Community microgrids the renewable energy opportunity for rural Australia
“The stand-alone approach would give electricity network companies the opportunity to sell assets that they can no longer afford to maintain, and creates the potential to unwind cross-subsidies from urban to regional consumers,”
Unplugging Australia From The Mains Grid http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=4136 Regional towns and new housing estates in Australia have the potential to dump mains grid electricity supply quite soon according to a new report.
The document, prepared by Energy for the People and the ATA might initially send shivers down the spine of Big Energy; one that is already quivering from the impact of the home solar revolution in Australia.
This doesn’t necessarily mean households would be reliant on whatever panels they could fit on the roof. It could also involve “micro-grids” where communities buy back their local energy grid and invest in local energy generation and storage says Tosh Szatow, director of Energy for the People. Continue reading
Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor gets MORE money,for its cover of medical research
Nuclear medicine is the nuclear lobby’s “fig leaf” – to make nuclear look good. Medical isotopes can be obtained without needing a nuclear reactor
Watpac wins $83m contract for nuclear facility http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/watpac-wins-83m-contract-for-nuclear-facility/story-fn91v9q3-1226807150273# GINA RUSHTON THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 22, 2014
QUEENSLAND-BASED builder Watpac has won an $83 million contract from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation to design and construct the Nuclear Molybdenum-99 facility at Lucas Heights, in Sydney’s south. Continue reading
Abuse of nuclear workers
TV: Nuclear workers “stripped naked, soaked in sweat… gasping for air” — “My teeth started breaking off” — “It’s as if they are the living dead” — “Democracy destroyed in areas where nuclear power exists” (VIDEO)
Subject: TV: Nuclear workers “stripped naked, soaked in sweat… gasping for air” — “My teeth started breaking off” — “It’s as if they are the living dead” — “Democracy destroyed in areas where nuclear power exists” (VIDEO)
Melted nuclear fuel coolant flowing from Fukushima nuclear reactor 3
Bloomberg: ‘Highly radioactive’ leak at Fukushima Unit 3 — NHK: Melted fuel coolant thought to be flowing from containment vessel for ‘unknown reason’ — 24 Million Bq/liter of strontium, other beta emitters (VIDEO) http://enenews.com/bloomberg-water-flowing-at-fukushima-unit-3-is-highly-radioactive-nhk-coolant-for-melted-fuel-leaking-for-unknown-reason-24000000-bqliter-of-strontium-other-beta-emitters-video
Bloomberg, Jan. 20, 2014: Highly radioactive water was detected inside the No. 3 reactor building at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear was detected inside the No. 3 reactor building at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, Tepco said in yesterday’s statement. […] The latest leak threatens to undermine efforts by the company to distance itself from the March 2011 disaster […] Beta radiation levels of 24 million becquerels per liter were detected in the water from the first floor of the reactor building, the company said. The utility in December detected beta radiation levels of 57 million becquerels per liter in water beneath the same unit, [a Tepco spokesman] said. […] Ending radioactive water leaks along with groundwater and ocean contamination at the Fukushima plant may take more than five years, according to a report released by a government advisory body in December. Continue reading
Australia is letting down Pacific Islanders on Climate Change
But he and Pacific nations like Palau have won no favours from their big neighbour, Australia. Palau has publicly expressed disappointment with Australia’s and Canada’s climate change position.
He recently told Radio Australia the Pacific is disappointed about the Australian government’s moves to abolish the Climate Change Council and the Climate Change Authority, as well as the carbon tax.
Marshall Islands’ President Christopher Loeak says it’s not too late for climate action to save the Pacific http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-01-21/an-climate-change/5210462 Is it too late to save low-lying Pacific nations from being lost forever because of rising sea levels?
The President of Marshall Islands, Christopher Loeak, doesn’t think so and he’s been on a relentless campaign to get the world to listen to his message.
He does concede time is running out, but has been encouraged by news that a number of nations recently announced they’d signed up to the Majuro Declarationto cut emissions. “We were really happy that the United States agreed to join and also European Union and in the United States, Hawaii also has agreed to join,” he told Radio Australia. Continue reading
Unprecedented Arctic warmth- shown by ancient moss
Arctic warmth unprecedented in 44,000 years, reveals ancient moss
Using radiocarbon dating, new research in Geophysical Research Letters has calculated the age of relic moss samples that have been exposed by modern Arctic warming. Results show that temperatures in the Arctic are warmer than during any sustained period since the mosses were originally buried.
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/PressRelease/pressReleaseId-110147.html
Refuting James Hansen: Nuclear No Cure For Climate Change
Nuclear power is set to disappoint, again: Kemp By John Kemp Jan 21 (Reuters)….“The authors of this letter (and other nuclear energy proponents) are on the wrong track,” the NRDC wrote in a withering response.
“Given its massive capital costs, technical complexity, and international security concerns, nuclear power is clearly not a practical alternative,” they added (“Response to an Open Letter on the Future of Nuclear Power”, Nov. 5, 2013).
The NRDC wants policymakers to focus on energy efficiency and renewables such as wind and solar, and not become distracted by dreams of cheap, plentiful and clean nuclear energy. Continue reading
Solar energy microgrid viable for rural towns in Victoria
Australia’s micro-grid opportunity, Business Spectator, Tristan Edis, 21 Jan 14 A new report released today suggests that the improving economics of solar and battery technology mean that by 2020 it would be cost-effective for greenfield housing
What’s highly surprising is that the authors of the report suggest that it could be economically viable for some Victorian regional towns to move to self-contained solar micro-grids today.
The study was prepared by the Alternative Technology Association and the organisation Energy for the People, which is focused on developing community clean-energy power projects. It looked at three alternative Victorian locations for assessing the viability of stand-alone power solutions: the regional town of Bendigo; Werribee – a fringe suburb of Melbourne experiencing rapid greenfield housing estate growth; and inner urban Melbourne. Continue reading
Aboriginal Land Rights activists targeted by ASIO and NT cops
ASIO and NT cops spied on, meddled with careers of Territorians BY ALISON BEVEGE NT NEWS JANUARY 21, 2014 AUSTRALIA’S secret service spied on Territorians – including the NT News editor – files released under the Archives Act show……
Those targeted had spoken out against the Vietnam War, campaigned for Aboriginal land rights or opposed Indonesia’s brutal invasion and occupation of East Timor.
Their partners, friends and colleagues were followed, their phones tapped and mail was intercepted…….http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/asio-and-nt-cops-spied-on-meddled-with-careers-of-territorians/story-fnk1w5xx-1226806880023
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 