Peter Moran, Greens candidate for Throsby promoting steelworks in vestment in renewable energy technology
Illawarra Greens call for steelworks to invest in renewable energy technology ABC News by Nick McLaren 21 Aug 2013, The Greens candidate for Throsby Peter Moran says the local steel industry is unlikely to survive unless it starts producing products for renewable energy generation.
The Illawarra’s Greens candidates are calling on both major parties to invest more in renewable technology saying local businesses and manufacturers would benefit.
Mr Moran says the Coalition and the Labor parties both plan to cut clean energy funding.
He says more government assistance for BlueScope Steel would ensure the company remains viable. “Not just cleaner ways of producing steel but also increasing the amount of product that the Australian steel industry can sell into the market that will in fact create extra jobs in clean energy,” he said.
“For instance you can’t build wind turbines without using steel.”….
Mainstream media deceptively negative about renewable energy
national media sentiment towards the renewable energy industry is overwhelmingly negative and neglects the voice of the industry. I should imagine similar findings are likely in Australia.
Has Europe pulled the plug on renewables? http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/8/21/renewable-energy/has-europe-pulled-plug-renewables#ixzz2cjFBwgch
First, Peiser is incorrect to say that green growth is dwindling. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Renewable energy is the world’s fastest-growing energy source, increasing by 2.5 per cent a year, according to a new report by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The report also predicts that world energy consumption will grow by 56 per cent between 2010 and 2040. The value of listed CleanTech companies grew 18% last year. Parallel to this growth, investors and pension funds such as Storebrand in Norway are pulling cash from the fossil fuel industry, particularly coal, due to it’s ‘high investment risk’.
If we take the case of the UK as a European example, green products and services accounted for £128bn revenue last year, the UK market growing by 5% whilst the majority of other sectors shrunk in size. Investment is pouring into the sector. For wind power alone we’re seeing £66 million to help regional development, join up industry, government and academic thought. This is far from ‘Europe turning it’s back’. But with such high calibre and fast growth competition, you can understand why the fossil fuel backed GWPF might be worried. Continue reading
A bold, but feasible, plan for Australia as renewable energy exporter
The economic equation is moving in the right direction as the price of renewables drops sharply, and as the world starts to put a price on the negative externalities of fossil fuels, including carbon emissions. Yes it is technically formidable, and assembling the necessary geopolitical and financial architecture to make it happen won’t be trivial.
But the drivers are compelling.
This project would secure sustainable energy and low carbon futures for the fastest growing region on Earth,
This project would catapult us to the forefront of the technology savvy and rapidly growing green energy sector, generating many thousands of high-tech jobs in Australia and beyond.
North Australia’s electrifying future: powering Asia with renewables REneweconomy, By Andrew Blakers on 21 August 2013
By Andrew Campbell, Andrew Blakers and Stuart Blanch
It may just be election season, but big dreams for the development of northern Australia are back in fashion. So here’s our piece of “next-frontier”, big-picture 21st-century thinking. It may even have room for a dam or two.
A Snowy scheme for the 21st century
Imagine a project that could help Indonesia achieve energy security, dramatically cut energy poverty for hundreds of millions, catalyse renewable energy production in Assocation of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, cut regional carbon pollution, and transition Australia’s energy exports from risky fuels to renewable energy.
Sounds far-fetched? In fact, such a proposal has already been published in the international peer-reviewed literature. It takes several existing technologies already in widespread deployment, and joins them together in a new configuration on an unprecedented scale, in a region with enormous natural competitive advantage — north-western Australia.
Here’s the plan. Continue reading
Toro’s Vanessa Guthrie optimistic in the face of uranium’s financial disaster
INTERVIEW -Uranium miners face new hurdles as Fukushima disaster worsens Reuters, Aug 21, 2013 By James Regan
* Uranium miners face uncertainty as new Fukushima nuclear disaster unfolds
* Australia’s Toro says need for new uranium mines still stands
SYDNEY, Aug 21 (Reuters) – Revelations of more toxic leaks from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will raise second-thoughts about Japan’s nuclear future, but won’t halt the long-term global expansion of the industry, the head of a uranium mining company said.
“It reinvigorates the heightened state of nervousness, it surely will make the Japanese government and nuclear regulatory authorities more cautious and conservative in the decisions about the restart,” said Vanessa Guthrie, managing director of Australia’s Toro Energy Ltd, which expects to start mining uranium in Australia in 2016.
Japan is set to raise the severity rating of the leak to level 3, or “serious incident”, on an international scale for radiological releases, underlining a deepening sense of crisis at the site.
The price of uranium, used mainly as fuel for nuclear reactors, plunged after the March 2011 meltdown at the Fukushima plant 240 km (150 miles) from Tokyo and has struggled to recover ever since. August uranium futures stood at $35.15 per pound on Wednesday compared with $68 per pound before the earthquake and tsunami that triggered the disaster.
