@article{696067,
      recid = {696067},
      author = {Palmer, Graham.},
      title = {Energy in Australia peak oil, solar power, and Asia's  economic growth / [electronic resource] :},
      publisher = {Springer,},
      address = {Cham ;},
      pages = {1 online resource (xiii, 91 p.) :},
      year = {2014},
      abstract = {With rapidly declining costs and seemingly unlimited  sunshine, the choice of solar in Australia seems obvious.  Yet despite its many advantages, homes with solar remain  completely dependent on the electricity grid for reliable  supply, which in Australia implies mostly coal-fired  generation. Indeed, even countries that have invested  heavily in solar, such as Spain and Germany, have been  unable to deflect the trajectory of fossil fuel dependence.  The reasons for this apparent paradox are varied, and this  book provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of  the practical applications of photovoltaics (PV) in modern  electricity systems. While the conventional life-cycle  assessment (LCA) boundaries as prescribed by the IEA-PVPS  provide a consistent methodology for comparing evolving PV  technologies, the narrow boundaries exclude many critical  downstream energy costs. Similarly, simple cost comparisons  of PV versus conventional power sources overlook the  significant economic and energy costs of intermittency and  grid integration. Yet distributed storage, which could  provide potentially valuable network support, is frequently  given a low priority by advocates of solar. Treating PV as  an extension of, rather than as a substitute for, the  fossil fuel enterprise enables a more productive discussion  of PV's potential role in electricity generation. The  sunburnt country of Australia, which has a modern  electricity system, is an ideal case study for exploring  the potential of solar PV. With a focus on rooftop solar,  energy storage, grid integration, and electricity system  issues, Energy in Australia offers valuable insights into  the practical challenges of solar power. Although many  national economies are already confronting a downward trend  in energy return on investment (EROI) of oil and gas from  both conventional and unconventional sources, the  large-scale deployment of low-emission energy sources that  lie below a critical minimum EROI threshold may ultimately  prove counter-productive.},
      url = {http://library.usi.edu/record/696067},
}