Renewable energy – that’s just the start

Credit: Cathy Wilcox/The Age

More wisdom at: http://cathywilcox.com.au/ / sustainable renewable renewables energy solar photovoltaic photo voltaic PV solar wind turbine hydroelectricity hydro electricity /

Redflow household battery for lower total cost of ownership

You may have read about Redflow zinc bromide hybrid flow batteries on these pages previously.¹ Robert Llewellyn recently interviewed Simon Hackett, Executive Chairman of Redflow, who provided some interesting insights:
● stores electricity by electroplating zinc from solution
● discharge returns zinc to solution

● complete discharge is a maintenance cycle, essentially restoring the battery to as-new state

● as a result, no loss of capacity with age

● greater up-front cost as it is a recent development & small volume

● durability makes total cost of ownership (TCO) lower
● TCO will improve with volume & further development

Interesting point raised in the interview – what would happen if you had solar panels on your roof & the power failed on a sunny day? Would the solar panels continue to run the house?

“One very common misunderstanding about solar panels, if you have a power failure & you just have solar [panels] it’s useless to you, even if the sun is shining. As soon as you add batteries … the battery system simulates the grid & your panels keep working.” – Simon Hackett, Executive chairman, Redflow


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¹ HitchHiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Redflow claims to have a better solution for home electricity storage”,
https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/12/redflow-claims-to-have-better-solution.html / Simon Hackett executive chairman Australian battery storage developer Redflow better solution home electricity storage energy storage Australian householders cut costs residence residential back-up power option Redflow emerging market recent blackout South Australia back-up power options home-owners home energy storage systems harvesting storing energy solar panels Redflow’s ZCell home battery storage system power outages without interruption research firm IHS Technology forecast Australian energy storage market Australia top five markets distributed energy storage US Japan Germany UK solar photovoltaic energy storage systems wider energy market evolving battery technology increasing role nature of electricity consumption is changing innovative energy storage solutions ZCell systems local market home battery storage system ZCell Redflow ZCell emerging home battery market battery technologies available Redflow ZCell’s flow technology Redflow’s ZCell ZCell storage system unique zinc-bromine flow battery Redflow ZBM2 capable delivering 10 kilowatt hours kWh stored energy daily Redflow battery technology ZCell home battery market lithium-ion battery Redflow ZCell overhead degradation problems impact performance lithium-based lead-acid batteries ZCell contains 100 litres water-based zinc bromide salt solution circulating two separate hydraulic circuits charging zinc extracted zinc bromide solution stored plastic membrane discharge zinc released solution energy stored moving zinc inside the battery long life 100 per cent depth-of-discharge completely reversible no damage battery zinc completely removed plastic membrane end of each discharge cycle Redflow benefits ZCell other battery chemistry 100 per cent cycle depth daily delivery 10 kWh energy 100 per cent depth of discharge no risk of battery damage retaining full output capacity battery’s useful life large loss of output capacity with age other battery types no fire risk bromide-based electrolyte natural fire retardant mechanical damage no risk explosion thermal runaway high-temperature operation without active cooling unlimited shelf life state of charge hibernated for storage easy to recycle reuse /

Pebble is no more – what next? – Buy a Pebble Smartwatch!

Original 2012 Pebble smartwatch
Credit: 9to5Mac

Pebble has been scooped up by Fitbit, but my Pebble smartwatch continues to tell me when my phone is ringing (even on silent at the other end of the house), when emails arrive, next appointment, display SMSs, count my steps (with sync to Pebble & Google fitness apps), gives my Android phone password-level security without having to type it in to check every SMS,¹ & even tell the time. Battery life remains undiminished at over a week.


Pebble Time Steel
Credit: Pinterest

If you are looking at buying a smartwatch, the best advice I can give is, Google: “buy pebble watch”. Just now, I found every model Pebble ever delivered on sale, starting at just $49.99 for the original 2012 Pebble^2,3,4 & including Pebble Steel,⁵ Pebble Time,^6,7 & Pebble 2.⁸


Pebble 2 smartwatch – last model delivered
Credit: Best Buy

Support continues – an update for for iOS & Android was reported on 04 April, although it hasn’t appeared on my phone yet:

Lifehacker – “Pebble Updates Watches So They Keep Ticking Beyond The Grave”
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/04/pebble-updates-watches-so-they-keep-ticking-beyond-the-grave/#luM2jqTfggcrvRs3.99

