💧 David Mitchell

RMI released this report last week which has attracted a bit of attention on social media. /1 rmi.org/insight/the-cl…

@comical_engr @CaptainAdvance1 No. As the rest of us call it, climate change.

@CaptainAdvance1 Climate change, or as the rest of us call it, weather!!

Australia we are one of the most resource-rich nations on Earth yet one of the most vulnerable. We are the world’s largest exporter of coal, yet we are shutting down coal-fired power stations that once provided reliable, affordable baseload energy. We are a top-3 exporter of natural gas, yet we struggle with domestic supply, can’t refine enough of our own fuel, and government revenue from local beer tax rivals that of gas exports. We are #1 in iron ore exports, yet we largely ship it offshore, only to buy back finished metals at a premium. We are a leading uranium exporter, yet we don’t use nuclear power to support our own energy security. We are among the top producers of rare earth minerals, yet we lack the manufacturing capability to turn them into high-value products. The pattern is clear that we export raw materials and import value. Over time, we’ve lost key industries such as automotive, white goods, textiles, oil refining, shipbuilding, electronics. At the same time, rising energy costs, complex taxes, and policy uncertainty have made it harder to invest and build locally. Once, Australia had one of the highest living standards in the world. Today, we still enjoy a great quality of life — but the gap between what we could be and what we’ve become is hard to ignore. We produce enough food to feed over 70 millions people globally, yet many of our farmers are under financial pressure and the sector remains under invested in. We generate enormous resource wealth, yet our supply chains remain vulnerable and dependent on others. This is no longer about nostalgia, it’s about direction. If we want long-term prosperity, resilience, and sovereignty, we need to rebuild our ability to make, refine, and add value here at home. That means thinking differently about energy, industry, and investment. Australia currently sits at or near the highest interest rates in the developed world, despite having a smaller, less diversified economy and heavy reliance on housing and consumption compared to peers like the US or Europe. Economically, this creates a mismatch, higher rates disproportionately hit households, small businesses, and investment, while doing little to address structural drivers of inflation such as energy costs, supply constraints, and government spending. Poor policy is suppressing domestic demand and productive capacity in an economy that already struggles to build, manufacture, and scale making it harder, not easier, to strengthen long-term growth and resilience. Australia has all the ingredients. The question is whether we have the vision, the political leadership and the business savvy to use them.

@HarryFromSyd @HinrichsZane Correct. But it demonstrated the multiple functions a big battery could have. The project was built in 6 months, so it demonstrated you could start earning in a year. Then they upgraded it to grid forming. It was a fantastic reference project b

@flexibledragnet @HinrichsZane That battery was used for grid balancing. It would not have the capacity to have saved you from the previous outage.

Why does it seem the Aussie’s are kicking our butts when it comes to megapack installations?

@OzTeslaGuy @TeslaAUNZ I’d like my deposit back.

The Cybertruck web page first appeared on the Australian Tesla site way back in 2019. Since then it has persisted allowing people sign up to “Get Information”. Fast forward to 2025, @TeslaAUNZ started showcasing the Cybertruck. It’s been showing up at events, it’s been seen on the roads, it’s been on display at Tesla locations. I believe it’s currently in Adelaide. I’ve discussed the Cybertruck with friends previously who are a Hilux only family (they own like 5 Hilux’s!). They live and breathe Hilux. They’ve said in the past that they’d seriously consider a Cybertruck if it was available in Aus. Given what’s happening in the world today, they would now be a day 1 purchase. Current events are shifting the mindset of the diesel loving sector. I don’t know what the hold up is, but @cybertruck, @tesla, @elonmusk - if you were waiting for the right time to release the Cybertruck in Aus, this is it! If it became available in Aus today, it would sell like hotcakes!

@exp_policy @TMFScottP Yes it is. But if you want to replenish fuel reserves, the logical place to start is to remove the excise rebate for mining.

@flexibledragnet @TMFScottP But it's equitable for all road users. A road user charge based on weight of car and distance travelled will raise more tax (EVs not paying fuel excise) that could then be used to replenish fuel reserves - thay are required for transport / agri / etc.

On the politics of Taylor's call for an excise cut: Morrison's was justified. This is not. My view isn't party-political. But also: If you criticised the energy rebate, you can't support Taylor, here. And if you supported the energy rebate, you can't criticise Taylor.

@exp_policy @TMFScottP Agriculture already receives the full excise rebate. As for transport companies. They should be investing in electric vehicles, maybe this will give them the impetus to get a move on. (Pardon the pun).

@TMFScottP @flexibledragnet Maybe the compromise is a full fuel excise cut for transport companies and agriculture. Otherwise our economy is going to stagnate even further. And, fuel excise cut will have flow on effects for reducing cost of goods.

@exp_policy @TMFScottP Road user charge (inevitable) won’t help poor people unless it raises less overall revenue than excise (unlikely). Enjoy your day. 🙏

@flexibledragnet @TMFScottP I consider the role of government to have holistic responses to emerging issues. The excise is under their control, and can be cut to ease the (ongoing) pain on the economy. Best case, they rush through a road user charge per km and get rid of fuel excise completely.

@exp_policy @TMFScottP Where do you get that data from? If I look at the marine tracker then are multiple tanker en-route to Australia (although no information about what’s in them, if anything). If we are now in a supply crunch, no use cutting excise, we want to reduce demand.

