Australia’s secret nuclear places
Off limits: 10 places you will never go in Australia, SMH, June 17, 2013 David Whitley
“…...Pine Gap While it’s hardly a top secret base, there’s a remarkable reticence to state exactly what goes on at the Pine Gap Joint Defence Facility. Located 18km south-west of Alice Springs, it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to learn that this Australian-American military base is used as a satellite tracking station. The large antennas pointing at the heavens give that away. But information on any other intelligence activities conducted at Pine Gap is kept deliberately hidden.
Unless you work there, you’re not getting in. Road signs nearby are very clear about this. And don’t think about a scenic flight overhead either – there’s a no fly zone……..
The Ranger Retention Pond
An absolute shoo-in for the title of Australia’s least appealing swim, this large billabong on the cusp of Kakadu National Park is one you can’t dip a toe into anyway. That’s probably a good thing – even though the local wildlife seems to be treating it as an idyllic wetland refuge.
To protect from possible contamination, by law, all water that falls on the Ranger Uranium Mine site has to be kept there. And during the wet season, that’s a hell of a lot of water.
It’s not just potential radiation that’s the issue, however – traps by the side of the pond indicate that saltwater crocodiles have taken up residence in there. Prime snorkelling territory it is not……..
The Woomera Prohibited Area
Across the wilds of outback South Australia, an area the size of England is kept cordoned off from the public so that the Australian defence forces and various arms manufacturers can practice blowing things up.
The Woomera Prohibited Area is divided into zones. Some are only out of bounds for part of the year. But the red zone just to the north of the Stuart Highway between Woomera and Glendambo is a complete no-no, full of old bits of metal you really don’t want to pick up……http://www.smh.com.au/travel/off-limits-10-places-you-will-never-go-in-australia-20130617-2odqj.html#ixzz2WdHD8s4m
Successful pro wind energy rallies in Canberra
Wind taken out of protesters’ sails in Canberra Independent Australia 19 June 13 Callum Davidson and deputy editor Sandi Keane report from Melbourne and Canberra on a tale of two cities and three rallies — or rather two and a sorry fizzer. THE GLOVES CAME OFF today in Melbourne in the phony war waged against wind farms whilst in Canberra, the pro-renewables rally stole the show from the shadowy anti-wind pressure group, Stop These Things.
Morten Albaek, Senior Vice-President, Vestas Wind Systems, chose Australia, the hotbed of anti-wind activity, to launch its fight against the campaign by vested interests and climate skeptics:
“The wind industry is being attacked by media-savvy and politically influential adversaries who often display a brazen disregard for factual information. The “Act on Facts” campaign is our way of fighting back.”
Speaking at the University of Melbourne today, Albaek said the industry has been too conservative:
“Today it’s gloves off. We’re stepping up our game to fight back but with one big difference — it will be fact-based.”
An impressive line-up of speakers including the master debunker of the mythical “Wind Turbine Syndrome”, Professor Simon Chapman, attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic renewables supporters. Chapman’s reading of the public mood that the community is no longer buying the fear campaign was certainly played out in Canberra, as Callum Davidson’s photos show. In the capital, a lackluster turnout of barely one hundred protesters emerged from the heavy morning fog and filed onto the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra. They came from Crookwell, Mudgee, Yass and a few stalwarts from Western Australia and far North Queensland. Their slogans carried the same gripe: no more windfarms.
Headlining this event was the staunchly anti-windfarm and vocal climate change skeptic, Alan Jones. The popular shockjock announced his unwavering support for their cause:…..http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/wind-taken-out-of-protesters-sails-in-canberra/
A futuristic look at Australia’s energy systems
What I have described here is Australia’s energy ideal. But is it really achievable and how many more summers will we have to sweat through before it’s a reality?
The answer is: yes, it is achievable, and within fewer summers than you might think However, it will require significant regulatory, financial, and cultural changes, supported by commitment from governments, business and the community
Chasing Australia’s energy ideal, Climate Spectator David Green 17 Jun, It’s a scorching hot day during a summer of the future.
