Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

John Hanger @jrfhanger.bsky.social · 6h

Australia's Grid CEO. “Our old coal-fired power stations are breaking down; they're retiring. They're getting replaced by the least-cost energy, which is renewable energy, backed with storage, connected. We'll have a bit of gas there for the winter doldrums."
www.yahoo.com/news/article... #energysky

As coal fades, Australia looks to realize dream of 100% renewable energy

Australia has put itself on a realistic path to achieving what climate activists around the world have long dreamed of: running its power grid entirely on renewable energy. The Australian Energy Marke...

www.yahoo.com

1 17 59

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 5h

Doesn't bode well for us
Humans have no experience on a planet this warm
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · Jul 24

Humans have no experience on a planet like this
Our planet's atmosphere CO2 >420ppm first time in recorded history
First time in our prehistory
And 200k years of Homo sapiens
And 2m years of evolution of our genus
Before Australopithecus emerged 8m yrs ago

A thread
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · Dec 11

Stupid, ignorant irrelevant obfuscaters say
'Earth was hotter' 30mya
and
'we need more CO2 plant food'

We're not living 30+ mya, you idiots

Humans - and plants, animals, all biota that live with us now - evolved in this climatic period, late miocene to now
An explainer
(Graphic Helen Coxall 2020)

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 7h

for those seeking a return of the crown, and more time in the sun
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · Jun 10

One of the problems with a big back bench that's anxious to have their time in the sun - being compliant won't get you noticed, nor will it get you promoted.

The big win is not a gift of great margins, it's a curse of stay true to your roots

FAFO

1

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

Climate Tracker @climate.skyfleet.blue · 22h

Glacier melt will lead to ice-free peaks in California for first time in human history #Climate

Glacier melt will lead to ice-free peaks in California for first time in human history

New research shows massive glaciers in Sierra Nevada projected to melt away by the beginning of the next century

www.theguardian.com

1 12 29

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 11h

hmm, I wonder if this has some sort of link to the NRA?
nahhh, maybe that's a stretch?

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 17h

Voting is open for the bird of the year
You need to vote today

Baudin's Cockatoo has my vote this year
www.theguardian.com/environment/... @australia.theguardian.com
Some other black cockies in the thread below
@birdlifeoz.bsky.social

6

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

The Australian Electric Vehicle Association @aevanational.bsky.social · 2d

CONFIRMED: Australia's cheapest EV the BYD Atto 1 (nee Dolphin Surf) will land in November with an estimated mid $20k starting price. Competing squarely with the small ICE segment like the Suzuki Swift, Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2. Price parity has arrived.

www.drive.com.au/news/2026-by...

The rebranded Dolphin Surf will arrive as the BYD Atto 1, and be Australia's new cheapest EV | Drive

Two more models will arrive in BYD showrooms in the next six months, and one will be the most affordable EV in Australia.

www.drive.com.au

1 7 7

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 18h

John Shakespeare

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

They're looking into with some gravity

1 5

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

Rob🎸 @robdickinson.bsky.social · 1d

For NZ in Sept

BEV 5.1%
PHEV+BEV 10.4%
Hyrbid 32.3%

The June blip was nothing more than the new model Y bump

1 2 6

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d

NEW: GLOBAL RENEWABLES OVERTAKES COAL

How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵

14 170 420

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

It's seemed slow
It's like it's taken forever
We could've started at Kyoto
We didn't
Paris did provide a positive move
But no moonshot
But 2015 when it really got going
Even though we're still subsidising/protecting/enabling fossil fuels
But, less than a decade old
bsky.app/profile/prof...

World electricity generation by fuel type 2005-2024

2 6

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

That's sales? 👍

Numbers based on dept transport rego data
Battery Electric 3.9%
PHEV Petrol 2.7%
Hybrid Petrol 34.1%
Hybrid Diesel 2.8%
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 4d

Meawhile, across the ditch in New Zealand:
NZ EVs sales continues to stagnate while hybrids dominate fuelled by MAGA lite government discontinued subsidies for electric vehicles and current RUC policies — apparently encouraged by Toyota lobbying

NZ vehicle registrations by month by drivetrain

1

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

apologies
Hybrid 14.4%, so:
"Green" vehicles = 30.5% Australian sales
ICE only drive train share 69.5%

1 2

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

Laki @lakitukl.bsky.social · 1d

This 👇 is the smartest path, for both environmental and economic benefit.

But - we're not a very smart species.

