Exactly so
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Crude oil is not needed to produce the various refined products used mainly for transport.
Pretty much any hydrocarbon from methane to heavier gas mixes in natural gas to liquids like oil and condensate all the way to black and brown coal can be used.
The processes to do this are well known and used around the world.
But oil companies are not stupid. They can see the shift from petrol and diesel to electicity. Demand for those is decreasing, and so to the requirement for oil refineries that produce the stuff.
True but the product is more expensive as there is more processing and wastage than standard refining techniques. If it was cheap Oz would be turning coal into liquid fuel.
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Even if that risk is zero a real risk is armed conflict affecting the sea lanes.
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Fuel security, or ‘Energy Security’ is a topic on it’s own.
In respect of Australian Manufacturing and Industry, it is often stated Australia supports free trade. There are always exceptions for any product considered strategic. Most nations defend higher local costs or protective legislation (EG import/export restrictions) on strategic need.
Is energy security is important strategically to Australia? Easily arguable given our relative isolation from key like minded democracies, and nearer neighbours who are working hard to succeed in their own space. Their ability to take sides is not assured, despite many common interests.
Agree the way forward is to leverage the resources we do have that will meet Australia’s future needs. It seems self evident self reliance in energy requires replacement of petroleum based products. The USA which is self sufficient in petroleum based products and an exporter market price dependent. The USA has chosen to continue to subsidise the sale and manufacture of plug in EVs. FOMO or a clear understanding that the industrial future and manufacturing of the USA cannot sidestep being part of the transition.
https://electrek.co/2021/02/11/tesla-7000-tax-credit-electric-cars-us-incentive-reform/
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And the same principles apply. The only way to avoid such risks is for Australia to secure its own crude oil supplies within its own territorial boundaries.
If we are to seek this supply maybe first establish that it exists.
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But if the argument was to turn around from cheapest to more security and self reliance, then Australia has very little crude oil left, but huge reserves of gas, condensate, coal, coal seam gas, shale oil, etc. Just build the plants to process it into petrol, diesel, avgas, jet fuel, chemical feedstocks as required.
Meanwhile, move on and remove much of the actual need, which is mainly petrol for cars, and mineral diesel for bulk transport and farming.
Which ended more than a year ago with:
The answer remains the same, so I won’t revive that topic.
Not the only way. Not the best way.
If Australia had leadership worthy of the title, we’d be developing our natural advantages.
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Australia is gaining a manufacturing facility for lithium storage batteries. It will rely on importing all the materials required to manufacture/assemble the batteries. The initial work force will number around 100. The products are being promoted to compete against high end batteries imported from OS manufacturers. It will be informative to find out at what price point the products will be promoted when finally available.
The original news releases date from Oct 2020
Newcastle - Near Newcastle, well in the Hunter Region!
Tomago more exactly which is on the other side of the river and part of Port
Stephens.
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China isn’t the only nation that can make solar panels.
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Great stuff.
A clever solution.
The 5B Maverick & BFM Solar Array System are modular racking systems for solar panels. They can use ‘solar’ PV panels manufactured in China by Jinko, Hanna Q-Cells etc.
According to Solar Quotes,
“5B is the manufacturer of Maverick; a modular, pre-fabricated solar panel and racking solution including ballast shipped in “blocks” weighing 2.6 and 5.6 tonnes (15.2kWp and 34.2kWp).”
The modular racking system reduces the on-site labour requirements used in construction of a Solar Farm substantially. The high cost of remote area construction is reduced through the larger component of off site lower cost factory based pre-assembly. The selected site in Darwin is accessible for the importation of the materials, components and panels required.
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Sounds like Mark J Henry’s “Solidteknics”. Awesome products.
It’s great that Australia can produce those products.
Do they use Chinese or Australian Steel?
Their austenitic stainless steel pans use imported German Steel. The low carbon steel drawn products?
The presses and tooling are also likely OS manufactured/imported.
Solidteknics are the only pans manufactured in Australia.
As to whether they use imported tooling is something I can’t answer.
" Our AUS-ION™ is wrought into shape from a single sheet of clean, Australian iron" ( from the website).
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Someone has figured out that there’s money in making stuff ourselves. Whoda thunkit?
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Australia finally wakes up to the fiasco of building the French designed submarines in Adelaide.
Unsurprisingly, Xi Grub & Co have a dummy spit.
A couple of good news articles regarding Australian manufacturing.