At work, you use your smart phone to check the real-time pricing updates on your power supplier’s app. It predicts electricity prices will shoot up during the hottest time of the day, between 4pm and 6pm – the time when people get home from work and turn on air-conditioners, massively increasing power demand. The kids are at home today, so your air-conditioner is already on. You log-in to your home’s power control system and program it to cycle on and off every 10 minutes from 4pm, halving your household’s power use during the expensive peak.
Before 4pm, the system tells you, the solar panels on your roof will be pumping out more than enough to not only run the air-conditioner but also the fridge, freezer and home entertainment system. Excess energy from the panels will also have topped up your home’s power batteries.
After you get home tonight, stored energy from the batteries will run the air conditioner and the TV and will mean all you’ll need to buy from your power company is a small amount of electricity to cover your needs late in the evening – at a much lower cost than earlier in the day.
Of course, you’re well aware that the cheapest electricity is the electricity you don’t use. Long before this hot summer you have taken steps – using expert advice from your local, independently-accredited energy advice centre – to reduce your energy use to a minimum. Continue reading
Solar Scorecard and also the Politicians’ Solar Survey
Solar Scorecard – Australian MP ‘Renewable Energy Ranking’ http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3798 19 June 13 A new 
web site helps Australians determine where local politicians stand on issues relating to renewable energy and provides information on the progress of the solar revolution in each electorate.
Solar Scorecard provides a detailed breakdown of what each federal politician is (or isn’t) doing to support a range of renewable energy policies and incorporates information on the number of solar 
homes in each Member’s electorate. Politicians are allocated either a sun, an emerging sun or a cloud according to their stance on each of 8 criteria. Where a ‘?’ is assigned, this indicates the MP’s stance on the issue is not yet known.
As part of the project, all politicians have been invited to respond to a solar survey by Monday 1 July to clarify their position on renewable energy issues.
100% Renewable is also sending an electorate-by-electorate Australian solar energy information resource called “solar briefers” to every Federal politician across the country; which includes the number of households in each electorate that have invested in solar, as well as data on their collective carbon dioxide emissions and energy bill savings.
Solar Scorecard is a project of 100% Renewable, a community campaign for clean energy. Lindsay Soutar, National Director of 100% Renewable, says while polls show voters support a transition to renewable energy, the support of some politicians is shaky.
“That’s why we have developed these two resources. So that our politicians understand the scale of the transformation under way, and they understand that Australians want this transformation to happen.” Ms Soutar says Australians need politicians to stand up to the companies that have controlled Australian energy for so long, to ensure that Australians can continue to take power back into their own hands, and so that Australia can make the most of its abundant renewable resources.
Together, we can make sure that no matter who wins on September 14th, renewable energy wins as well.”
Senator NIck Xenophon missing amongst anti wind political stars
Wind taken out of protesters’ sails in Canberra Independent Australia 19 June 13 Callum Davidson and deputy editor Sandi Keane report from Melbourne and Canberra on a tale of two cities and three rallies — or rather two and a sorry fizzer “…….Other speakers at the event included a few rogue MPs – Liberal Senator Chris Back and retiring National Senator, Ron Boswell, DLP Senator John Madigan – as well as local Indigeneous elder, Shane Mortimer, and Alan Moran of Australia’s climate skeptic factory, the Institute of Public Affairs. The much-touted Nick Xenophon was nowhere to be seen having made his non-appearance decision quite clear yesterday on his Facebook. Seems Independent Australia was one of the few in the media who bothered to check. Organisers of the antis, Stop These Things, didn’t and still trumpeted his attendance on its website. That’s the problem when you’re so secretive. No-one knows how to contact you. Senator Xenophon’s media adviser, Sharon Smith, certainly didn’t know who Stop These Things were, who funded them or where they were based when she spoke to Independent Australia earlier in the week….http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/wind-taken-out-of-protesters-sails-in-canberra/
National Party Senator Boswell says wind and solar power are a fraud
Huff and puff as Alan Jones leads wind farm protest, SMH, June 18, 2013 – Heath Aston “……Mr Jones said if there was no health risk posed by turbines, they should be put on Parramatta Road or outside his apartment on Macquarie Street, Sydney…….The protest group, drawn mainly from concerned resident groups from country NSW, held placards including, “we are wind refugees” and “stop the spin”.
