Blackout: How is Energy-Rich Australia Running Out of Electricity

by Matthew Warren

For 20 years Australia has been in political denial about the seismic changes occurring in the way we power our country. Successive governments continue to tell people that power prices will fall while the lights stay on. Debate is reduced to two equally preposterous narratives: coal-fired, climate change indifference versus an impossibly utopian renewable energy future. This nonsense swirls around an incredulous public while power prices rise, the grid is stretched, energy becomes political poison and the earth warms. How did it come to this and how can we find our way out of this mess?

Matthew Warren has worked for all sides of the energy industry, is regularly attacked for being too pro-coal and too pro-renewables, and writes without fear or favour. He has been lobbying for a national climate and electricity policy for over a decade. With an entertaining and fascinating narrative, Blackout cuts through the waffle to chart the disintegration of Australia’s energy security, call out what is holding us back, and plot the way for a brighter future.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

254 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2019

Reviews

[Nick Lucarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written, unbiased and comprehensive take on a complex issue. Definitely dispelled several common myths and misconceptions about renewables, fossil fuels and the industry in general

[Holstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthew Warren artfully tells the story of Australia's energy sector and sheds light on how we've arrived at this strange situation where politics overrides technical expertise in shaping where this industry will go in future. I hope more Australians read this book, it's very accessible while not over-simplifying what is a very technical subject.

[Bruce Kwong · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that sets the record straight on Australian Electricity Industry, and what needs to be properly considered before the gradual migration from fossil-fuel electricity generation to renewables. It is a must-read for all Australians to understand how electricity generation and networks operate, and how we need a multi-partisan approach (not politicised approach) to developing and implementing the technology that will eventually reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation. This book will allow the reader to sort fact from the fiction that is regularly hyped-up by the media and those with a political agenda. Since retiring from the Electricity Industry I have been looking for a sensible book that explains to the lay person how the industry works and what is needed for it to be entirely renewable. This is the book I have been looking for. For any lay person who wants to politicise the Electricity Industry in Australia, you should not make any comment until you have read this book.

[Brian Finn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book de-mystifies the issues surrounding the methods of sourcing and supplying electricity and the reasons for the escalating cost. Without taking political sides, Mr Warren explains the background to the problems experienced in Australia today, comments on the options available and explains the difficulty of integrating new and additional sources of electricity into the nation's electricity grid. For anyone confused by the competing claims of politicians and political parties, this book is an excellent way to understand the real issues and potential solutions.

[Mathew · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an electrical engineer, this is my version of porn.
But for real, this is a rational take on climate change and energy policy in Australia, what the big issues are, who caused them, and where we go from here.
It does extremely well to cut through the partisan shouting that dominates media debate, and delivers on its promise of a plain-English, common-sense explanation.
An outstanding read.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. Don't agree with some of the arguments he uses but a lot of his facts and figures are very useful. He is a huge neo-liberal booster but you can get through the free market propaganda to the root cause of our problems: the total failure of a sensible energy policy from the federal government over the last decade. His analysis of the problems is excellent but his solutions are unconvincing. It was a good perspective to understand why our energy policies are so dreadful but more free market dogmatism is not going to help. To quote Einstein, "we cannot solve a problem by using the same thinking that created it".

[Bruce Hunter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brings knowledge and clarity to a public issue that is little understood.

[Craig Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended

Wonderful extension of Matthew Warren’s journalism. Balanced, technical enough for a general reader and insightful as to the big picture. A terrific read.

[Zhi Yan Jin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journalistic flair, good scope of coverage and explanation of key technical points to laymen. Could have been 20% shorter, got tiring towards the end.

[Richard Laznik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clear and concise discussion of the last decade or so of Australia’s energy policy vacuum and it’s impact on the planning of the two main electricity grids (Perth & Eastern States’ NEM).

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all Australian policy makers interested in energy, electricity, renewables, coal, nuclear, gas and climate change.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant book. Unbiased explanation of the Australian electricity market and how it works and how successive governments have made a mess of it.