Every day some green energy promoter or a battery salesman tells us how green energy with battery backup will supply Australia’s future electricity needs. A battery stores energy. Energy can be stored using lead-acid, nickel/cadmium, lithium, molten salt, pumped hydro, hydrogen, flywheels, compressed air, or some other smart gizmo. But not one battery produces new energy -- they simply store and discharge energy produced by other means. They all deliver less energy than they consume. Moreover, to manufacture, charge, use, and dispose of batteries consumes energy and resources. The idea of producing reliable grid power from intermittent green energy backed...