There were differing views between individual protesters and some of the speakers. A woman held a placard behind Queensland senator Ron Boswell urging “yes solar, no wind farms”.
At the same time, senator Boswell was lambasting “fraudulent” renewables of all kinds. “The world belongs to those who turn up and today you have turned up and you are going to make your opposition to this fraudulent wind, solar power, renewable energy … heard,” he said.
Senator Boswell, a National Party member, called the 20 per cent renewable energy target, which the Coalition is committed to along with Labor, as “ridiculous”. “The wind farms only work 30 per cent of the time, but when you really need the power, in the peak periods, it’s only about eight per cent of the time. So it doesn’t work. In anyone’s language it is just a fraud,” he said.
Organisers of the event included Max Rheese of the Australian Environment Foundation, a front group for the right-aligned, climate sceptic Institute of Public Affairs. A pro-wind rally held in Canberra’s city centre at the same time drew a larger crowd of up to 500, according to organisers.
Greens leader Christine Milne said the party wanted to see a “100 per cent renewable” target as soon as possible.”What is extraordinary is wind farm sickness only affects people who speak English. How come the Danes, Spanish and Germans don’t suffer from wind farm sickness?” she asked.”The renewable industry is providing a solution to greenhouse gas emissions as well as providing new jobs, new industries and giving a better future for our children.” http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/huff-and-puff-as-alan-jones-leads-wind-farm-protest-20130618-2ogd5.html#ixzz2WdkyD6PU
The slow death of the nuclear industry
These are the facts: Renewables have taken the lead in new power generation in America, comprising nearly half of all new generating capacity installed in the United States in 2012. In the first quarter of this year, nearly half the new capacity installed was solar. With its poor economics, enormous complexity, overly-large capital requirements, too-long lead times, and overall risk, US nuclear power is headed for contraction, not resurgence. Ultimately, I think the same will be true globally
The real reason to fight nuclear power has nothing to do with health risks, Quartz, By Chris Nelder, 17 June 13“……Nuclear’s long goodbye The simple fact is that, at least in the US, the nuclear industry is dying a slow death. The announced closure of four major facilities in 2013 alone amount to 4,246 megawatts of nuclear capacity—enough to power 2.7 million homes for a year—that are being retired.
Even while the nuclear industry is able to externalize its costs for insurance (which are federally limited), loan guarantees (which are federally backstopped), decommissioning (which is pushed onto ratepayers) and waste handling (which is pushed onto taxpayers), it still lost. If it had to stand on its own and pay its full insurance costs like every other energy source, we could never build another nuclear plant in America, because no private investors would be willing to take that kind of risk. It’s hard to imagine how the economics could be more tilted in nuclear’s favor (although I’m sure its proponents have ideas on that).
The reason nuclear is dying is economics, Continue reading
Canberra rally calls for more renewable energy
Canberra protests for and against wind farms ABC News, By Mary Lloyd 18 June 13, “…….Supporting wind farms On the other side of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra’s city centre, environmental campaigners addressed hundreds of supporters.
Greens Leader Christine Milne called for the move to renewable energy to be sped up, and dismissed claims that wind farms caused health problems.
