave concerns with his leader who seems like a “shoot from the lip”, “Policy on the run sort of guy”. Sadly I am already being proven correct.

  46. Garth Power Avatar
    Garth Power

    If the storage is used to reduce the use of the grid significantly then it will drive up the cost of those that still need to use the grid. A Better system would be to use the like of EV at time the grid is stressed and not everyday. Therefor the grid is being used and is viable for other to use. I wouldn’t subsidise the battery but would subsidise the solar.

  47. Aaron Goyen Avatar
    Aaron Goyen

    who gives a shit what Marshall thinks, all these clowns in government are digging their own hole, the private sector and people are fed up with it and will bypass these idiots and their backward agenda’s.

  48. Michael Fairweather Avatar
    Michael Fairweather

    You cannot and never have been able to trust any Liberal Politician, you voted for this dick head now put up with your mistake for 4 years and stop complaining about your stupidity .No one can help you, you have to look to the Liberal Past to plan a future for your selves.

  49. Luke Beauchamp Avatar
    Luke Beauchamp

    Doesn’t he realise that paying for this useless interconnector to NSW will push up power prices?

    1. Justin Gage Avatar
      Justin Gage

      That’s exactly what they want.

  50. Luke Beauchamp Avatar
    Luke Beauchamp

    Gotta let the right whingers have their middle class welfare.

  51. Alex (P2TP) Reid Avatar

    Where do we sign in?

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