@flexibledragnet @TMFScottP That would have worked a week ago. Price is now supply based, with only 1 oil tanker arriving in the immediate future. Okay, to make it equitable, a road user charge per km should instantly replace fuel excise. But thats long-term, short-term we need this to continue the economy

Electrify the economy mate, instead of calling in renewable projects. But sure. Build a national dashboard. 🤦‍♂️

@exp_policy @TMFScottP But it’s not equitable. It doesn’t differentiate between rich people with diesels or poor people with EVs. If you want to lower the price, reduce the demand. No containers, 50 litres a sale.

@flexibledragnet @TMFScottP Because it is an easy and equitable approach that allows the government to save face following their monumental mess-up regarding fuel reserves. Any cut should be time limited until there is a comprehensive approach to the current crisis.

@SlBrandin Synthetic inertia responds without a control signal though.

The only think that competes with VPPs for the title of *worst naming convention ever* is “synthetic inertia” It’s not “synthetic” inertia, it’s a digital/programmed controls response which delivers the same (or better) grid reliability attribute that the system has historically gotten from the properties of rotating mass in synchronous gen So much potential for progress is lost simply from our inability to clearly articulate (and therefore agree on) our true first principle objectives

@DejaStella63240 @ClinchJim @LowCarbonD61778 We aren’t talking about climate change modelling, we are talking about electricity.

@flexibledragnet @ClinchJim @LowCarbonD61778 Evaluating climate change modeling requires comparing it with alternative approaches under realistic constraints from a systems engineering perspective.

I’ve noticed the current gaggle of naysayers who forget fossil fuels and focus on the concrete used for a wind turbine base…. Absolute planks

@exp_policy @TMFScottP No. But there is no sense to cut fuel excise. That send exactly the wrong message. Why would you cut fuel excise for a diesel Mercedes GLS? If people need targeted assistance that can be done in other ways.

@flexibledragnet @TMFScottP There will, without a doubt, be a road user charge that replaces the fuel excise. In the interim, do you want to tell people already struggling to live pay check to pay check, working 2-3 jobs, to "add more debt to your life!". Because that is not good will. Just FYI, im pro-EVs

@exp_policy @TMFScottP There is goodwill. Buy an EV, take advantage of the FBT “rebate” and never pay excise again.

@TMFScottP I think people are , and hoping for, a little goodwill from the government, when our strategic fuel reserves are abysmal. In 'normal' situation, I agree with you; but this is a government mess up (both liberal and Labor, no allegiance to either here).

@ClinchJim @LowCarbonD61778 Wind from other places, hydro, imports, solar (not at night), nuclear, biomass, batteries and of course gas. Wind forecasts are pretty accurate, so it’s not a surprise. That’s what the grid operator is for, to manage the mix. The more wind you build, the less gas you will use.

@flexibledragnet @LowCarbonD61778 I’m in the UK. When the wind drops, what covers the shortfall?

Pakistan's solar revolution: from 0% to 25% in a decade. 2021: 4% 2022: 7% 2023: 10% 2024: 14% 2025: 25% Solar is now Pakistan's #1 electricity source. Not driven by policy — driven by consumers.

@ClinchJim @LowCarbonD61778 Except they don’t need a gas turbine running along side. So there’s that.

@LowCarbonD61778 Not naysayers, just voicing a legitimate concern about enormous lumps of concrete being poured for no good reason. Unless you think building machines that need a gas turbine running wastefully alongside is reasonable.

@Execute44 @GregMcgarvie Get one of these. polarisaustralia.com/ranger/ranger-…

@GregMcgarvie An EV around my property is useless, it neither has the ground clearance nor a tray on the back. Soon there will be nowhere to go because enterprise and agriculture run on diesel. Businesses will close, supermarkets dry up. EV drivers will be sat a home like all the rest of us.

Fossil Fuel been fooled? Now suffering range anxiety which EV drivers never really had as they know they can charge at home! A trip of 300 km in an EV range 540 km and charged off home solar trip cost $2.70 if only fast charges expensive around $25.50 for 300 km @TheNoisyTrunk @AlanKohler @QLDLabor @QuentinDempster youtu.be/-bV0F6OP31U?si…

@ErwinOut @HuslerLaurenz @alex_avoigt Did you even read that? Microsoft is not building a nuclear reactor. Microsoft is building AI tools to help other people build nuclear reactors. 🤦‍♂️

@flexibledragnet @HuslerLaurenz @alex_avoigt microsoft.com/en-us/industry…

For anyone who still hasn't grasped why nuclear power plants are the stupidest idea imaginable: New nuclear power plants cost up to 49 cents per kilowatt-hour in Europe. Solar power costs between 3 and 6 cents. Thats 16 times more expensive electricity For those now dreaming of small power plants (SMR): SMRs produce five to 30 times more nuclear waste than large reactors, and nuclear waste is a massive cost driver. Professor Dr. Lesch calls the idea of ​​using old nuclear waste as fuel "a wonderful fairy tale that has yet to come true anywhere in the world." For all now claiming storage is no cost driver take a look what Germany had to pay and all other countries with nuclear energy generation must pay for decommissioning and storing nuclear facilities and waste in the future:

@bandit_daz @magataotao @GreenTyler27 I’ve never met a One Nation supporter with either. Surprise me.

@flexibledragnet @magataotao @GreenTyler27 Common sense and the ability to do basic maths

Young people actively sabotaging their chance at homeownership in Australia is something I struggle to understand.