Green groups say there is no scientific evidence that wind farms lead to health problems.Leigh Ewbank of Friends of the Earth says there are 19 reviewed studies that show that wind farms don’t cause adverse health impacts….. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-18/canberra-protests-for-and-against-wind-farms/4763294?section=act
Confusion over Victorian Waubra Wind Farm, at small anti wind power rally
Canberra windfarm protesters demand end to ‘renewable energy scam’ Lenore Taylor, political editor guardian.co.uk, 18 June 2013 Radio presenter Alan Jones acknowledges turnout of around 150 demonstrators was lower than expected Three Coalition politicians and one candidate attended the “wind power fraud rally” in front of parliament house on Tuesday where around 150 protesters called for the abolition of the renewable energy target and a ban on all new windfarms.
Signs at the rally urged: “Stop the wind power fraud,” and referred to a “renewable energy scam”, insisting that “wind farms wreck health and jobs”,…..Protesters at the rally asserted that windfarms were “fraudulent” because, they claimed, two of them in Victoria, including the Waubra windfarm, were not compliant with their permit conditions.
But Liberal senator Chris Back acknowledged he had been alerted by wind company Acciona to a letter sent to politicians from the Victorian department of planning and community development stating that “the minister for planning has not determined whether the windfarm is or is not compliant with the relevant planning permit”. It said: “The minister or the department have never stated that the Waubra Wind Farm is not compliant with the planning permit. It cannot be assumed or inferred from the departmental advice that Waubra Wind Farm is not compliant with the relevant planning permit and I seek your co-operation in correcting the public record.”
Back insisted that the state planning minister, Matthew Guy, had told parliament differently and said he would get to the bottom of the discrepancy.http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/18/canberra-windfarm-protesters-renewable-energy
Australia most strongly affected by climate change
Coal, oil and gas are killing climate http://www.earthtimes.org/climate/coal-oil-gas-killing-climate/2383/ By JW Dowey – 18 Jun 2013 – The Australians have suffered more than most from climate change problems, with fire and flood dominating their headline news annually. Their Climate Commission produced a report in 2011, “The Critical Decade,” delivering a timetable. Now, 2 years in, the report tells how it is. They believe most fossil fuel has to remain where it is to prevent that disastrous scenario of a 2°C temperature rise. Conclusion 5 in this Report states, “The burning of fossil fuels represents the most significant contributor to climate change.” All of this when they admit their export of coal from New South Wales to Asia represents a gigantic economic bonus and a useful aid to developing nations. Continue reading
Renewable Energy Target brings huge opportunities to regional New South Wales
Standing up for Renewable Energy Target http://www.goulburnpost.com.au/story/1578087/standing-up-for-renewable-energy-target/?cs=12 18 June 13, THE NSW Regional Renewables Alliance, representing farmers and rural businesses at Tuesday’s Rally4 Renewables in Canberra, is calling for bipartisan support for the current Renewable Energy Target (RET) of 41,000GWh by 2020. The group, which also supports a more collaborative approach to development of wind and solar projects in rural Australia, issued this media statement on Monday:
The RET has been in operation for 12 years and over that time has generated $18.5 billion in new investment, lowered electricity prices by 8% and created tens of thousands of jobs – mainly in regional and rural areas [1]. If retained in its current form, the RET will repeat this performance over its remaining 17 years of operation.
Andy Divall, Managing Director of Divall’s Earthmoving and Bulk Haulage said the RET is making a massive difference to regional NSW. “In the 25 years we have been in business we haven’t seen anything like the opportunities the renewables industry will bring the region.” Continue reading
Put wind turbines in Sydney streets, not in the country, says Alan Jones
Canberra protests for and against wind farms ABC News, By Mary Lloyd 18 June 13, Supporters and opponents of wind farms gathered in Canberra today for two separate rallies to argue their cases. In front of Parliament House about 100 demonstrators joined radio host Alan Jones to protest against industrial wind farming in rural areas.n front of Parliament House about 100 demonstrators joined radio host Alan Jones to protest against industrial wind farming in rural areas.