Pebble, 04 April 2017 – “Pebble App & Developer Transition Updates”, https://developer.pebble.com/blog/2017/04/04/transitioning-update/
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¹ Works with any Pebble: “Android password-level security without having to type the damn thing it in all the time!”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2015/11/android-password-level-security-without.html

² Kickstarter project for the original Pebble: “Pebble: E-Paper Watch for iPhone & Android”, https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/getpebble/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android

³ “Pebble smartwatch teardown – iFixit”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2013/05/pebble-smart-watch-teardown-ifixit.html

⁴ “Hands-on with the Pebble smartwatch – first round production units to ship January 23 (video)”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2013/01/hands-on-with-pebble-smartwatch-first.html

⁵ Pebble Steel – the original Pebble with a steel body: “New Pebble smartwatch: Pebble Steel (video)”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2014/01/new-pebble-smartwatch-pebble-steel.html

⁶ Pebble Time – 2nd generation: “New Pebble watch, Tuesday 24 February”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2015/02/new-pebble-watch-tuesday-24-february.html

⁷ Pebble Time – 2nd generation: “Pebble Time — video (update)”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2015/02/pebble-time.html

⁸ Pebble 2 – 3rd generation of Pebble smartwatches: “What Pebble had up its sleeve – two new smart watches & a new type of connected device (video) - update”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/05/what-pebble-had-up-its-sleeve.html

/ two new heart-rate enabled smartwatches entirely new 3G ultra-wearable go for a run ditch the phone project Pebble 2 Time 2 Pebble Core Pebble Core for hackers Pebble Health third and best Kickstarter project announce two new smartwatches entirely new lightweight hackable connected device replace your phone when you’re out running Pebble 2 Time 2 new smartwatches with activity tracking fitness tracker smartwatch have it all new Pebble smartwatches keep you connected notifications show your schedule perform simple tasks with the click of a button built-in activity tracking heart rate monitor updated suite of Health tools Pebble on your wrist Pebble 2 Time 2 standard multi-day battery life water resistance to 30 meters e-paper displays readable indoors and out Pebble 2 Time 2 work with iOS and Android smartphones prices Pebble 2 Time 2 Pebble Core ultra-compact ultra-lightweight Core armbands hip pouches hassles exercising with your phone connected control Core streams music Spotify syncs GPS data Runkeeper Strava Under Armour Record leave phone at home run phone-free Pebble Core first 3G truly connected ultra-wearable Pebble Core for Hackers Pebble you can hack it Core is a tiny hackable Android computer keychain magic button for anything call an Uber with a click track your pet Stream data from your car’s ODB port pilot a drone from the web early access to Core SDK Pebble original smartwatch Kickstarter community Pebble launched smartwatch industry first ever $10M Kickstarter campaign record $20M produced five amazing smartwatches widely acclaimed epic battery life thoughtful design making Kickstarter wearable history Pebble 2 Time 2 Pebble Core Pebble Core for Hackers Pebble Health Pebble Core ultra-wearable for running leave your phone at home adaptive goals and scheduling Pebble Time smartwatch smart watch battery endurance time between charges up to 1 one week charge recharge app app store play store LiIon lithium ion battery Apple Google iOS Android Apple Watch smartwatch Kickstarter smartwatch Google’s Android Wear Best Smartwatch wearing successor Pebble Time most fun wristwatch tiny computer inside tiny 1.25-inch colour e-paper screen delivers notifications display access to your calendar Android iOS four buttons scroll select things microphone send voice replies texts emails lugs attach standard 22mm band sensors fitness tracker waterproof water proof waterproofing swim no limit on the number of apps install computers cut-down versions full smartphone apps Pebble thinks different lasts up to a week on a charge simple to use sell it at retail every Kickstarter preorder pre-order has been filled design Apple Watch LG Watch Urbane plastic smartwatch sleek stainless steel bezel glass window black white silicone band thinner other smartwatches effortlessly light stylish buttons are painfully stiff charging cable tiny weak magnets doesn’t reliably stay connected competition Android Wear device more secure charger Apple’s amazing scroll wheel 1.25-inch screen giant bezel around border hard to read tiny text ability to adjust font size back light backlight transflective screen reflects light super readable in bright light user interface makes so much sense two columns Timeline apps watchface press the up and down buttons move forwards and backwards in time go forward upcoming calendar events, alarms reminders morning evening weather reports go back missed calls previous alarms wake up this morning completed goals press right select buttonwant more info about the weather alarm go off press left back button interact Timeline items Timeline column apps column press the right button watch face watchface scrolling column apps directional buttons Google’s Android Wear interface Apple Watch /

