W.A. govt downgrading potential of renewable energy
WA urged to unlock renewable energy potential – ABC South West WA – Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 5 March 11, The Sustainable Energy Association says the State Government needs to be more ambitious about Western Australia’s renewable energy plans.A directions paper called ‘Energy 2031’ has been released to discuss how Western Australia will meet its growing energy requirements over the next 20 years.The paper has been drafted by the Office of Energy and government departments.The association’s chief executive, Ray Wills, says the Government’s plans should be aiming to unlock WA’s vast renewable energy resources.”This document tends to think about barriers instead of thinking about opportunities, this document tends to discount the ability of renewable energy to deliver and worries more about the threats that might occur from failing to plan into the future,” he said. WA urged to unlock renewable energy potential – ABC South West WA – Australian Broadcasting Corporation
U.S. farmers save money and secure future through renewable energy
The money saved by farmers with renewable energy was cheering too. Farmers in nearly every state reported savings on their utility bills. The savings were especially noticeable in New York, where, utility bill savings reported by respondents topped $5,000 for 2009.
Farmers Adding Much More Renewable Power Than Expected – CleanTechnica: Susan kraemer 4 March 11, According to a new census from the USDA, farmers are reducing their costs by embracing renewable energy to power their operations in very unexpectedly big way. The use of renewable sources focused just on the use of solar panels, wind turbines, and methane digesters. Continue reading
Australia’s Minister for Coal, and Nuclear? and – er Climate Change
Combet .. is also adamant the coal industry will continue to grow under a carbon price,…..he says a carbon price will make the nuclear option more economically viable…..
Can-do Combet well used to taking heat, The Australian, Sid Maher, March 05, 2011As he approaches the sharp end of negotiations to flesh out the detail of the climate change framework announced by the Prime Minister, Combet makes several principles clear. Continue reading
Uranium price to fall 5 to 9 percent
In analysis prepared for the department concluded that the average spot price for uranium could fall 4.9 to 8.9 percent during the period from the November 30, 2010
U.S. Energy Dept to sell surplus uranium Mar 3, 2011 WASHINGTON (Reuters), by Tom Doggett – The U.S. Energy Department plans to sell 2,000 tonnes of surplus uranium annually 2011-2013, which could push spot prices lower over the next three years…. Continue reading
Uranium enrichment releases potent global warming agents
The radiative properties of CFCs make them a dangerous global warming agent — 1,500 times more potent than carbon dioxide, according to EPA figures. Ozone-depleting CFCs have been banned in the U.S. except in the processing of uranium ore.
As U.S. Moves Ahead with Nuclear Power, No Solution for Radioactive Waste, Solve Climate News, By Abby LubyMar 3, 2011.”…….Some observers have challenged the sector’s clean energy claims, however, especially when considering the entire nuclear fuel cycle and its impact on global warming. Continue reading
Marketing nuclear to Australians – theme for March 2011
2011 is NUCLEAR MARKETING YEAR for Australia. It is not like marketing nukes to other countries. Why not?
The marketing of nuclear power to Australians is a charade – just a matter of marketing the IDEA of nuclear power, without seriously planning the reality. Because everyone knows that Australia has plentiful coal and abundant renewable energy resources. Everyone knows that the cost of nuclear for Australia is completely prohibitive. So – nuclear power’s not going to happen, anyway, for a very long time, and more likely, never.
BUT – nuclear power must be marketed to Australians, because the supposed uranium boom requires Australia to sign up for the full nuclear cycle. And another boom has John White and others salivating – the projected boom in importing international radioactive wastes. Why not? – We’ve got plenty of Aboriginal land for the dumping.
As a distant, poorly informed, cultural colony of the Big Powers, Australians are sitting ducks for the media marketing push about to be unleashed in the famous “Nuclear Debate”
Some others in the nuclear marketing dance troupe: John Howard ( former PM), Dick Smith, (entrepreneur), Colin Barnett (WA Premier), Julie Bishop (Deputy Liberal leader), Ian MacFarlane (Liberal Energy shadow minister). Hugh Morgan (former CEO Western Mining), Ron Walker (Former Melbourne Lord Mayor), Warren Mundine (former ALP President, Josh Frydenberg (Liberal MP for Kooyong). Not one of them knowing much about health or environment
And – let’s not forget the nuclear lobby’s Australian poster boy – Barry Brook.
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 