#ProveMeWrong

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

I'm a 'no" on net zero
Because we can do better
Net zero a crock - offsets open to lobbying and corrupt influences and interpretations of what's in or out, and soft targets by polies/ industries that don't want change, or invalidly argue we can't

Australia needs to target real zero, not net zero

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · Nov 20

On grid 82% renewables electrification in Australia by 2030? 👀
A walk in the park
Hard to avoid
What if we really tried?🤔
100%?
Technically + commercially doable
We just need real action
#COP29
Treat it like a #ClimateCrisis?
Rest of Australia?
Off-grid mines etc can easily reach by 2035

1 8 40

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

The tipping points on climate appear much closer than tipping points on a fossil fuel exit

I remain hopeful - not in avoiding climate change, we're too late for that

But I remain hopeful we will make it less bad. And that fossil fuel exit really does start about now
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 26d

The fastest energy transformation in human history

@fssau.futuresmart.com.au

expanded graph for pace of adoption of electricity generation by source from >100TWh annual generation threshold point

pace of adoption of electricity generation by source from >100TWh annual generation threshold point

1 4 7

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

Yes, first we need even cheaper renewables to generate hydrogen to replace industrial gas (and coal) - need renewables to be about 50% cheaper than now to do it.
In about about 4-5 years will be there - doing it sooner needs subsidies, driver to do it urgently and earlier remains climate change

1

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

The cost of gas and coal - thermal (in)efficiency means 2/3 of primary energy from burning coal, gas, oil fossil fuels doesn't make it to being electricity

bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · Dec 5

Most fossil-fuel energy consumption wasted by inefficiencies in conversion to work

~2/3 fossil fuel burning for energy wasted as heat

@mzjacobson.bsky.social 100% electric world:
only 43.6% current global energy needed if we electrify everything
#StopBurningStuff
cleantechnica.com/2024/11/25/t...

2

Reposted by Prof Ray Wills

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d

Healthcare should be guaranteed as a human right #MedicareForAll @salaambhattiva.bsky.social

580 5.7K 23K

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

I'm a 'no" on net zero
Because we can do better
Net zero a crock - offsets open to lobbying and corrupt influences and interpretations of what's in or out, and soft targets by polies/ industries that don't want change, or invalidly argue we can't

Australia needs to target real zero, not net zero

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · Nov 20

On grid 82% renewables electrification in Australia by 2030? 👀
A walk in the park
Hard to avoid
What if we really tried?🤔
100%?
Technically + commercially doable
We just need real action
#COP29
Treat it like a #ClimateCrisis?
Rest of Australia?
Off-grid mines etc can easily reach by 2035

3 11 38

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

Bodycam footage shows that they lied
Call it what it is
Liar, liar, pants on fire
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

A freedom of speech has never been a freedom to lie
Freedom of speech comes with obligation to speak the truth
Knowingly speaking lies and making shit up has always had consequences
However, politics has perverted the obligation
Those that always lie ought face consequences (and not coverage)

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 1d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

1 13

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

Indeed
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

A freedom of speech has never been a freedom to lie
Freedom of speech comes with obligation to speak the truth
Knowingly speaking lies and making shit up has always had consequences
However, politics has perverted the obligation
Those that always lie ought face consequences (and not coverage)

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 1d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

2

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

Luxon's impacts are multiple
Won't stop the world from changing
Just New Zealand continuing with the 'least best' solutions
For renewables
For electrification
For everything the future already offers today
bsky.app/profile/prof...

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 4d

Meawhile, across the ditch in New Zealand:
NZ EVs sales continues to stagnate while hybrids dominate fuelled by MAGA lite government discontinued subsidies for electric vehicles and current RUC policies — apparently encouraged by Toyota lobbying

1

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

A freedom of speech has never been a freedom to lie
Freedom of speech comes with obligation to speak the truth
Knowingly speaking lies and making shit up has always had consequences
However, politics has perverted the obligation
Those that always lie ought face consequences (and not coverage)

Gillian Brockell @gbrockell.bsky.social · 1d

Claim: 10 cars rammed ICE
Truth: No cars rammed ICE

Claim: She boxed ICE in
Truth: ICE boxed her in

Claim: She shot a rifle at ICE
Truth: She did not have a rifle

Claim: ICE returned fire
Truth: Only ICE fired

Claim: She drove herself to the hospital
Truth: Paramedics found her

Chicago Sun-Times @chicago.suntimes.com · 1d

Body-camera video appears to contradict the government’s claim that Marimar Martinez, 30, drove toward officers before one of them opened fire at her late Saturday morning in Brighton Park, her attorney claimed.
trib.al/9Sxu9IN

1 10

Prof Ray Wills @profraywills.futuresmart.com.au · 1d

An answer might be until clean tech business actively displace sponsors from fossil fuels
But, no, public good shouldn't have to rely on sponsorship
That just allow sponsors to decide public good
Governments must tax fossil fuel companies appropriately and then direct those taxes for public good

1 1