Honda Clarity – all the shortcomings fundamental to fuel cell cars

2017 Honda Clarity fuel cell car
Credit: Auto Revival

2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell: first drive of hydrogen-powered sedan
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1109601_2017-honda-clarity-fuel-cell-first-drive-of-hydrogen-powered-sedan#image=100596869

Note the acceleration of the Clarity – 0-60 mph in 9.2 seconds. As previously recorded in these pages, Toyota's Mirai does 0-60 mph in just under 10 seconds.¹ Car & Driver recorded Hyundai’s Tucson fuel cell at 0-60 mph in 12.0 seconds!²

Take home message is, fuel cell cars have poor acceleration, & it’s fundamental to the way fuel cells work.¹

For more on the shortcomings of fuel cells in automotive applications, check out reference ¹ below, &

HichHiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Battery electric vehicles outperform hydrogen fuel cell vehicles – even Toyota has noticed”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2017/01/battery-electric-vehicles-outperform.html
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¹ HichHiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Can fuel cells compete with batteries?”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/01/can-fuel-cells-compete-with-batteries.html

² Car & Driver: “Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell”, https://www.caranddriver.com/hyundai/tucson-fuel-cell / vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells 2017 Honda Clarity fuel cell Clarity mid-size sedan strange exterior design cues spacious comfortable pleasant interior high blunt tail lowers wind drag accommodate large high-pressure tank hydrogen fuel crosswise behind rear seat skews the proportions rear-view mirror steeply angled rear window glass panel in the rear bulkhead vertical glass panel in the trunk lid noise vibration harshness NVH mechanical sounds Toyota Mirai pumps compressors airflow Clarity drives like large electric sedan electronics hum powered by 130-kilowatt 174-horsepower electric motor driving front wheels Clarity electricity hydrogen fuel cell fuel-cell stack power electronics hydrogen-powered hydrogen powered Clarity hydrogen range refueling True Zero fueling pump tank gauge full EPA rating range 5.5 kilograms of highly compressed hydrogen Toyota Mirai Hyundai Tucson fuel cell's Honda electric-car electric car fuel cell cost of hydrogen battery EVs battery electric vehicles BEVs emissions reductions hydrogen fuel cell vehicles HFCVs new study Stanford University corroborated common sense battery electric vehicles battery electric vehicles BEVs reduction of greenhouse gas emissions hydrogen fuel cell vehicles hydrogen ideologue quantified in detail new study communities investing in electric vehicles hydrogen infrastructure additional energy benefits community clean transportation large-scale adoption electric vehicles total energy use community buildings transportation lead author Markus Felgenhauer doctoral candidate TUM visiting scholar Stanford Global Climate and Energy Project GCEP investing in all-electric battery vehicles more economical choice reducing carbon dioxide emissions primarily lower cost significantly higher energy efficiency researchers focused their work California state consumer hydrogen fuel cell vehicles available substantial state incentives subsidies press release study researchers created future scenarios Town Los Altos Hills sunny affluent community 8,000 residents located Santa Clara County a few miles from the Stanford campus scenarios focused 10 to 20 years in the future battery and fuel cell vehicles much wider use solar power electrolyzers cost competitive electric grid scenario year 2035 assumed assumption electric vehicles town’s vehicle fleet assumed fuel cell vehicles powered by locally produced hydrogen made cheapest available electricity solar generated obtained from the grid data Los Altos Hills computational model developed study co-author Thomas Hamacher professor electrical and computer engineering TUM provided data amount of energy Los Altos Hills needs financial data cost building new energy infrastructures study coauthor Matthew Pellow former GCEP postdoctoral scholar Electric Power Research Institute cost making solar panels electrolyzers batteries model scenario 2035 most economical way meet total energy demand of the community researchers compared carbon dioxide emissions associated with each scenario two scenarios compare overall costs battery electric vehicles better than fuel cell vehicles reducing emissions Felgenhauer noted analysis showed cost competitive fuel cell vehicles priced much lower battery vehicles fuel cell vehicles significantly more expensive battery vehicles foreseeable future supposed benefit hydrogen storing surplus solar energy analysis 2035 small amount solar hydrogen storage heating lighting buildings new findings detailed paper published journal Energy work focused specific part of California researchers findings are widely applicable demonstrate future examinations of other regions Toyota Motor Corp setting new in-house unit develop electric cars strongest endorsement yet technology not embraced wholly take up rival technology pioneered remains slow Japan's biggest automaker Toyota launch unit start with four persons responsible planning strategy developing and marketing electric cars tightening global emissions regulations unit expand engineers designers other personnel various sections company announcement Toyota invested heavily hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles FCVs option developing full-sized electric vehicles rivals Nissan Motor Co Volkswagen AG Tesla Motors touted pure electric cars most viable zero-emission vehicles future Toyota reserve electric vehicles short-distance commuting high price rechargeable batteries lengthy charging times Toyota developing ultra-compact electric vehicles longer-range models product range promoting FCVs plug-in petrol-electric hybrid cars alternative conventional cars position changing hybrids fuel cells recognition battery electric cars traction CASA analyst Chris Richter fuel cells competitive alternative electric vehicles battery electric cars new unit one person each from automaker three group companies machine manufacturer Toyota Industries Corporation parts suppliers Aisin Seiki Co Denso Corp regulations lower emissions vehicles changing very quickly respond quickly spokesman Itsuki Kurosu small size new venture develop electric cars Toyota vehicles essentially emissions-free by 2050 /

