Going Fission

Episode 20 - Ben Beattie

Ben Beattie is an electrical engineer with 20 years experience in the power and gas sectors. He writes for The Spectator Australia and hosts 'The Baseload Podcast'.

Twitter/X: https://x.com/energywrapau

The Baseload Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6A7qfCxyRhJhEgyck9wxfE
Spectator Australia: https://www.spectator.com.au/author/ben-beattie/

Episode 19 - Geoff Russell

Geoff Russell is a Vegan and animal rights advocate, as well a computer programmer and mathematician.  Also, he is an advocate for nuclear power.  He has been writing on these subjects for over 15 years.

Geoff's Twitter/X Handle: @csiroperfidy
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-russell-a63777148/
Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_Russell

Geoff's Articles
Stuff That Counts Blog: https://www.blog.geoffrussell.com.au/
New Matilda Page: https://newmatilda.com/author/geoff-russell/
Brave New Climate: https://bravenewclimate.wordpress.com/?s=geoff+russell

Geoff's Books
CSIRO Perfidy: https://www.amazon.com.au/Csiro-Perfidy-Geoffrey-John-Russell/dp/0980638135
Greenjacked: https://www.amazon.com.au/GreenJacked-derailing-environmental-action-climate-ebook/dp/B00MN7UPH6/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tOgDO_fxDjPi_8YqU2Rzmf4vTkQpPIkF6iNxXnFBg1RoUL9lrJ-Af7-NMy5JEDUnYtu3holnN1T6vOIkH7OgW0I9JiMwjGuIykmoiNH8CYTs_XnaYmmyf5e62N32uDWIxUP-JjmG3tb9LVFs8BPhWrzt2JSAEeKi4PoFrRu6_eniMp5PelcVuZpfZtKiMXOiu1zX70oiHAKDvIDiIpS3CDPUrD5HjeDpWoDmbXMOzOQ.KahzM8lBAtI8jA2GTv8-SFtKU67d_bIA_y9QZFwwuD0&dib_tag=se&qid=1721130731&refinements=p_27%3AGeoff+Russell&s=books&sr=1-4&text=Geoff+Russell

Episode 18 - Dr Andrea Leong

Today's interview is with Dr Andrea Leong.  

She is a Microbiologist by education and training and lives in Sydney, Australia. Andrea is passionate about promoting public health, human prosperity and environmental protection and sees that nuclear power has a role to play in these goals.  She is the current president of WePlanet Australia and has worked as the leader of the Science Party and president of the Fusion Party.  Prior to that, she has with NSW Health.

She holds a Research Doctorate in Microbiology from University of New South Wales.

Her Twitter/X handle is @Andrea__Leong
Andrea's linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrealeong/?originalSubdomain=au

Weplanet: https://www.replanet.ngo/
Weplanet Australia: https://www.replanet.au/

Episode 17 - Dr. Oscar Archer

Today's interview is with Oscar Archer.  He is an Assistant Production Manager at a malt house in Adelaide, South Australia.  Oscar is a passionate advocate for clean reliable energy in Australia and has educated himself (and continues to do so) about Nuclear technology for many years in pursuit of this goal. 

He holds a Research Doctorate in Organic Chemistry from University of Adelaide 

His Twitter/X handle is @OskaArcher 
Oscars linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oscar-archer-b11325103/?originalSubdomain=au

Actinide Age: https://actinideage.wordpress.com/

Oscar's Medium page: https://actinideage.medium.com/

Replanet: https://www.replanet.ngo/
Replanet Australia: https://www.replanet.au/

The Bright New World Website has expired and is currently unavailable.  However, the facebook page is still available: https://www.facebook.com/brightnewworld.org/
Along with the Victorian presentation to the state inquiry: https://www.facebook.com/davidlimbrickldp/videos/765330400899165

Episode 16 - Part 2 - Mark Richards

Mark Richards is the Secretary for the MEU (Mining and Energy Union of Victoria) and is based in the Latrobe Valley.  The Latrobe valley is the coal generation core of Victoria.  This became a long interview and is split into two parts.

Mark's Social Media:
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/powergeneration/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/markrichards_lv 
 
Mark has a webpage at www.markrichards.com.au 

The following clarifications are relevant to the interview:

@16:03 Minor fact check - Mark wished to clarify that he said 63%. It was 61.6% Which was exactly the same for the “Same Sex Marriage Vote” of 61.6% - 'More than 60 per cent of Kimba locals support nuclear waste dump in their region': https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-07/majority-of-kimba-residents-support-nuclear-waste-facility/11680774,'Full results of Australia's vote for same-sex marriage, electorate by electorate – interactive'; https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/datablog/ng-interactive/2017/nov/15/same-sex-marriage-survey-how-australia-voted-electorate-by-electorate

