Antinuclear

Abbott now coy about nuclear power

Abbott not backing nuclear energy yet

ABC News 4 Dec 09 Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he is not pushing for Australia to have nuclear power because it is not yet economically viable.

There is a push within the Federal Opposition to include nuclear power in its energy strategy after Mr Abbott declared an emissions trading scheme would not be part of Coalition policy at the next election. Mr Abbott says the idea of nuclear power should be discussed, but he has told Macquarie radio that it is still not economically viable for Australia to use it instead of fossil fuels like coal.

Abbott not backing nuclear energy yet – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

December 5, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1 | Leave a comment

Solar energy developments in WA and ACT

Solar Farm For Western Australia Announced Renewable Energy News 4 Dec 09 Expressions of interest are being requested for the construction of a solar farm in Western Australia. Energy retailer Synergy is looking to a solar farm 50MW – 150MW being constructed in the state by 2016. According to Western Australia’s Energy Minister Peter Collier, the solar farm could be based on solar panels or solar thermal technology. Synergy’s role would be a commercial agreement for the capacity, electricity and renewable energy certificates from the solar farm that would feed into the South West Interconnected System.
he Minister said the Liberal-National Government recognised that Western Australia has an abundance of sunlight and stated “we should look to every opportunity to garner this renewable energy source to meet our growing energy demands.”
 
Even given the Minister’s apparent enthusiasm for solar power, Western Australia will be one of the last states to have a solar feed in tariff in place; whereby owners of solar power systems large and small are paid a premium rate for feeding electricity into the mains grid. 
 
As feed in tariffs, implemented correctly, have continually demonstrated to be one of the best ways to spur on the uptake of solar power, investment in other solar farms in the state will likely remain in limbo until the details of its program are hashed out.

Solar Farm For Western Australia Announced : Renewable Energy News

Woolworths first to launch solar energy program: FOOD WEEK 4 December 2009 Supermarket giant, Woolworths, has chosen Canberra as the launchpad for its new renewable energy generation technology program in service stations.The ACT Government has thrown its support behind the program which will launch at petrol stations in Belconnen and Hume. The retailer said it was the first major retail company in Australia to generate on-site renewable energy………… Woolworths’ director of corporate and public affairs, Andrew Hall said the ACT Government was to be congratulated for being the only Australian state or territory to put in place gross feed-in tariffs with business incentives, a payments structure for renewable electricity generators which made the installation of the solar panels commercially viable…………………
“If all States followed the ACT’s lead and introduced gross feed-in tariffs that benefited businesses Woolworths would certainly look at rolling out this exciting new technology to locations nationwide, potentially pumping significant amounts of clean electricity back into the grid,” he said.

“Retailers often have expansive roof spaces that should be perfect for capturing the sun’s rays, a clean resource Australia has in abundance.”

Woolworths first to launch solar energy program: AUS > FOODweek Online > Main Features Page

December 5, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 1 | Leave a comment