Samsung’s Tizen operating system reported to be riddled with security vulnerabilities

Credit: Samsung

Samsung wants to reduce its dependence on Google’s Android. It’s planned replacement is Tizen – already in Samsung Gear watches, TVs, & phones in limited markets. Tizen smart washing machines & refrigerators are planned for later this year.

Just before you jump on board with Tizen, you may be interested to know that it has been described:

“You can see that nobody with any understanding of security looked at this code.” – Amihai Neiderman, head of research, Equus Software

“It may be the worst code I've ever seen … everything you can do wrong there, they do it.” – Amihai Neiderman, head of research, Equus Software

Motherboard – “Samsung's Android Replacement Is a Hacker's Dream”
https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/samsung-tizen-operating-system-bugs-vulnerabilities

Ars Technica – “Samsung’s Tizen is riddled with security flaws, amateurishly written”
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/samsungs-tizen-is-riddled-with-security-flaws-amateurishly-written/

Extreme Tech – “Samsung’s Tizen OS may be overrun with security flaws”
https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/247043-samsungs-tizen-os-may-overrun-bugs / Samsung’s Tizen operating system riddled with security vulnerabilities Samsung Google’s Android replacement Tizen Samsung Gear watches TVs phones limited markets Tizen smart washing machine refrigerator Tizen worst code I've ever seen everything you can do wrong they do it Amihai Neiderman Israeli researcher Motherboard Samsung's Android replacement hacker's dream security researcher 40 unknown zero-day vulnerabilities Tizen operating system runs on millions of Samsung products CIA got WikiLeaks published internal documents spy agency can monitor people through their Samsung smart TVs hack hijack older models Samsung TVs CIA physical access TV install malware via USB stick window hijacking researcher Israel uncovered 40 unknown vulnerabilities zero-days remotely hack millions newer Samsung smart TVs smart watches mobile phones market slated for future release without needing physical access security holes open-source operating system called Tizen Samsung rolling out in its devices last few years Samsung reduce its reliance on Google Android run Galaxy smartphones tablets other devices Tizen running on 30 million smart TVs Samsung Gear smartwatches some Samsung phones limited countries Russia India Bangladesh plans 10 million Tizen phones Samsung Tizen operating system new line of smart washing machines refrigerators worst code I've ever seen operating system riddled with serious security vulnerabilities hacker to take control Tizen-powered devices Israeli researcher Amihai Neiderman worst code I've ever seen Motherboard in advance talk about research scheduled deliver Kaspersky Lab's Security Analyst Summit island of St. Maarten everything you can do wrong they do it nobody with any understanding of security looked at this code wrote it undergraduate program your software vulnerabilities hackers take control Samsung device from afar remote-code execution security hole Neiderman uncovered critical Samsung's TizenStore app Samsung's version Google Play Store delivers apps software updates to Tizen devices flaw design hijack software deliver malicious code Samsung TV TizenStore software highest privileges device Holy Grail hacker abuse it update Tizen system malicious code TizenStore use authentication only authorized Samsung software gets installed device heap-overflow vulnerability control before authentication function kicked in researchers uncovered problems other Samsung devices in the past Tizen escaped extensive scrutiny security community not widely used on phones yet head of research Equus Software Israel Android phone research began analyzing code eight months ago purchasing Samsung TV Tizen installed Samsung installing operating system on new televisions smart watches limited line of smartphones update Tizen system with any malicious code you want first Tizen phones sold in India since expanded South Africa Nepal Africa Indonesia Samsung plans sell Tizen phones Latin America Middle East Europe eventually the United States expand catalogue Tizen applications developers 100 most downloaded mobile apps how bad Tizen code was on his TV purchase few Tizen phones Tizen code base is old borrows from previous Samsung coding projects Bada previous mobile phone operating system that Samsung discontinued code push it into Tizen vulnerabilities he found new code written specifically for Tizen within the last two years mistakes programmers were making twenty years ago indicating Samsung lacks basic code development and review practices prevent catch flaws strcpy() Tizen Strcpy() function replicating data in memory basic flaw fails to check enough space write data create buffer overrun condition attackers exploit buffer overrun space to which data is being written too small for the data data write adjacent areas of memory programmers function today flawed, yet Samsung coders are using it everywhere programmers failed SSL encryption secure connection transmitting certain data use it on some data transmissions not others not on ones that need it most wrong assumptions about needed encryption extra work move between secure connections unsecure connections didn't do it inadvertently making conscious decisions not to use SSL Samsung report problems automated email response contacted Korean company Samsung spokesperson sent boilerplate response via email Samsung Electronics security and privacy regularly check our systems credible potential vulnerability act promptly investigate and resolve fully committed cooperating mitigate any potential vulnerabilities SmartTV Bug Bounty program Samsung committed working with security experts around the world mitigate any security risks been in contact with Samsung vulnerabilities uncovered Samsung reconsider deploying Tizen in phones major overhaul of the code Tizen Galaxies running Tizen Tizen is not safe /