However, Guthrie said contract prices between uranium miners and buyers standing at around $58-$59 a pound more accurately reflect the supply and demand balance than the spot price.
Operating costs in the industry range between $22-$25 per pound up to the high $40s, Guthrie said……
Uranium spin from David Paterson – “emotion” is good, when it’s pro nuclear
I have often been accused by nuclear lobbyists of beong – that awful thing “emotional”. An anti-nuclear person speaking out is “emotional” (obviously not sensible). Indeed, an anti nuclear woman is “hysterical”.
So I find it almost hysterical that Australia’s uranium propagandists are now being advised to be emotional – C.M .
Coal seam gas industry has to work harder to win over critics August 21, 2013 Business Day David Paterson
- “……..Australia’s CSG industry could learn a few lessons from the way the uranium industry worked on its image during the past three to four decades…….
in 2006, the uranium sector sought to bring a more sophisticated approach to its advocacy on public policy and in the following years there were some substantial successes…… the Australian uranium industry made a number of fundamental changes to the way it approached policy debates that helped improve its public reputation.
For today’s CSG industry, there are five important lessons that could be learned from the uranium sector’s experience.
Firstly, hearts and minds will not be won by facts alone. Good advocacy requires reliable factual information, but emotions will play a surprisingly important role in even the most technical debate. Understanding this is the first step to developing a communications strategy that will resonate with audiences.
Secondly, the CSG industry must learn that the battle is all about trust. Building trust takes many things, from showing technical ability to emotional intelligence, and company representatives will need to have both. Continue reading
Nuclear News Australia – mercifully short this week
AUSTRALIA
Yes – mercifully short. We are swamped with tripey media about the coming election. It’s all too much. Except for the Greens, political parties pretty well ignore climate change and renewable energy. Debates ?- Christine Milne doesn’t get a look in. Preference deals ? very confusing. here’s a good link to advise on preference matters http://www.belowtheline.org.au/
Renewable energy. Just as nuclear propagandist Martin Nicholson tells us, (in impenetrable jargon) how cheap nuclear power will be for Australia, Giles Parkinson reports on the Australian government now acknowledging that renewable energy is no more costly than fossil fuels.
INTERNATIONAL
I could go on about the parlous state of the uranium market, and of the nuclear industry in USA.
However, the overwhelming new is about Fukushima. New radioactive water leaks are appearing. Some from the water storage tanks? Some from welling up of groundwater?. Anyway this is recognised as a new crisis, with no solution coming any time soon.
Meanwhile, the nuclear propagandists have gone very quiet on what a success the Fukushima clean-up is. Indeed, the nuclear propagandists have gone very quiet. Except in Australia – where Martin Nicholson continues his proud history of damning renewable energy, praising nuclear power, and dazzling us all with impressive, but unintelligible blather.
When you vote – how to manage the preferences maze
Below The Line http://www.belowtheline.org.au/ Your vote. Your preference. Your deal.
There are over 50 small parties running in this election — does one of them suit your vision for Australia better than Labor, Liberal, the Nationals, or even Family First or the Greens?
In Australia, you cannot throw away your vote.
Well, you can vote informally but simply putting a non-major party as your first preference won’t mean your vote is wasted. If your first preference candidate isn’t elected your vote goes to another candidate instead.
If my vote isn’t thrown away, where does it go?……. Vote below the line! Yes, it’s a lot more boxes to fill in but that’s where we can help. We’ve decoded the parties’ preferences to show you exactly what that means for your vote. If you like what they’re doing, you can vote above the line and know your preference is doing what you want. But if it doesn’t we provide you with the tools to make your vote do what you want without the problems of having to work out who all those people are once you’re in the polling booth.
If you’re ready to give it a go, let’s get started!
Victorian Liberal Sarah Henderson supports the anti wind farm campaign
Pollie Watch: Coalition candidate for Corangamite backs Baillieu’s anti-wind farm laws http://yes2renewables.org/2013/08/21/pollie-watch-coalition-candidate-for-corangamite-backs-baillieus-anti-wind-farm-laws/August 21, 2013 by Leigh Ewbank The Coalition candidate for Corangamite Sarah Henderson‘s support for renewable energy is in question as it was revealed she endorses Ted Baillieu’s controversial anti-wind farm laws. The revelation emerged in a community forum in Torquay on 13 August, in which Sarah Henderson expressed her support for the restrictive laws, saying that wind farms were “dividing communities.”
Of course, the only thing dividing communities are anti-wind campaigners and the restrictive laws preventing farmers from a drought-proof income stream. Ms Henderson’s claim wind farms divide communities ignores all of the available public polling which shows that three quarters of the community support more wind farms. Wind farms are even highly popular among Coalition voters.
