Here is the third part of the series on the political economy of electricity: “The 2022 Energy Crisis & Market Failure” by Trevor Berrill. This report shows the weakness of the social democratic response to neoliberalism. All the social Democrats seem to be able to come up with is corporatisation of public assets so that somewhere down the track they can sell them off. This produces both economic and energy inefficiency in an area that is a social need: access to cheap electricity.
Not since the 1973 oil crisis has capitalism thrown up such a mess as the 2022 energy crisis and market failure. As prices rise, renewable energy increases its hold on the market (now up to 30% of supply). It is ironic that capitalism can produce such a perverse result at a time when fuels that cost nothing (sun, wind, water) are being utilised; but then, the most successful capitalists are those that get people to pay them money for things that either don’t exist or cost nothing. – Ian Curr, Ed., 2 Sep 2022.
This in-depth analysis follows Part Two: “Electricity – from a quiet revolution to the edge of darkness” and part one: “The Trundle Electric Light Company” by Ian Curr. There was a Fourth Part when Trevor Berrill had a discussion face-to-face with Queensland’s managers of energy in Energy – a conversation about the social democratic response to neo-liberalism . His notes from the speech Trevor gave at the Royal Geographical Society are also included at A Power Network Fit for Purpose .
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