> we found that the total annualised cost (including capital, operation, maintenance and fuel where relevant) of the least-cost renewable energy system is $7-10 billion per year higher than that of the “efficient” fossil scenario. For comparison, the subsidies to the production and use of all fossil fuels in Australia are at least $10 billion per year. So, if governments shifted the fossil subsidies to renewable electricity, we could easily pay for the latter’s additional costs.

They are claiming that a 100% renewable system would be CHEAPER than a fossil fuel system. If that doesn’t stink like some grade A bullshit to you I have nothing more to add.

That's an Australian academic in 2013 making that claim, and fair play to him, the official Australian cost estimates in 2024 say:

> ‘Firming costs’ is a term often used to describe the investments needed to make variable renewables a reliable source of electricity for our power system. In the GenCost report our preferred term is ‘integration costs’.

> Integration costs include investments in storage, peaking generation, transmission and system security devices such as synchronous condensers. Modelling determines the most cost-effective combination of these investments.

> ... renewables were still found to have the lowest cost range of any new build technology.

> For more detail go to the GenCost 2023-24 report section 5.2.1 Framework for calculating variable renewable integration costs on page 65.

https://www.csiro.au/en/research/technology-space/energy/gen...

What cost of storage do they use in their model in dollars per kilowatt hour?

Why is it up to us to read these reports for you?

Lol because you’re citing it. A study is not a magic spell you cast to immediately win arguments. Every study makes assumptions and you have to be prepared to discuss and defend them if you cite one. Another basic question, how much energy storage does their model require, because its probably way less that would actually be required. For comparison, this study of Germany found 56 TWh of storage to be optimal assuming a hypothetical and very cheap hydrogen storage system. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac4dc8#...