The anti-wind farm laws Ms Henderson thinks is “good” policy has already affected one local proposal. Ted Baillieu’s anti-wind farm laws killed off the Surf Coast Energy Group‘s proposal for a community-owned wind farm, denying farmers a chance for a steady income as well as costing jobs in manufacturing, construction and maintenance.
Victoria’s restrictive wind farm laws also have implications for the Surf Coast Air Action group, who will release a detailed report on how Anglesea’s coal mine and power plant could be replaced by renewable energy sources, including wind energy.
Henderson’s endorsement of Victoria’s anti-wind farm laws may lead some to speculate whether her stance is influenced by her partner, state MP Simon Ramsay.
Mr Ramsay is associated with anti-wind farm campaigns. In 2012, Victoria’s shadow planning minister Brian Tee accused Mr Ramsay of misusing his parliamentary position to campaign against a wind farm near his property near Colac.
Poll after poll shows strong public support for wind farms. Yes 2 Renewables encourage Ms Henderson to reexamine her stance and adopt a position that aligns with mainstream views. It’s time for political leadership on wind energy, not more pandering to a noisy band of anti-wind farm campaigners.
Take Action
Greens maintain their stand for renewable energy, and mining tax
Greens reiterate commitment to mining tax and renewable energy in election lead-up http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-20/greens-reiterate-commitment-to-mining-tax/4900456 The Greens have launched their WA federal election campaign, naming the mining tax and renewable energy as focus points in the lead up to September 7.
The Greens say a 40 per cent tax rate for all big miners would not cripple the industry.
The party has already announced its plan to increase and broaden the mining tax as one of its key initiatives.
In Perth for the launch, leader Christine Milne says the industry can afford to pay.
“The political power of the big miners have frightened the old parties and instead they would rather take the money out of the pockets of single parents, take it out of universities, than take it out of the pockets of the big miners,” she said.
Last week, Labor’s national executive ordered the party to preference the Greens ahead of all others in every state except Queensland.
It boosts WA senator Scott Ludlam’s chances of returning to Canberra.
His seat is critically important if the party has any hope of maintaining the balance of power.
Senator Ludlam says he is focused on gaining primary votes rather than preference deals and he is not resting on his laurels.
“I think we’re in really good shape here but we’re on a knife edge and there are only a handful of seats between Tony Abbott and complete control of the parliament, and one of those is here in Western Australia,” he said.
“I feel nothing like a shoo-in, there is no such thing as a safe seat in politics and senate races are extraordinarily difficult to predict.”
See this SBS video on the latest radioactive water emergency at Fukushma
VIDEO: Worst leak at Fukushima nuclear plant: TEPCO http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/08/21/worst-leak-fukushima-nuclear-plant-tepcoTEPCO is facing the worst leak at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant, with 300 tonnes of radioactive water leaking from the plant. Some 300 tonnes of radioactive water is believed to have leaked from a tank at Japan’s crippled nuclear plant, the worst such leak since the crisis began, the operator said.Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said the leak was believed to be continuing Tuesday at Fukushima and it had not yet pinpointed the source of it.
TEPCO said puddles with extremely high radiation levels – about 100 millisieverts per hour – have been found near the water tanks at the ruined plant.
“This means you are exposed to the level of radiation in an hour that a nuclear plant worker is allowed to be exposed to in five years,” a TEPCO spokesman told a press conference.
The company later said it had identified which tank was faulty but had yet to find the spot from where it was leaking.,,,,,
TEPCO admitted the toxic water might contaminate groundwater and flow into the Pacific Ocean “in the longer term”, but said it was working to avoid such a situation.
“We are transferring the contaminated water from a tank with a leakage problem to unbroken tanks, and retrieving leaked water and soil around it,” the spokesman said.
“We are also beefing up existing earth-fill dams around tanks,” he said, as the region braces for heavy rain later on Tuesday.
So far four tonnes of the spilled water had been retrieved since Monday evening when TEPCO started the recovery operation, the company said.
Investors Negative on Nuclear
The Motley Fool By Justin Loiseau, August 20, 2013“…….One of the biggest blows to nuclear came in June when Edison International (NYSE: EIX ) announced the early retirement of two California nuclear units. The impetus for the exit came from a generator leak that had kept the plants off-line since January 2012. Not only did the decision cost Edison more than $300 million in post-tax damages, it also put 1,100 workers out of a job.
Given high costs and a risky regulatory environment, the utility probably made the right choice at the time. But if the NRC’s latest Entergy approval is any evidence, regulators may be more willing to let up a little to avoid another Edison exit.
But for utilities that haven’t yet made their nuclear investments, some are opting out before it’s too late. Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK ) had previously planned to build a massive $24.7 billion Florida plant, but announced earlier this month that it would be backing off its original idea. The utility cited delays by the NRC in issuing new licenses, as well as state-level legislative changes. Duke will be looking increasingly toward natural gas to fuel its future, but will keep nuclear plans on the back burner in case opportunities arise…..”
