Premier Jay Weatherill says that South Australia’s election will be a referendum on renewables

Weatherill: Why state election will be referendum on renewables, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson on 22 February 2018

South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill might not be able to see much daylight between his Labor Party and the rival Liberals and SA Best, but he’s certainly making sure there is a big difference between his energy policy and those of the Opposition and the upstart party of Nick Xenophon.

Over the past few weeks, before and since the start of the official election campaign, Weatherill has been trotting out almost daily announcements about significant new investments and new targets for renewable energy and energy storage in the state.

It was capped this week with his world-leading 75 per cent renewables target by 2025, the Australia-first “renewable storage” target of 750MW, Australia’s first battery manufacturing plant, to be built by Germany’s sonnen, and any number of individual renewable and storage projects.

There is good reason for this. Renewable energy, according to the polls, is a lot more popular than the Labor government, struggling under the burden of 16 years in power and about an even bet with the Liberals, with Xenophon the wild-card.

…….Weatherill insists the pursuit of renewable energy has been a success. The Australian Energy Market Operator, having “dropped the ball” is now managing the system properly (new CEO Audrey Zibelman has been a “breath of fresh air”, he says), and renewables have not been the cause of any outages.

“What we have demonstrated is that despite having 48.9 per cent renewable energy, we haven’t had any reliability issues that caused outages because of the size of our renewable energy,” Weatherill says

The blackouts in September 2016, and in February last year, were caused by major weather events and failures in the National Energy Market, the latter when “perfectly good supply” (a major unit at the Pelican Point gas generator) was not switched on because of “the way the market works.”

That prompted the SA government to intervene, building its own emergency back-up, and launching a series of initiatives that has seen the world’s biggest lithium-ion battery built by Tesla, and the world’s biggest solar tower with molten salt storage due in 2020.

This has been accompanied by a series of investments and studies in battery storage, pumped hydro and hydrogen energy projects, along with virtual power plants and micro-grids.

And the Tesla big battery, next to the Hornsdale wind farm, is already having an impact, particularly in markets that provide network services known as FCAS (Frequency Control and Ancillary Services).

“The Tesla big battery is already smashing the FCAS market, and we will get fantastic benefits from not being ripped of by the existing generators for those FCAS services,” Weatherill says.

………Labor’s 75 per cent renewable energy target compares to the Liberals pledge to can any state-based initiative, even though both have programs to encourage battery storage in households.

Xenophon’s SA Best is only now starting to roll out its policy proposals, which include creating a new “not-for-profit” retailer, and a tender for 150MW of “dispatchable” renewables.

Weatherill is hopeful Labor can continue without having to strike a deal with Xenophon’s SA Best, but says he is confident, if he must, in being able to convince Xenophon to come on board with Labor’s energy policy, notwithstanding Xenophon’s support of anti-wind campaigns in the past.

“I think I can persuade Nick that this is an appropriate future for South Australia,” he says. “I hope to get there on my lonesome without a coalition. If we do (need to strike a deal), I won’t be compromised on this, because it is critical for the future of the state.”…….http://reneweconomy.com.au/weatherill-why-state-election-will-be-referendum-on-renewables-47132/

1.This month

For international news go to https://nuclear-news.net/

Read the brief summaries of submissions – 55 anti-nuclear, 41 pro nuclear (13 confidential) , with links to each full submission published on this Antinuclear website.

The Senate Inquiry on Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia. has now 109 submissions published

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Niepraschk, Anica. (Submission No 29) Anica Niepraschk calls on the government to dismiss the Hawker and Kimba site nominations for nuclear dumping. Ms Niepraschk investigated international processes for site selection, finding that co-location with an existing nuclear facility [i.e. Lucas Heights] is the best option. She questions the genuineness of the community consultation, emphasises the opposition of indigenous people. In her attached report, she points out the undemocratic nature of the National Radioactive Waste Management Project (NRWMP) selecting sites in States, despite all States having laws prohibiting this
Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association (ATLA).(No 42) Adnyamathanha Traditional Land Association (ATLA) is the peak body for all matters relating to land, culture, heritage, language and native title for Adnyamathanha people. ATLA has consistently and publicly opposed the dump plan and several times voted against it. Primarily, ATLA opposed the dump because it would destroy the environment and with that the cultural and spiritual values of their people. ATLA is in partnership with IBA to purchase the Wilpena Pound Resort. (And this is an argument that might more readily be understood by stupid white males). The Flinders Ranges, a world-class destination of beauty – will be ruined as a tourist destination, and employing mainly Aboriginal people, if the area becomes the place for a radioactive waste dump. Indigenous opposition to the plan has been disregarded: ATLA was not even approached until the project entered phase 2. The government has suspended federal environmental and Aboriginal heritage protections. The process is headed for the Federal government overriding the Aboriginal Heritage Act of South Australia.
Greg Bannon (sub no 85) demolishes the case for Kimba/Hawker nuclear waste dump, in a trenchant Submission. He backs up his argument with references, in 13 attachments. Here I will merely quote some important points: “This is a National issue and a National problem. Small, remote communities, whether at Kimba, the Flinders Ranges or anywhere else, should never be expected to make the decision alone to accept the toxic by-products of one industry’s lifetime production.” “Nuclear Medicine: It was impressed on the community that a primary reason for the NRWMF is the need to dispose of Australia’s radioactive medical waste. DIIS is the only official source of information, some of which implies that procedures such as CAT scans, X-Rays, and cancer treatments require the use of radioactive isotopes. Plain scans, X-Rays and a vast majority of cancer treatments do not use such isotopes.” “It is a genuine and valid concern that ILRW may become stranded at this facility for any number of reasons.”“ILRW has been the “elephant in the room” from the Day 1 of this process. The emphasis has been on Low Level Radioactive Waste and, even today, people in our community say “it is a low level waste dump”.Bannon gives reasons – flooding, seimic activity – why Barndioota should never have made it to the short list
Fergusson, Dave. A Quorn resident disgusted (No 106) at the hypocritical nuclear waste dump site process by Dept of Industry, Innovation and Science. In a refreshingly personal story, Fergusson lambasts the land nomination of Wallerberdina Station by Ex-Senator Mr Grant Chapman. He exposes the hypocritical sales pitch by the Dept to an uninformed rural community. Fergusson was evicted from Hawker Community Development Board (HCDB)and Barndioota consultative Committee (BCC) meetings – for asking difficult questions, and for being an outsider – a Quorn resident. He exposes the hypocrisy of promises about jobs created by the nuclear waste dumping

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EVENTS

August 5 – 2 Sept – Western Australia – WALKATJURRA WALKABOUT

August 6 – Melbourne – Hiroshima Day event “Banning nuclear weapons… Australia must act!”

August 9 – Adelaide –Campaign Launch: Disarm SA Universities – disconnect them from weapons industry Exeter Hotel 246 Rundle Street, Adelaide, South Australia 5000

September 11-Perth – PROJECTIONS at PARLIAMENT

September – Nobel Peace Ride

See our page: Submissions on Radioactive Waste Code 2018/ Submissions published by ARPANSA are overwhelmingly critical, and in opposition to the Federal nuclear dump plan for rural South Australia. [not to be confused with the current SENATE INQUIRY Selection process for a national radioactive waste management facility in South Australia.]

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PETITIONS

Online Open letter requesting ACTION to enforce South Australia’s law against nuclear waste dumping. http://petition.dyndns.org/

Say no to the federal plan to dump and store nuclear waste in SA.

Don’t Let Frydenberg approve Yeelirrie uranium mine or extinction!

No Nuclear Bundabunda at Brewarrina – bad poison [SIGN THE PETITION]

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