Never give up – Elon Musk

Easy to say, & he isn’t even the first to say it.



Does he believe it? Does he live by it? Some would say those questions are answered in the video. Not convinced? Check this, from someone who worked for him for over five years – how Elon Musk responded in the minutes after the failure of the third Falcon 1:

Quartz – “What Elon Musk is really like as a boss”
https://qz.com/498030/what-elon-musk-is-really-like-as-a-boss/

Some other thoughts on success


Credit: Bulk Princess/Imgrum / working for Elon Musk SpaceX Head of Talent Acquisition answer coloured colored by my own experiences unbiased personal narrative character leader company Tesla SpaceX working with Elon one really rough day epic aftermath SpaceX launched third flight Falcon 1 launch vehicle Falcon 1 predecessor Falcon 9 launch vehicles company flies today defining moment for the company his $100M personal investment in the company up to three tries successful by the third flight admit defeat pressure created by this narrative press lobbyist armies competitors largest, most powerful defense contractors in the world overdrive in DC undermine SpaceX damage our credibility too risky inexperienced multi-billion dollar interests in the space launch business SpaceX picture perfect flight first stage flight Earth’s gravity vehicle experiences max Q maximum dynamic pressure conditions vehicle physically harshest highest risk points of mission first stage flight stage separation first stage vehicle detaches falls away from the 2nd stage journey to space lost the vehicle and mission SpaceX VP of Propulsion Tom Mueller modern day godfather of rocket science most brilliant scientific minds on the planet team great job redesigning vehicle engines systems more efficient and powerful turned off the first stage engine separate the vehicle stages stages uncoupled kick thrust first stage engine first stage second stage separate two sections of the vehicle devastating and emotional experience 350 employees cheered the vehicle on as it took off mission clock stages were about to separate video feed was cut 20 second viewing delay mission control team projected the external press feed major mission anomalies lost video something had gone wrong Elon Musk most senior technical people SpaceX commanding the mission waited anxiously mood in the building hung thick with despair SpaceX many people have been working 70-80+ hours a week difficult barriers in technology institution politics finance sheer force of their blood and sweat they had all given so much mentally and physically exhausted really needed a win faith depleted the hopes and resources impact the future of the company potential to send the company into a downward spiral failure in leadership press potential customers destroyed us internally addressed the company we knew this was going to be hard rocket science flight taking on a significant investment from Draper Fisher Jurvetson providing SpaceX with ample financial resources to attempt two more launches we need to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off we have a lot of work to do I will never give up and I mean never if we stick with him we will win most impressive display of leadership energy despair and defeat massive buzz of determination people began to focus on moving forward looking back shifts in body unbelievably powerful experience SpaceX team identified likely cause launch failure turnaround time others in the launch business failure investigations our team data announced the results of our investigation supporters customer community retain their trust another rocket fully manufactured integrated on location ready to fly again unlimited human and financial resources restricted financial diet SpaceX flew Falcon 1 launch vehicle executed first 100% successful launch world’s first privately built rocket to achieve earth orbit accomplishment task previously completed by only six mightiest nations in the history of the world victory entire SpaceX team future of humanity overall true character of Elon Musk undeterred in the face of all odds undaunted by the fear of failure he is never satisfied with himself so he is never really satisfied with anyone around him pushes himself harder and harder worth every ounce of blood and sweat /

