In a thought-provoking discussion, Aidan Morrison, Director of Energy Research at the Centre for Independent Studies, argues for prioritizing nuclear power in Australia's energy strategy. He dispels myths about renewables, highlighting their high infrastructure costs and reliability issues. Morrison critiques the Integrated System Plan and the GenCost report, advocating for honest evaluations in energy governance. He also addresses the challenges of transitioning to renewables and the ideological barriers that hinder a rational nuclear debate, shedding light on the urgent need for energy reform.
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insights INSIGHT
Energy & Prosperity
Cheap energy is crucial for prosperity, as it's a hidden cost in all goods and services.
Rising energy costs disproportionately impact affordability and can quickly erode living standards.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Germany's Energy Woes
Germany, once an industrial powerhouse, is losing industries due to high energy costs.
This impacts not just power bills, but the entire economy and the middle class.
Join John and leading energy researcher Aidan Morrison as they outline why nuclear power should be at the centre of Australia’s energy strategy. Aidan argues that modern nuclear technology is safe, and superior to renewables in terms of its reliability and cost. The discussion illuminates the misinformation which has characterised Australia's energy debate, calling for a shake-up in energy governance in order to ensure that policies are based on engineering and economic realities rather than distorted political narratives. Aidan also debunks the popular belief that Australia’s vast land and abundant sunshine make it uniquely suited for a wind and solar-powered grid, pointing out that these energy sources require massive infrastructure investments to be reliable. He suggests that ideological opposition and entrenched interests have prevented a rational discussion on nuclear power, despite its potential to provide affordable, clean, and secure energy. Aidan Morrison is a leading researcher into Energy Systems and currently the Director of Energy Research at the Centre for Independent Studies. In 2023 he exposed how the famous CSIRO report “GenCost” excluded vast costs required to integrate and firm renewables by treating them as “sunk” costs. In 2024 he was amongst the strongest voices calling for nuclear energy in Australia and was a leading critic of the ‘Integrated System Plan’ (or ISP): Australia’s blue-print for a transition to an energy system dominated by wind and solar. Following the conclusion of a recent Senate Inquiry into Australia’s energy planning and regulation, Aidan reached the conclusion that the ISP is “worse than useless” and declared that trust in Australia energy establishment is now so badly broken that a series of resignations will be required to restore the credibility and respect that regulatory organisations required to administer the energy system.
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