Australian govts not promoting solar power industry

the government is clearly more focused on supporting “clean coal” technology in order to protect coal and gas exports.

New French owner committed to Ausra’s solar plans | The Courier-Mail Kerrie Sinclair 14 Feb 2010 While European solar plant companies look to expand into Asia, Australian peers struggle.

Ausra’s technology was developed in Australia but had to be commercialised in the US due to lack of finance here.Last week the assets of collapsed Melbourne-based Solar Systems Group were bought by NSW-based Silex Systems. It said pursuit of Solar Systems’ initial plan to build a 150-megawatt solar power station in Victoria hinged on as-yet-unconfirmed financial support coming from the federal and Victorian governments.

Solar energy groups have called on the Rudd Government to rethink its policy approach to solar given all its programs and policies to-date don’t provide adequate support to enable Australian companies to quickly commercialise and roll out their cutting-edge technologies.The Australian Solar Energy Society has said the government is clearly more focused on supporting “clean coal” technology in order to protect coal and gas exports.

…….Federal energy minister Martin Ferguson declined to specify if the Government would fund Australian analysis of the social and environmental costs of using coal and gas for electricity……………

Solar proponents say the rollout of the solar funding has been held up while the CCS process has been far smoother.

New French owner committed to Ausra&squo;s solar plans | The Courier-Mail

February 15, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar | Australia, clean coal, climate change - global warming, energy, renewable, solar

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1.This month.

The Road to War brings a sharp focus to why it is not in Australia’s best interest to be dragged into a war with China which will almost inevitably go nuclear very quickly. The filmmaker has interviewed some of Australia’s senior foreign policy analysts who have vast experience behind them in analysing what really is going on here as the United States rattles its sabres with China. And sets us up to be its proxy, like the poor Ukranians have been fed into the Meatgrinder. So America can remain the Top Dog. The Road to War reveals how the United States through its spy base at Pine Gap and by stationing six nuclear capable B52 bombers in the Top End (without permission from the traditional owners) is making Australia a prime nuclear target if the current war of words suddenly melts down into full scale war.

The Road to War shows the implicit connection between Carbon emissions (the US military uses a whopping 70% of America’s annual petroleum to move its armies and vast War Machine around the globe to its 800+ military bases..but under a loophole wangled at Kyoto, the US military does not have to report its C02 annual emissions). The Road to War starts screening at selected cities and regional centres in March. See the trailer end for details.

Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items