Do we have secure electricity for the future?
In the next ten years we have enough power to meet predicted demand but all this data is based on the past growth. in the future we could keep growing and keep increasing beyond our predictions and then we will be short of power. It is the battle of supply and demand and efficient markets.
If we have too much supply then we are inefficient and if we have to much demand then we will have blackouts. So we are stuck with a big problem. If we build too many more power stations we waste a non-renewable resource - coal which we are heavily dependant on, and when that runs out we have no alternatively supply and we have a possible indefinite blackouts. Most people are unaware of what energy is and how it is made, let alone understanding peak demand - they just plug in their stuff and they get power.
If we have too much supply then we are inefficient and if we have to much demand then we will have blackouts. So we are stuck with a big problem. If we build too many more power stations we waste a non-renewable resource - coal which we are heavily dependant on, and when that runs out we have no alternatively supply and we have a possible indefinite blackouts. Most people are unaware of what energy is and how it is made, let alone understanding peak demand - they just plug in their stuff and they get power.
So do we have a problem that can't be fixed?
Yes, We have the age old battle for supply and demand if we build more power stations we are inefficient but safe and if we don't build it we may run out of power. So we have to constantly meet that demand growth. It is likely that Queensland's 10 year electricity growth needs will be met by gas, but we will need new technology, which may not be proven yet, to replace coal in our electricity mix.
Demand Side
Matching supply and demand is also on the consumer side. we use the energy for our stuff such as airconditioning, fridges, appliances and TV. We are the other ying of the demand yang. We need to help ease demand by using more efficient appliances but the problem, unlike water, is that power is so tightly woven into our society. Unlike with water where we can chose to reduce water use such as in the drought, we can't use significantly less power. It is in everything we do and if we can buy more expensive, more efficient appliances but power efficiency isn't really in people's minds until electricity becomes very expensive.
Efficiency has to be mandated at the government level through rebates where you buy more efficient appliances and efficient house design standards. We have seen this already with incentives and rebates for Hybrid Cars or water efficient washing machines, to make buying them more appealing. When the public starts to revolt at high energy prices or when their power doesn't work, reducing demand will be more of a priority. The problem is that young people, the future electricity users, aren't informed and this is proven by my survey data. We just get electricty to our homes and use it without thinking.
Efficiency has to be mandated at the government level through rebates where you buy more efficient appliances and efficient house design standards. We have seen this already with incentives and rebates for Hybrid Cars or water efficient washing machines, to make buying them more appealing. When the public starts to revolt at high energy prices or when their power doesn't work, reducing demand will be more of a priority. The problem is that young people, the future electricity users, aren't informed and this is proven by my survey data. We just get electricty to our homes and use it without thinking.