He says wind turbines should be erected in urban, not rural areas. “That’s why I’ve constantly said to them well put them in Macquarie Street, put them in Anzac Parade, put them in Parramatta Road,” Mr Jones said. “That’s where the people are, that’s where the energy is used and if they are not injurious to health, well, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
“But they don’t, they go to small communities.” The protesters say the cost on the community from wind farms is too high and the economic benefits too low.
They are concerned about the affect wind turbines have on people living nearby them.People at the rally complained they had been suffering from headaches and nausea since wind farms were developed near their homes.They also say that wind power is costly to produce and inefficient because the turbines only turn when there is wind.http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-18/canberra-protests-for-and-against-wind-farms/4763294?section=act
Climate change predicted to bring bushfires to Canberra
Scorching increase in bushfire danger June 17, 2013 Scott Hannaford The Sunday Canberra Times editor.Canberra could be facing a nearly 70 per cent increase in dangerous bushfire weather in less than seven years as the result of climate change, according to Australia’s Climate Commission.
The report, The Critical Decade 2013, to be released on Monday, paints a grim picture of the future for the ACT as a result of unchecked climate change, including a rising death toll from extreme-heat days, dwindling inflows to the city’s major water storages and further reductions in winter and spring rainfall.
”The decisions we make from now to 2020 will largely determine the severity of climate change our children and grandchildren experience,” the report states.
The CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology predict the number of days where the temperature climbs above 35 degrees in Canberra will rise from the current long-term average of 5.2 days a year to eight by 2030 and between 10 days and 18 days by 2070, depending on the action taken.
One of the report’s two authors, Professor Will Steffen, said many of the predictions climate scientists made in the 1970s and ’80s were becoming reality as communities began to suffer more-damaging storms, major bushfires and prolonged droughts.
”Canberrans hardly need reminding about the devastation bushfires can cause. If you look at the data since about 1973, 16 of the 38 observation stations show the fire danger rating has increased, while the remainder haven’t gone down. Of particular importance for Canberra is that most of those 16 stations are in the south-east corner and Canberra’s right in the middle of that,” Professor Steffen said……
Changes in rainfall meant summer rains could increase in Canberra, but in terms of the number of extreme-heat days the ACT was already experiencing nearly double the long-term average. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/scorching-increase-in-bushfire-danger-20130616-2ocpf.html#ixzz2WdnhEcMF
It’s not health fears that are killing nuclear power: it’s economics
In short: Cost estimates for new nuclear plants are not credible. I have yet to find a single one that stood up to close scrutiny. And as far as I am aware, no nuclear plant has ever been built for close to its original cost estimate.
The real reason to fight nuclear power has nothing to do with health risks, Quartz, By Chris Nelder, 17 June 13Chris Nelder is an energy analyst, consultant and speaker who has written about energy and investing for more than a decade. Nuclear proponents are launching a full-court press for fresh investment in the technology. The release of the new film Pandora’s Promise, another editorial from ardent nuclear champions Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus of the Breakthrough Institute, and Paul Blustein’s recent piece in Quartz, “Everything you thought you knew about the risks of nuclear energy is wrong,” are part of an effort to put a new shine on a technology that once offered, but failed to deliver, electricity “too cheap to meter.”
Missing from the entire debate about nuclear is the most important fact of all: Nuclear is dying due to poor economics, and the debate is already over as far as the market is concerned. Continue reading
Climate change action by religious groups
Climate change gets religious SMH, 19 June 13 Few religious communities have gone as far in fighting climate change as a church in Queensland which has 24 solar panels bolted to the roof in the shape of a Christian cross. “It’s very effective. It’s inspired some members of our congregation to install panels on their homes,” Reverend David Lowry said of the “solar cross” mounted in 2009 on the Caloundra Uniting Church, which groups three Protestant denominations.
Many religions have been wary of moving to install renewable energy sources on their places of worship, from cathedrals to mosques – or of taking a strong stand on climate change in general – despite teachings that people should be custodians of nature.
But slowly, that may be changing, thanks to new religious leaders including Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church.
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 