[M&Ms]

That's what happens when you listen to people who live in la la land.... They have no actual concept of the numbers we talk about in power generation. a 660MW x 4 site (or even a Hazelwood 200MW x 8) would require a whole bunch of 2MW windmills to compensate. Then add to that the fact the wind will allow for generation ~200 days of the year, it's never going to be a replacement. Germany proved that you can't have more than about 30% of your base load generated by wind, otherwise, you're in the dark. Other alternatives? Hydro?? We've pretty much exhausted most sites where a hydro plant is feasible. Gas? IMO too valuable of a resource to use up for power (look at the UK, used up all their gas in the 80s and 90s, now have to import it). Solar? Probably the only source that IMO hasn't had enough investment, should have happened decades ago; but again, only a complimentary source of power. Coal, for the time being, is here to stay, whether greenies like it or not. Only other alternative is Nuclear Power, but that sends shivers down the spines of any greenie or lefty.

Interesting time ahead, we will be facing regular blackouts soon. If it's not this summer, it's the one after that or the one after that, but it will happen. Australia is unique. We have a relatively small population spread across a huge area, the models that work in Europe / US / Asia will not work in Australia. We need some unrestrained thinkers to come up with our local solution, not politicians and whingers who want to act smart, but really lack any common sense. But then again, governments survive on a public that's stupid and gullible.....