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https://reneweconomy.com.au/csiro-defends-gencost-as-coalition-and-murdoch-media-go-nuclear-against-key-institutions/>
"The head of Australia’s principal scientific research organisation has been
forced to step in to defend the CSIRO’s important
GenCost report in the face
of unrelenting attacks from the federal Coalition and right wing media and
so-called “think tanks.”
The Coalition has launched repeated attacks against the annual and
authoritative CSIRO
GenCost report, led by Peter Dutton and the energy
spokesman Ted O’Brien, who claimed this week on ABC TV that the report had been
“largely discredited.”
The latest volley of criticism has prompted the CEO of the CSIRO, Douglas
Hilton, to publish an open letter, defending the
GenCost report in
particular, and science in general, which he said is under attack from
political leaders.
It also comes as Rio Tinto, the country’s biggest energy consumer and owner of
two biggest aluminium smelters, and AGL, the biggest coal generator in the
country, rejected nuclear technology as prohibitively expensive.
“Science is crucial to providing the data and models that allow society to
tackle profound challenges; challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, transition
to net zero, keeping Australian industry productive and sustainable, and
protecting our unique biodiversity,” Hilton writes in his letter.
“For science to be useful and for challenges to be overcome it requires the
trust of the community. Maintaining trust requires scientists to act with
integrity. Maintaining trust also requires our political leaders to resist the
temptation to disparage science.
“As Chief Executive of CSIRO, I will staunchly defend our scientists and our
organisation against unfounded criticism.
“The
GenCost report is updated each year and provides the very best estimates
for the cost of future new-build electricity generation in Australia.
“The report is carefully produced, its methodology is clearly articulated, our
scientists are open and responsive to feedback, and as is the case for all
creditable science, the report is updated regularly as new data comes to hand.
“The
GenCost report can be trusted by all our elected representatives,
irrespective of whether they are advocating for electricity generation by
renewables, coal, gas or nuclear energy.”
The Coalition, along with right wing media, the fossil fuel lobby, so called
“think tanks” and professional agitators hate the
GenCost report because it
underlines what is widely accepted in the energy world – that nuclear power is
by far the most expensive."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
