Australia's weird obsession with "green energy," compounded by a lack of urgency regarding proper energy security, has now collided with the worst energy crisis the world has ever seen.
A country heavily dependent on imported refined petroleum products, many of which transit the Strait of Hormuz, has reached the fourth week of the U.S.-Iran war, but with a full-blown fuel supply shock now underway, and hundreds of gas stations across the country running dry.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen warned federal parliament on Monday that more than 109 gas stations in Victoria had run out of at least one grade of gas. He said 47 outlets in Queensland had no diesel, 32 had no regular unleaded, and 37 stations in New South Wales had completely run out of fuel.
Earlier, NSW Premier Chris Minns warned that 105 gas stations across his state had completely run out of diesel.
The Guardian noted that the energy minister did not disclose how many gas stations in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia, or Tasmania had run out of fuel.
On Sunday, Bowen said that six tankers from Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea that had been expected to unload refined petroleum products next month were canceled or deferred. He told local outlet ABC TV that the federal government is urgently working to replace those fuel cargoes.
"The flow of oil to Asian refineries has slowed, and that has downward impacts on us," Bowen said, adding, "We're in an uncertain environment, so that's why we're doing all the preparatory work."
He continued, "People think, 'Well, all the ships are coming now, and one day they'll all stop in one go.' [But] that is highly unlikely to be the case. It's much more likely that there'll be bumps in supply, but that governments will work with the refiners and the importers to manage those and minimise impacts."
Bowen warned that fuel supplies were at about 38 days for gasoline. He said only 30 days of diesel and jet fuel remained.
Last week, we explained to readers exactly why Australia's catastrophic energy mistakes would lead to fuel rationing and, ultimately, broader shortages. We're sure that after this energy crisis, domestic fossil fuel dependence will be prioritized and green energy will be sidelined. It's absolutely embarrassing for Canberra, which should have had 90 days of reserves but began the crisis with only around 30.
Reports:
On top of the fuel crisis, which the IEA head has warned is the worst ever, Australia appears to have exacerbated the global fertilizer crisis, with one of the biggest plants shuttered for two months due to damage.