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My biggest surprise though is that a Murdoch Media paper would dare publish the data. 😮 I think Rupert might be kicking someone's butt right about now. It might be pay-walled, but the energy transition is not the sort of information that fits his narrative.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 7h

The Aussie economy in 2026 is more than 50% bigger than it was in 2019, yet 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐘 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭. How is that possible? It's not just the adoption of EVs (90% efficiency vs 35%) but in other wasteful appliances that we are replacing. youtu.be/cOU-es0qXeI Credit: The Electric Viking

youtu.be

EVs Were Supposed to Break the Grid. Instead Australia's Energy Use Fell 5%

YouTube video by The Electric Viking

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 7h

For me, the main reason is energy autonomy - and that feeds through to national security. The bonus is that the greenest source of energy is also the most cost effective. And we have AMPLE supplies.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 7h

I think data, privacy etc are matters for very firm government regulation & oversight. But continuing updates & connectivity is different & very important. I would be very hesitant to invest in a product that doesn't offer it. My laptop runs Linux, so updates are visible. I get up to ⁓5 per day.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 7h

Amber Electric works for households that can buy low (solar or from the grid the middle of the day if/when tariffs go negative) and then sell back into the grid at much higher rates when the tariffs peak. #arbitrage

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 7h

How big is your household? The average household electricity consumption in Australia is 15.31 kWh per day, but that's for an average household of 2.6 people. Maybe you need to get a bigger battery?

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 7h

The NEM wholesale energy market does slip into the negative, but it's rarely sustained & less frequent in 2026 with battery capacity now able to swallow up most of that excess capacity (and get paid to take it). The suppliers most disadvantaged are the coal-fired plants unable to quickly switch off

Infographic illustrating the daily volatility of the wholesale (electrical) energy market up to mid 2025 in Victoria. It includes data on the depth/ peak of price spikes and number of incidents.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 30/09/2026

I'm okay with monitoring driving behaviour such as acceleration and hard braking etc. If it means that I can get profiled as a "low risk" driver and the insurer doesn't force me to subsidize those that aren't, then that's a good thing. IMHO

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 30/09/2026

Same as for smartphones. Most reputable brands will guarantee upgrades for the next x years. I hate the subscription model, but it does have some merit.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 30/09/2026

Yet it's the market that is demanding it. If the brand doesn't offer OTAs to keep up with the features in the newer model, then next time round they may switch to a different manufacturer.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 30/09/2026

An EV is a smartphone on wheels. Your smartphone is also being tracked. 📱

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 30/09/2026

You should "name and shame" the hotel or at the least leave a review outlining what happened. Why would a hotel go to the trouble of installing the hardware and then decline to make it available to guests? 🤔

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 29/09/2026

You should NOT be paying an average of 38¢/kWh - even without a home battery. A home battery to store your solar output is the best solution financially. Or have a look at a retailer that offers dynamic wholesale market pricing like Amber Electric. Referral link on my profile. You're welcome.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 29/09/2026

This is a VERY revealing chart for several reasons. But most importantly; the reasoning behind the push for more expensive coal, gas & nuclear falls flat. #renewableenergy #homebatteries #solarpower #windpower #australia #renewables

A chart that highlights the duck curve of wholesale energy prices in Australia vs time of day. Relative plots have been drawn for 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. The average wholesale price for 2026 is much lower than the prior years - not exceeding $100 per MWh at any time of the day whilst 2023 peaked at almost $300 per MWh at aprx 18:00

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 28/09/2026

Battery packs that can be swapped out quicker than it takes to refill with diesel. These trucks are being converted now by Janus Electric on the Central Coast of NSW. Who said Australia can't become a manufacturing (or re-manufacturing) powerhouse again or that we can't electrify if we need to?

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 27/09/2026

"Lord, take this gas from my stomach and put it in my tank instead." 🤣 Credit: Niya Xie #OilCrisis #FuelPrices #GasPrices

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 27/09/2026

One good "case in point" was this arson attack on a Tesla dealership earlier this year. Not one of the 3 EVs that were torched went into thermal runaway. In the ultimate irony, fossil fuels were required to light the fire/s.

A photo of a Tesla dealership showroom in Parramatta NSW that had been subject to an arson attack in April 2026. Three out of five vehicles (plus the showroom) suffered severe fire damage but did not go into thermal runaway.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 26/09/2026

Here's a rare good-news story in a crazy world still paying over USD $104 for a barrel of Brent Crude. ⛽ There were so many unexpected gains... like the solar panels running cooler/ more efficiently and all the birds, insects, mammals, gastropods & importantly some pollinators moving in. #solarPV

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 23/09/2026

It seems that diesel prices aren't coming down anytime soon. Nor is the average sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean - thanks to Super El Niño (mid 2026- #OilPrices #ElNino #PacificOcean #ClimateChange #SeaSurfaceTemperatures

A chart of the Daily Sea Surface Temperatures recorded in the Pacific Ocean compiled by the Climate Change Institute | Universite of Maine and published on climatereanalyzer.org

Dotted black lines are the averages recorded 1991-2020 & 1982-2010. Yellow line is 2025 (slightly below those averages) and red is 2026 (a massive increase since mid April).