Cyclone Debbie turned out the lights in Queensland – isn’t that the Prime Minister’s cue to start criticising sustainable energy?

Cyclone Debbie, 28 March 08:20 AEST
Credit: Himiwari/ABC

On the afternoon of Wednesday 28 September 2016, a once-in-50-year storm damaged critical electrical infrastructure in South Australia, blacking out the entire state. At 07:20 the next morning, the Prime Minister’s office was informed that the black-out was unrelated to the 40%+ renewable energy in that state. Despite this, those on the conservative side of politics, primarily the Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull & Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, rushed to criticise sustainable energy.¹

Another extreme weather event on 08 February 2017, caused load shedding in South Australia. Once again, those on the conservative side of Australian politics rushed to judgment.²

At the moment, as a result of cyclone Debbie, electricity supplies are down in much of the coal-dependant state of Queensland.

Prime Minister, isn’t that your cue to start criticising sustainable electricity? Josh?
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If the above seems to make little of the disaster (including deaths) still unfolding in Queensland, that was not my purpose. To anyone offended: please accept my apologies. The people of South Australia are still waiting for an apology from the Prime Minister & Energy Minister.
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¹ HitchHiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Turnbull knew renewables were not the cause of SA blackout the next day”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2017/02/turnbull-knew-renewables-were-not-cause.html

² HitchHiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Keeping the lights on in a rapidly changing world”, https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2017/02/keeping-lights-on-in-rapidly-changing.html

/ Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ministers were told wind not to blame renewables for South Australia blackout Turnbull government statements blaming last year's South Australian blackout high renewable energy target ignored confidential public service advice was not the cause emails obtained under freedom-of-information rules febrile debate renewable energy versus coal-fired generation raging in Canberra revelation undermine Coalition's energy messaging shatter confidence call for investment sober debate bipartisan policy solutions government denies it ignored the early advice it was the storm which brought down lines ministers canvassed publicly central state's high renewable energy reliance contributed subsequent assessment refer to the state's energy mix complicating factor security of supply advice to the government dated 29 September 2016 day after the whole of SA went black devastating storm suggested problem state's high reliance on wind generation key parts electricity distribution network wrecked during a severe weather event email trail senior official from Malcolm Turnbull department seeking explanation blackout 8.31 evening of the storm next morning outlines subsequent discussions 5am phone hook-up departmental political staff email sent Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's own officials assessment of the blackout including advice Australian Energy Market Operator unprecedented damage network bigger than any other event in Australia 20+ steel transmission towers down State wind damage Adelaide Port Augusta electricity network unable to cope sudden large loss generation capacity AEMO's advice generation mix renewable or fossil fuel was not to blame yesterday's events loss 1000 MW power such a short space of time transmission lines fell over within hours of the calamity Turnbull government capitalising on the blackout suggesting state's unsustainably high quotient wind generation failed to keep working in the conditions Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce chorus from Canberra state Labor government's unrealistic energy policies other senior ministers including Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg major storm major blackout across a whole state South Australia renewable energy target storm capacity to handle it intermittent renewables pose real challenges state Labor governments priorities renewable targets extremely aggressive extremely unrealistic energy security blackout South Australia extreme heat event energy blame game intensified evidence again suggests adequate supply gas turbine generation sitting idle wind contribution fell Labor's spokesman climate change energy Mark Butler hysterical Mr Turnbull playing politics very deep crisis enveloping our energy system renewable energy sustainable energy electric power solar photovoltaic photo voltaic coal fired power station wind power wind turbine gas fired power station accurate weather forecasting grid /