@21:50 Where Mark mentions an Energy Transition Authority, a Net Zero Authority has now been created and budgeted for in the Federal May budget. The MEU was a major player in facilitating its establishment. This article provides more detail: 'New Authority a game-changer for workers affected by energy transition': https://me.cfmeu.org.au/news/new-authority-game-changer-workers-affected-energy-transition

@26:00 The MEU has subsequently won their court case to have a member vote of leave the CFMMEU and become a stand-alone union the MEU. 'Documents to support the Mining and Energy Division application to withdraw from the CFMMEU': https://www.meudocs.com/

 

Episode 16 - Part 1 - Mark Richards

Mark Richards is the Secretary for the MEU (Mining and Energy Union of Victoria) and is based in the Latrobe Valley.  The Latrobe valley is the coal generation core of Victoria.  This became a long interview and is split into two parts.

Mark's Social Media:
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/powergeneration/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/markrichards_lv
 
Mark has a webpage at www.markrichards.com.au

The following clarifications are relevant to the interview:

@11:25 This article relates to the HESC project mentioned; 'Japan commits AUD$2.35 billion to establish world’s first liquefied hydrogen supply chain' - https://www.hydrogenenergysupplychain.com/japan-commits-aud2-35-billion-to-establish-liquefied-hydrogen-supply-chain/

@16:10 This article relates to the plastics recyling company in South Austrlia that failed; 'SA plastics recycling business closes due to $100k hike in power bills' - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-27/sa-recycling-business-power-bills-rise-causing-closure/8654638

@27:57 This Wikipedia entry details the 2000-2001 California Electricity Crisis - California's deregulation and subsequent energy crisis - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000%E2%80%9301_California_electricity_crisis

@29:45 and at @46:12 – The report mentioned is actually available here: 'Determination for the amendments to the national electricity code - https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/public-registers/documents/D03%2B38144.pdf  - 5.2 What the applicant says; 'The events of 23 January 2000 and the first few weeks of February 2000, where demand of electricity exceeded supply in Victoria and South Australia, led NECA to investigate the market’s performance during these periods. 

@36:40 The Waste to Energy for Australia Paper project has since stalled. There are up to 1000 job losses of timber and paper manufacturing jobs expected to be lost from the one and only Australian paper manufacturing facility. This article provodes more detail - 'Native timber harvesting to cease in Victoria at the end of the year' - https://www.gippslandtimes.com.au/news/2023/05/26/native-timber-harvesting-to-cease-in-victoria-at-the-end-of-the-year/

@40:30 This has eventuated. Chris Bowen did his Market Intervention with Gas Prices.

Episode 15 - Ron Camier

Ron Camier is a scientist who worked many years in the Herman Research Laboratory during the SEC days of Victoria's electricity sector.

HRL Technology website: https://www.hrlt.com.au/contact-us.html

Simon Michaux, mentioned in the podcast can be found at: https://www.simonmichaux.com/ and at @SimonMichaux on Twitter.

This is a podcast where he speaks with Decouple Media: https://www.decouplemedia.org/podcast/episode/1ad3ebbe/its-not-impossible-we-just-need-a-better-plan 

Episode 14 - Ray Burgess

Ray Burgess is a born-and-bred Gippslander, former scientist of the SEC (State Electricity Commission) and businessman in the Latrobe Valley, who is very concerned with the welfare of his community and the execution of the 'Just Transition'

Episode 13 - Prof. Stephen Wilson

Stephen Wilson is an Adjunct Professor at University of Queensland as well as a energy economist with experience in electricity systems around the world.

Stephens's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/energyeconomist/

Stephen's 'What Would be Required' report: https://energy.uq.edu.au/files/5963/WhatWouldBeRequired-FINAL.pdf

ABC NEWS, Victorian government to reinstall EC to boost clean energy: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-21/victorian-government-to-reinstall-sec-to-boost-clean-energy/101560114

ABC NEWS, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces $62b clean energy plan including 'world's largest pumped hydro energy storage': https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-28/queensland-government-energy-pumped-hydro-scheme-jobs-palaszczuk/101481160

ABC NEWS, Australia's energy transformation is ramping up, but there are major challenges ahead: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-05/australia-needs-more-renewables-but-does-it-need-more-powerlines/101188978

Episode 12 - Simon Turner

Simon Turner is the founder of SensaWeb, a radiation monitoring consultancy based in Brisbane, Australia. In this episode we discuss how the business came to be and how it continues to develop in this field.

SensaWeb website: https://www.sensaweb.com.au/

SensaWeb Twitter: https://twitter.com/sensa_web

Simon's Social LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-turner-radiation/?originalSubdomain=au

Simon's Twitter - https://twitter.com/ximno

Copenhagen Atomics: https://www.copenhagenatomics.com/