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 23/09/2026

Looking forward to travelling more on these Electric buses. The local Kinetic bus depot in Sunshine West has updated their charging facilities to handle 66 buses in the first stage, with further provision up to 82 buses. #KineticBuses #ElectricBuses #renewables #EVs thedriven.io/2026/09/23/a...

A picture of the Kinetic bus depot in Sunshine West, Victoria AU - near Melbourne. Three overhead gantries can be seen which can provide electric charging facilities to multiple buses. Several buses can be seen both under the gantries and in the background.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 22/09/2026

The pressure is on commercial property owners & operators as demand surges for industrial facilities with greater power capacity, charging infrastructure, battery storage capability and depot designs suited to EV fleets. #Australia #renewables #EVs www.commercialrealestate.com.au/news/ev-boom...

commercialrealestate.com.au

EV boom drives demand for power-ready industrial property

Australia’s transition to electric vehicles is increasing demand for industrial properties with the power infrastructure, charging capacity and depot designs needed to support electrified transport fl...

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 20/09/2026

What an EV owner's roof looks like during an oil crisis. 😎 #SolarPV #RenewableEnergy #SolarPower #OilCrisis

An AI generated image of a tiled residential roof with a solar PV array affixed to it. On top of the PV panels we see approximately a dozen oil wells extracting energy into pipes along the side of the panels and presumably down the side of the house to an EV.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 19/09/2026

Welcome to spring in Victoria, AU; a sunny day with a max of 101% renewables expected today. If you are an 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 customer, your tariff is expected to drop as low as 6¢/kWh by 13:30 this afternoon My referral code: mates.amber.com.au/4PXKVWFA - there's a $120 credit for both of us if you do

A screenshot of the Amber Electric app taken at 08:16 on Sunday 20 September 2026, Postcode 3030. The current tariff is 9¢/kWh with 76% renewable energy in the grid.

Not seen in this screenshot is the lowest forecast tariff of 6¢/kWh expected at about 13:30 and maximum forecast renewables of 101% at about 11:30.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 19/09/2026

Counter-intuitive. A farmer leases his land to a windfarm, gets compensated for the disruption and then complains about some of the cashew trees being cut down? Have they breached the terms of their lease?

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 16/09/2026

The base BYD Atto 1 Essential model is now 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐀𝐑 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 ($19,990 drive away in Vic, private registration). Nearest rival is the MG 3 Vibe (petrol), available from $20,990 drive-away. A decent vehicle: 5-Star ANCAP rating, their new Blade battery & 220 km range. #BYD

External image of the BYD Atto 1 Essential model - available from AUD $19,990 drive-away in Australia.

An internal image of the BYD Atto 1 Essential model.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 15/09/2026

This is needed in Aus & will mean greater access to the benefits of renewables for millions of renters & low income households Not only is the hardware relatively low cost, but the payments could be integrated as part of the regular billing cycle. The consumer need not pay any more than they do now

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 14/09/2026

Solar & battery gurus, Lightning Energy explaining the maths behind battery prices and how to get a shorter ROI on your investment. Use my referral code if you're interested in finding out more about Amber's dynamic pricing model - we'd both be eligible for a $120 bonus: mates.amber.com.au/4PXKVWFA

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 13/09/2026

What if the pub still uses oil lamps? 🤔

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 13/09/2026

Ahhhhh.... but there were still some CO2 emissions on that day. The beers were carbonated. 😜

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 12/09/2026

They do have blades, they do move and unfortunately are not the most efficient design.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 10/09/2026

Oil has surged back past USD $100 per barrel overnight as the "forever war" drags into its 6th month. Bad news in the coming weeks for Aussie motorists that are still reliant on fossil fuels. ⛽ #IranWar #OilDependency #OilPrice #RenewableEnergy #EVs

Infographic showing the current price for Brent Crude Oil at $101.29

Graph for Brent Crude Oil over the past 6 months.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 10/09/2026

Quite a few of the better shopping centres & public attractions etc are doing that now. It's up to EV owners to throw some support their way as well.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 07/09/2026

I suspect this so-called "discontent" is being stirred up by the coal-lobby. Successfully it seems. You have to wonder what will happen to these relatively isolated small towns when the $25M - $30M of revenue stops rolling in every year.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 07/09/2026

Cool. What scale was the model & what output did it generate?

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 07/09/2026

Wooden Wind turbine towers from IKEA? Wood that work in Australia? 😜 These wooden composite towers are now rising in Sweden. Stronger than steel, but the same weight and less carbon intensive. 150m height. 2MW output #WindEnergy #WindTurbines #RenewableEnergy #Modvion #Sweden youtu.be/IiE5S8RP3AU

youtu.be

World’s tallest wooden wind turbine tower

YouTube video by Modvion

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 07/09/2026

Here's a smart solution that can turn your Tesla Model Y into a portable foldaway bed. Crafted with a soft corduroy surface it offers a premium feel ensuring durability and easy cleaning. ✅ Here's my affiliate link: s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4VIYYiZ No extra cost to you & it supports this page.

