Punishing Power Politics

Imagine if your current electricity bill was ten times the amount. It would send most of us into and instant financial hole.

That's exactly what is happening in the United Kingdom and Europe as the consequences of the great green dream make themselves felt.

According to the politicians, price jumps are not a failure of renewables. They insist the current problems are entirely caused by the dastardly Putin.

They are wrong. These problems are a result of political decisions well before the war in Ukraine.

European politicians have pursued the renewable energy fad with more gusto than almost anywhere else in the world. They have shut down coal and nuclear power plants while insisting everyone can live on sunshine and wind.

These greenies are the power generation equivalent of the pseudo-scientific breatharian movement. You can do it, just not for very long.

Underpinning this rush to renewables has been the not-so-secret reliance on Russian gas to keep Europe warm and powered up.

Incredibly, the political fools followed doddery Joe Biden into insane, and possibly illegal, sanctions against the Russian people.

These are now backfiring.

Putin called their bluff and has cut off Russian gas supplies leaving the Europeans with the prospect of a very cold and very dark winter. The demand for gas has driven prices sky high when it is available.

That's why bills are going up and there is talk of electricity rationing.

Few dare to mention that snow covered solar panels and frozen wind turbines don't do much to increase electricity supply.

So who suffers? Practically everyone. Small business is being smashed, consumers cannot afford to stay warm and now the people are threatening to rebel.

Why wouldn't they? Here's a small cost of living price comparison between the UK and Russia.

It shows who is really being punished by sanctions and note the 80 percent energy bill rise in October is on top of April's 54 percent increase in wholesale prices!

Now there is talk of governments handing out hundreds of billions in subsidies to power generators while freezing consumer bills. That's another desperate decision that will create even more problems.

Unfortunately, Australia is rushing headlong into the same circumstances that created the European mess.

Our politicians see only rainbows and unicorns as they pursue our own version of renewable power generation insanity.

Rather than stop their mad power plan, they are plotting to hand out even more borrowed money to help people with the cost of living. This will only see more money chasing (possibly) fewer goods which will actually add to the cost of living.

It's a classic catch 22 where everyone is guaranteed to lose.

At least in this country we have little chance of freezing to death. The same can't be said for those facing a European winter.