The future of energy and cars in Australia?

[TesAus]

Very interesting article about a paper that predicts a step change in electricity networks and transportation.

'It's the end of energy and transportation as we know it': Tony Seba | smh.com.au

Elon seems to have all boxes ticked:

1) Solar generation = Solar City
2) battery storage = Tesla power wall
3) electric vehicles = Tesla S 3 X
4) driverless cars = Tesla S 3 X

 

[NovoCasGreeny]

Great article, I think things are going to change much quicker than some/most people anticipate. We passed the 'turning point' price of solar quite a while ago. The 'Annual Oil Report' from OPEC is interesting reading too, they have stated that electric vehicles will be less than 1% of the global fleet by 2040.......that's hat eating material right there.

 

[Chuq]

No-one expected mobile phones or solar PV systems to take off so quickly - I think EVs will be the same, especially now that Tesla has given the industry a kick-start!

 

[Blue heaven]

No-one expected mobile phones or solar PV systems to take off so quickly - I think EVs will be the same, especially now that Tesla has given the industry a kick-start!

No doubt it will pan out as Tony Seba predicts, what's critical is the various levels of government in Australia are prepared, although seeing as the federal finance minister can't remember the name of our Prime minister what hope do we have?

 

[garyjac]

Australian politicians (in general) have no clue what they are doing in the renewable energy space. Recent correspondence with the Minister in Qld suggests that he thinks feasibility studies are somehow indicative of the "advanced projects" the government is undertaking. Looking at most of the studies they were either fanciful (e.g. convert Collinsville thermal coal station to Solar thermal and PV) or very limited in scope (e.g. burning cane waste). Three projects involved solar PV in remote communities and were fine as far as they went. In short, this Minister and his predecessors are very limited, slow thinkers in this arena. Private industry will just have to move and drag these idiots along I suppose, as usual.

 

[wpapua]

As EV owners, we should be endeavouring to anticipate the likely government responses, both Federal & State, to Tony Seba's article, should he be correct ! With such a rapid increase in EV's, the government coffers will smartly lose their HUGE 'nest egg' of tax(excise) payments from the present fossil fuels in ICE vehicles (that supposedly, presently, fund our road construction & maintenance). Will we see gross changes to vehicle registration, insurance, road tolls, travel distance reporting, etc., to recoup lost taxes ? They will almost certainly be dreaming up ways to hit us to retain their revenue flows ! We all acknowledge that, based on history, they're not the sharpest knives in the drawer ! The query is, what will they do, and when ?

 

[nexsuperne101]

In the UK, all cars over built in 2017 costing over £40k will be subject to a £310 road tax, even if they are zero emission. It makes a difference on what specification I go for. I will be going for as much as I can get for £39,999.99. Hopefully the AWD option won't be too much, as the rest I can pay to have switched on after initial purchase. It is now possible that a 10 year old high pollution Nissan X-Trail 4x4 will pay less tax than a zero emission Tesla. Makes perfect sense?!

 

[Chuq]

Most voters support transition to 100% renewable energy, says Australia Institute

 

[TesAus]

Most voters support transition to 100% renewable energy, says Australia Institute

Which makes it even more frustrating that renewable energy and climate change hardly get a mention - we the populous are apparently only interested in health, education, jobs and tax cuts. Ironically the first three on the list could actually benefit from an innovation focused response to energy production.

Given I am dismissing both major parties here I assume I won't fall foul of the ban on politically focused posts?!

 

[alpal]

Every election in Australia only ever focuses on health, education, jobs and tax cuts. I've personally experienced over twenty state and federal campaigns and each and every time it's the same issues, the same promises. And yet ...