The season of fatuous promises is upon us again. Elections are just around the corner, and when you listen to virtually all the promises of free this and free that, be alert. Some of the worst bribes deal with clean, green, free alternative energy schemes. All you have to do to see what happens when these promises are forced down the public’s throat is to look at what these promises have delivered to the Australian energy consumer. They are not free or clean, and they are VERY expensive and unreliable.