Pinpointing the source of power pain

Well put Keith. Often I think energy costs, become political debates. This, misses the point totally (Pinpointing the source of power pain, July 18).
Reducing energy costs, is for me, the most important excercise in economics. Yes even more important than current debt levels.
Off the shelf gas technology, to produce autonomous supply, should be looked at by retail and office builders. Please refer to the Sydney local governments, plans for automous energy, by 2014.
The Federal government has no gas policy, despite the fact that Australia has more (proven) gas than Qatar. Hey! lets sell all our gas to people with the brains to use it!
What frustrates me, is that, as you correctly, pointed out, that electricity prices, hurt, everyone, not just businesses but pensioners.
Is, the government blind to the fact, that the difference between an advanced economy and a third world economy, is energy availibilty?
Energy costs are hurting our economy and causing inflation, all governments have to treated with contempt, if they do not understand this.

Keith, an interesting contribution (Pinpointing the source of power pain, October 17). However, you neglect to mention that the 13c/kw rise in retail electricity bills for Queenland is due to rampant gold plating of networks which Queensland (along with most state governments) have allowed to be paid for by consumers. Then why is the reverse about to happen in South Australia? In S.A., wind power accounted for around 26 per cent of energy supply in the year to the end of July and one in five houses have solar PV panels. The effect of renewable energy (both wind and solar panels) is that it has created a "merit order effect" which has created downward pressure on the wholesale price of power. The best story on this phenomenon is Giles Parkinson's report in Renew Economy "Wind, solar force energy price cuts in South Australia" (3/10/12)? He points out that the wholesale component of electricity is "at or around their lowest levels since the creation of the National Electricity market more than a decade ago, yet retail electricity bills have soared, thanks to billions of dollars in network spending which is now being heavily scrutinized.”
Your article does a lot of hand-wringing but avoids highlighting the dinosaurs in power industry: coal fired power and expensive distribution networks. Localised generation using primarily solar and wind energy (with efficient gas turbine backup) are the viable technologies for the future and are ready NOW. This power can be distributed with highly efficient new DC transmission lines and be supplemented with rooftop solar which has now dropped to a price approaching $1 per watt installed. The problem is that entrenched coal based interests can see the change coming and are trying to delay the demise of their inefficient, polluting technology. Instead of fear mongering, it’s time for commentators such as yourself and Bob Gottliebson to show readers that the price rises are manipulated and have no sound basis. Perhaps then you could show them that there is a new way forward.