Intermittent energy sources like wind and solar cannot replace dispatchable energy. – Lars Schernikau
They cannot guarantee supply when it’s needed 24/7 – 365. Electricity systems don’t reward good intentions… they require balance, inertia, and reliability.
Many countries, including places like New Zealand, are increasingly struggling with energy security, and this is not by accident. It is the result ideology being prioritized over physics and economics.
In this podcast we discussed how energy policy today often ignores system-wide costs. It’s easy to claim something is “cheap” if you only look at generation costs, but once you include storage, grid expansion, backup capacity, and inefficiencies, the picture dramatically changes.
We also touch on how fossil fuels, like coal, are still deeply embedded in our global system. Not just for power, but for industrial processes, steel, cement, and materials. This isn’t about opinion …it’s about how the physical world works.
My ultimate concern is that we are creating systems that are:
- less reliable
- more expensive
- and more vulnerable …while telling ourselves a different story!