Japan gets 2 nuclear reactors’ worth of renewable energy
Japan adds renewable energy capacity worth 2 nuclear reactors Global Post, Kyodo News InternationalAugust 20, 2013 Renewable energy facilities that newly started operating in fiscal 2012 in Japan totaled 2.08 million kilowatts in capacity, which is worth two nuclear reactors, the Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry said Tuesday.
Solar power facilities, including those installed at homes and megasolar plants, largely contributed to the reading on the back of incentives introduced in July last year to promote renewable energy sources. Their capacity reached 1.98 million kw.
Because deliveries of some solar panels were not made in time, the capacity of operating facilities did not reach the 2.5 million kw as projected by the government for the year ended in March.
But a ministry official said the introduction of renewable energy is “smooth,” noting that facilities with a combined 1.28 million kw capacity commenced operations in April and May…… http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/kyodo-news-international/130820/japan-adds-renewable-energy-capacity-worth-2-nuclear-r
Australia’s major parties ignore climate change and renewable energy
Despite efforts by some media to bring climate change to the forefront – as witnessed by the SMH editorial today – such pleas are likely to fall on deaf ears in the current campaign.
Neither Treasurer Chris Bowen nor Opposition spokesman Joe Hockey mentioned climate change or a clean energy transition in their hour-long debate on Monday, focusing instead on an absurd argument about revenue and budget forecasts in forward estimates – a complete irrelevance to everyday Australians and the major issues confronting the country.
Renewables future no more costly than fossil fuels REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson on 21 August 2013“……..The consideration of future costs is a crucial point in the current federal political debate, where policies such as high emission reduction targets and high renewables scenarios – as proposed by The Greens – are seen as reckless, dangerous, marginal or fringe policies.
The frustration is that while such targets form part of the mainstream policy discussion in most other countries, each of the big parties in Australia are as keen as the other to put as much distance between themselves and the Greens. So while most other countries debate how quickly they should be moving to decarbonise the economy, the overall theme in Australia is how slowly it should be done.
The common reason for this is cited as cost to the consumer, but the reality is that the cost to consumer is no greater in these ambitious scenarios than it is under the more modest transitions modeled by Treasury. And if other environmental costs are included, such as the health impacts of fossil fuels, then the numbers change again. Continue reading
Wind energy facts – including 47% of South Australia’s energy last week
Wind supplied 47% of South Australia’s energy last week http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/wind-supplied-47-of-south-australias-energy-last-week-67550 By Ketan Joshi on 20 August 2013 VERY GOOD GRAPHS in this article
Science Week was from August 10-18, inclusive. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) makes 5-minute generation data available through a gargantuan database. I’ve chosen to focus on South Australia and Victoria, states which lead the way in installed wind generation – there are 22 wind farms I’ve obtained generation data for, summarised in the table below.
The total generation of those 22 wind farms was 285,257 megawatt hours. But what does that deliver to the energy market? The average Sydney household consumes 11.6 KWh per day, or 0.104 MWh over 9 days. So, the generation of wind farms throughout science week could power ~2.7 million homes – enough for all of Greater Sydney, and all of Greater Adelaide. That statistic alone is a firm reminder that wind power is a formidable player in the supply of energy. Continue reading
South Dakota, USA – Rapid City Council opposes uranium mining
Council passes resolution opposing uranium mining, Rapid city Journal, 21 Aug 13 The Rapid City Council passed a resolution late Monday night opposing a uranium mining operation near Edgemont, saying it “poses an unacceptable risk” to the city’s primary water supply.
The 9-1 vote came after council member Steve Laurenti sought to continue the discussion until state hearings for mining and water rights permits for Powertech concluded.
“I will tell you that this issue ranks in the top handful of issues that have generated public concern,” Mayor Sam Kooiker said. “This has really gotten peoples’ interest and there is a lot of concern in the community, and I believe that people have the right to ask questions about this issue.” Kooiker encouraged Laurenti to join the rest of the council in its decision to oppose the mine.
However, Laurenti stood firm with his vote against the resolution, maintaining that more information was needed before he could take a stand against the operation.
“The problem I have, from a logical standpoint, is to oppose something or even to have grave concern, grave meaning that I have a fear for my life,” Laurenti said. “I don’t fear for my life over this issue at this point.”…… The mine would draw up to 9,000 gallons of water per minute from the Inyan Kara and Madison aquifers. The Madison Aquifer supplied Rapid City with 60 percent of its water resources in 2012, according to city officials. http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/council-passes-resolution-opposing-uranium-mining/article_2253d74c-8890-58cc-9688-4bea869afbe9.html
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 