Image of a fold-away travel mattress specifically designed for the Tesla Model Y Juniper 2025. It offers a secure and comfortable fit and ideal support during travel or rest stops.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 06/09/2026

Just a reminder of where we are so far in 2026. 1. Melbourne Vic AU has just had its warmest winter EVER - as far back as records go 2. Globally (with 4 months of the year to go) we're on track to record the 3rd hottest year EVER. 10 out of the hottest 10 years ever have been since 2014. #Climate

A graph recording the sea surface temperature anomolies from 1982 to 2026 (using the average 1991-2000 temperatures as baseline).

2026 began the year at aprx -0.5° to -0.6° below the baseline but has climbed rapidly and is now at +2.6° above the baseline in early September.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 04/09/2026

More good news. Here's the second one: EV sales continue to grow as a percentage of new car sales - DESPITE a shrinking market overall. Almost 1 in 4 new vehicle sales is now 100% battery powered and more than 1 in 2 at least part-electric. #ElectricVehicles #Australia #MotorVehicleSales #EV

Line graph produced by the Electric Vehicle Council titled: "For the first time, electric outsold every other fuel type". It covers Australian vehicle sales by vehicle type from January to August 2026. For August 2026 Electric vehicles reached 25.6% of the market (reaching #1 for the first time) followed by Petrol 24.4%, Diesel 22.3%, hybrid 17.7% and PHEV 10.0%

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 04/09/2026

There's a lot of good news in the last few days on the Australian RE front. Here's the first one: Solar PV and home battery installations continue at record numbers - DESPITE the govt downgrading it's "Cheaper Home Batteries" scheme in May this year. youtu.be/ruz_O4hqHIU #RenewableEnergy #Solar

youtu.be

Australia Just Installed 1 GW of Rooftop Solar in 3 Months – A New Record

YouTube video by The Electric Viking

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 03/09/2026

It seems that battery technology is still evolving quicker than a Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. In this case it's sodium - and being developed by a company in California US, not China. Benefits are clear; safer & good for up to 30 years in all climates and the raw materials are abundant. youtu.be/V0Ijuuuz9ww

youtu.be

30,000 Cycles, 25-Year Lifespan — The Sodium Battery Hitting America This Year

YouTube video by The Electric Viking

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 30/08/2026

Quote: “We’ve never seen anything like it. The one thing we have observed, though, is that the transition from a fully combustion engine car to a full electric vehicle... is a one-way street." [Keith Thornton, CEO Eagers Automotive] #EV #ElectricVehicles #Australia thedriven.io/2026/08/29/a...

thedriven.io

Australia's biggest car dealership says EV buyers are on one-way street: "We're not seeing them coming back to internal combustion cars"

Head of Australia's biggest car dealer company says they're not seeing a lot of people who have bought plug-in EVs coming back to ICE vehicles.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 29/08/2026

Look at it this way. They're both electric and it is 2026, so I don't have an issue with the Tesla identifying as a tram. 😜

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 29/08/2026

Renewables get cheaper over time while nuclear gets more expensive. Credit: electrifythis.com.au #RenewableEnergy #Australia #NuclearPower #WindPower #SolarEnergy #CSIRO

Infographic of Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) data comparing Nuclear Power vs Renewables. Nuclear gets more expensive starting at $155/MWh in 2024-25 to $228/MWh in 2044-45. On the RHS of the graphic, we have wind starting at $75/MWh in 2024-25 reducing 51% to $37/MWh in 2044-45 and solar starting at $53/MWh in 2024-25 reducing 58% to $22/MWh in 2044-45. Data source CSIRO GenCost 2024-25

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 27/08/2026

Here's an Aussie perspective on running costs for an ICE vehicle vs EV in 2026. Remember that the "cost of ownership" isn't just restricted to the purchase price. If you own a vehicle for long enough, an ICE will likely cost a multiple of what the vehicle initially cost at the dealership. #EV

Infographic showing total cost of ownership of an Internal Combustion Vehicle vs an Electric Vehicle over a 10-year period in Australia. 10-year fuel cost for an ICE is $25,080 vs $360 for the Electric vehicle.

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 25/08/2026

Here's a "technical" explanation of why your electricity bills are ⬇️⬇️FALLING⬇️⬇️ in Australia - by someone that should know. For those friends in Victoria the "default offer" tariff is down by an average of 5% since July (some retailer plans & areas may be a bit more or less than this). #renewables

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R.E.Spark.AU @respark.au · 19/08/2026

It was the article re California gubernatorial candidate, Xavier Becerra. You should be able to see my reply on your timeline below that post. Anyway, my post was in respect to retailers that increase power tariffs for the rest of the day to offset their lost revenue. bsky.app/profile/gwen...

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