COMMENT: Daintree microgrid - Don’t be scared of change

COMMENT

Contributor Article

Email
Last updated:
The Daintree Microgrid was announced for the Daintree Coast in 2022. Picture: Supplied

Over the past few weeks there has been much chatter on social media about the Daintree renewable microgrid, perhaps caused by the cancellation of Volt’s December update. Unfortunately in an information vacuum, people tend to pursue their own version of events.

It is worth remembering that the recent Council application and approval had hundreds of pages of information, and that many of the things being speculated on can be found in that application, online. People are scared of change.

But I wanted to share with readers my experience of ‘electricity in the Daintree’. As a child we had 32volt electricity. Apparently this was chosen as the best remote power because it could not kill, and there was already a lot of 32v in railways so a fair bit of kit already available.

Ours was attached to a single cylinder open pot radiator MacDonald I think it was. We called the engine Pop pop, because that’s how she sounded. It was a sooty beast, started on dark every night when we needed light, or when we needed to wash.

Mum had a 32v Washer, but before that I can remember her using a Copper. Hot water was created by running the pipes through the back of the wood stove. Refrigeration was via kerosene fridges. Wick trimming and smelly fills are the pervading memory.

In 1988 we went to 240volts. A shiny new Cummins was procured, and Kennedy Taylor buried the cables and rewired all the houses. It had reached the point where 11 Kero fridges was too much running a business, and one catching fire was probably the last straw!

Soon after we put in our first cold room. In those days fuel was cheap, and nobody worried about the cost. In time a second backup generator was added and finally in 2008 a purpose built shed.

We always have turned the main generator off at night, to conserve fuel though. Over the years a variety of night options have been used, smaller generators, 12v systems and now large battery systems that can run air conditioners etc.

In the earlier days my late father decided to air condition his bedroom but of course when the genny went off so did the aircon. So if he woke feeling hot he would sometimes start the genny in the wee hours, which meant that in my house if the TV or other items in use were not turned off at the wall they blared to life.

Such were things on September 11 2001 when my TV blared to life at 4am with news none of us will ever forget.

Having lived through the various stages of energy generation here, I really look forward to a renewable microgrid. I look forward to no more genny servicing, no more dependence of fossil fuel, to being able to tell visitors about our state of the art system.

I will put in EV chargers.  No more storing huge quantities of fuel, and the ability to put in solar without having to pay for tons of expensive and unreliable batteries. I never supported the extension of mains power here.

It just did not make sense. But this microgrid ticks all the boxes. Even for those who don’t want it, as they simply don’t connect. Please don’t be scared of positive change.

Comment piece - Lawrence Mason

Support public interest journalism

Help us to continue covering local stories that matter. Please consider supporting below.

Got a news tip?

Send a news tip or submit a letter to the Newsport Editor here.

Comments

Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport, its staff or affiliates. Reader comments are moderated before publication to promote valuable, civil, and healthy community debate. Visit our comment guidelines if your comment has not been approved for publication.