Following the launch of an energy storage report produced by the Australian Council of Learned Academies at Parliament House in Canberra, Finkel was gushing on the prospects of batteries and the potential of their raw materials lithium and cobalt.

“I’m very pleased with this report,” he said.

“What impresses me is the report is very broad, it’s not just looking at lithium-ion batteries, it’s not just looking at the electricity grid. It’s not just looking at transport per se. 

“It’s looking at the supply chain opportunities, whether it’s lithium, nickel or cobalt. 

“It’s the ability to do a little bit of development of battery technologies, battery pack technology development and looking beyond batteries at the importance of pumped hydro in our future electricity system security.”

Yes Dr Finkel, batteries, batteries and more batteries. 

No wonder there is a lithium, nickel and cobalt boom in the west.

But is this the solution to the Australian grid’s lack of power over the next five years or a nice bit of ammunition for the anti-coal brigade?

Finkel likes to talk about the economic benefits of batteries and renewables as well. 

He said the report on batteries outlined the way forward for Australia.   

“It’s looking at the opportunity to export sunshine, take sunshine, wind, renewable electricity, and use that through electrolysis to make hydrogen and from hydrogen you make ammonia and ammonia is easy to ship and you can send it to countries that have indicated that they will have a not only growing, but a huge demand for hydrogen and they want clean hydrogen going into the future, countries such as Japan and Korea,” Finkel said.

“So there are many, many diverse opportunities for Australia and I think this report has captured, well, all of them that I’m aware of so I’m very pleased with this report.”

Well Dr Finkel, if you know your geology, you would understand coal is effectively sunshine that has been captured in the form of plant and animal life millions of years ago and has been transformed over the years and is now actually been exported to Japan and Korea. Think of it as a different form of battery.

Finkel said the battery revolution was only just beginning. 

“So, South Australia has put in the world’s largest battery, 100 MW capacity battery, from Tesla – it’s not yet commissioned, but it’s coming soon,” he said.

“We’re talking about storage levels out to 2030 through batteries and pumped hydro of at least 50 times that capacity.”

Yes very big, but Australia has a big coal industry that is already proven and reliable and providing an energy source is in high demand for our Asian neighbours.

What coal needs is a salesman with as much enthusiasm and belief that Finkel seems to be demonstrating for batteries.