• Future nuclear options

    Peter Farley     |      September 7, 2023

    There are several new technologies which may transform the nuclear industry, possibly lowering costs and improving flexibility, but such promises have been made for decades and renewables are already proving their worth.

  • Is nuclear power a solution for Australia?

    Peter Farley     |      September 6, 2023

    Nuclear power has again been proposed as a long-term solution for Australia’s energy problems, but the engineering issues and high cost of these plants still mitigates against their adoption.

  • China’s coming industrial transformation and the threat to Australia’s economy

    Peter Farley     |      April 12, 2022

    A fall in demand from China for Australia’s coal and iron ore, and competition from Russia on global wheat markets, could see exports of primary materials fall sharply in the future, forcing Australia to develop more profitable alternatives.

  • The future of steel: Hydrogen vs coal

    Peter Farley     |      January 12, 2022

    It should soon be cheaper to use renewables and green hydrogen to refine metals in Australia rather than use coal in the Northern Hemisphere.

  • Some thoughts on the hydrogen economy

    Peter Farley     |      March 31, 2021

    Hydrogen offers a potential energy source with a wide range of applications in power generation, transport and other applications.

  • Victoria won’t run out of power when Yallourn closes down

    Peter Farley     |      March 22, 2021

    The chance of Victoria running out of power in the years to come is extremely small, despite the closing of significant coal fueled power stations.

  • The misplaced idea of a gas-led recovery

    Peter Farley     |      September 30, 2020

    The Prime Minister and his Energy Minister seem to believe in a gas led recovery but the evidence appears to point to a significant decline in gas usage in Australia over time.

  • Turning down the gas?

    Peter Farley     |      May 25, 2020

    The evidence strongly suggests a significant decline in natural gas usage in Australia despite reports of increased government funding for gas. 

  • Nuclear cost and water consumption – The elephants in the control room

    Peter Farley     |      December 20, 2019

    Expert engineer Peter Farley offers a detailed breakdown of the costs and water consumption required by any move to build nuclear power stations in this country.

  • Will Victoria run out of power next summer?

    Peter Farley     |      September 10, 2019

    Despite the scare stories, a detailed investigation of Victoria’s power and storage capacity suggests that power shortages are unlikely next summer.

  • Is nuclear power an option for Australia?

    Peter Farley     |      April 3, 2019

    The need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal plants and the supposed drawbacks of renewable sources has prompted renewed interest in nuclear options for Australia, but the economics and capacity of nuclear plants just don’t add up to a viable alternative.

  • Did renewables or coal fail in Victoria?

    Peter Farley     |      February 20, 2019

    Despite the perception that renewable energy faltered during the recent power crisis in Victoria, In fact it was the opposite, with wind and solar maintaining their performance and coal letting consumers down.