The Productivity Commission has warned of possible political interference in the investment decisions, and former treasurer Wayne Swan described it as a government “slush fund” operated by a board stacked in favour of the mining industry.
Bank calls for more transparency on Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility’s $5b loan scheme
‘More transparency needed’: Bank questions secrecy of $5b loan scheme, Newcastle Herald, 24 Aug 2017 A $5 billion infrastructure loan scheme derided as a secretive Turnbull government slush fund has attracted further criticism – this time from a major bank.
National Australia Bank – whose own industry is plagued by claims it is opaque and untrustworthy – has raised concerns that the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, a controversial government loan scheme designed to kickstart private sector investment in the north, lacks transparency.
NAB also warned that the fund was taking a “lender of last resort” approach that may not provide the economic shot-in-the-arm that Northern Australia requires.
The bank’s concern adds to a chorus of complaint that the much-vaunted infrastructure fund, which headlined the 2015 federal budget, is cloaked in secrecy, lacks governance and exposes taxpayers to a high risk of losing their money.
South Australia calls for Federal Govt loan for Port Augusta solar plant
Premier Jay Weatherill calls on Federal Government to provide $110m loan for $650m Port Augusta solar plant, Adam Langenberg, Luke Griffiths, The AdvertiserAugust 23, 2017 PREMIER Jay Weatherill has dared the Federal Government to block a $110 million loan banked on to finance Port Augusta’s $650 million solar thermal plant……
Mr Frydenberg was in Whyalla on Wednesday as he launched a $30 million battery storage facility on the Yorke Peninsula, as revealed by The Advertiser yesterday.
He said it would play an important role in securing South Australia’s electricity network.
Less than two months after the State Government announced its deal with US billionaire Elon Musk’s Tesla, Mr Frydenberg unveiled plans that would see the Federal Government’s Australian Renewable Energy Agency fund up to 40 per cent of a 30MW, 8MW/h battery.
Electranet will design and build the battery before leasing out its commercial operation to a yet-to-be-decided energy retailer.
To be located at Dalrymple — one of the electricity network’s “weak points”, according to Mr Frydenberg — it is expected to be connected to the grid by February 2018.
The Tesla battery, to be located in Jamestown, will be 100MW, 129MW/h.
“We don’t claim to have the biggest battery or the biggest system, what we do claim is to be putting in place practical, cost-effective, needed policy solutions and practical solutions to the challenges SA faces,” Mr Frydenberg said prior to presenting at the Global Maintenance Upper Spencer Gulf conference in Whyalla…….
In his speech, Mr Koutsantonis declared the Upper Spencer Gulf an economic participation region under the State Government’s industry participation policy.
Local businesses will now be given a 20 per cent weighting when vying for public project work.
“We have seen how successful this policy has been since it was implemented in northern Adelaide and now we want to replicate those achievements in the Upper Spencer Gulf,” he said. http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/premier-jay-weatherill-calls-on-federal-government-to-provide-110m-loan-for-650m-port-augusta-solar-plant/news-story/40c4bb6cffce77e1c2cf0f5816fd1334
Victoria’s smart renewable energy policy
Victorian government generates smart policy to drive surge in renewable energy, http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/victorian-government-generates-smart-policy-to-drive-surge-in-renewable-energy-20170823-gy2he1.html The transition from coal-generated electricity to renewable energy is inevitable and crucial. Science has demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that carbon emissions from coal and gas are a primary cause of dangerous global warming and climate change.One of the main financial burdens on Australian families and businesses in recent years has been the sharp increase in the price of electricity, which has been driven by a surge in gas prices, and, many contend, by over-investment in transmission infrastructure – poles and wires – by power companies. Another key reason is the lack of investment in renewable energy, which is becoming increasingly competitive even with the cheap coal that still provides most of our baseload electricity.
The main reason investment in renewable energy has slowed is political; a lack of policy consistency and the perplexing anti-renewables stance of former Coalition prime minister Tony Abbott undermined confidence by generating uncertainty. Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions rose in the March quarter by 1.6 per cent, the biggest rise in almost a decade, making it all the more difficult for the country to meet its international commitments.
So the Victorian government’s decision to provide some certainty is welcome, and should help lead to affordable, reliable renewable energy. The government is asking green energy companies to tender for a contract to supply 650 megawatts of power, which is sufficient to meet the demand of every household in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley. The move comes a month after the government announced new battery storages that can deliver four hours of power to two regional Victorian towns of 100,000 people, and two solar farms to power Melbourne’s entire tram network, the world’s biggest.
The measures are fundamental to achieving the state government’s renewable energy targets of 25 per cent by 2020 and 40 per cent by 2025. At the moment, about a 10th of the state’s power comes from renewable sources. The policy is all the more necessary following the recent closure of the Hazelwood coal-fired power station, which provided more than a fifth of Victoria’s electricity.
Enough renewable power for Victoria’s 4 biggest regional cities
Renewable energy boost to power Victoria’s four biggest regional cities, The Age, Adam Carey, 23 Aug 17, In a huge boost to Victoria’s electricity supply, renewable energy companies will compete to supply Victoria with 650 megawatts of power – enough for the energy needs of every household in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the Latrobe Valley.
The competitive “reverse auction” will be the biggest of its kind in Australia, as corporations tender for the contracts to power 389,000 households. This is expected to trigger investment of about $1.3 billion in renewable projects such as construction of wind and solar farms.
Expressions of interest will open in October.
The projects are critical to the government’s target to increase Victoria’s renewable energy level to 40 per cent by 2025.
The government will seek to lock in its renewable energy target – 25 per cent by 2020 and 40 per cent by 2025 – by tabling legislation today. Currently about 10 per cent of the state’s power needs are met with renewable sources.
Premier Daniel Andrews said he was confident the legislation would pass…….
Energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said modelling indicated households would save $30 a year on energy bills on average, and large companies would save $140,000 a year, over the life of the renewable energy target scheme.
“We know for a fact that more supply, in a pure economics 101 sense, means cheaper prices and that’s what we’ll be delivering,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“We are getting solar projects built, we’ve already got two wind farms under way … so the sooner we can get that in there, the sooner people will see that flow through their energy bills,” she said…..
Kane Thornton, chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, said the government’s move to legislate its “ambitious” 40 per cent target would give the renewable energy industry more confidence to invest in Victoria.
“It will deliver billions of dollars of investment and thousands of jobs into regional and rural parts of this state and help to put Victoria back on the map in terms of attracting investment back into this sector,” Mr Thornton said.
He predicted renewable energy would “ultimately replace coal-fired generation” in Victoria, although Ms D’Ambrosio said coal would continue to help power the state for “many years to come”…..http://www.theage.com.au/business/energy/renewable-energy-boost-to-power-victorias-four-biggest-regional-cities-20170822-gy22gs.html
25 August REneweconomy news
- 100% renewable energy for 139 nations detailed in new Stanford report
Mark Z. Jacobson and 26 of his colleagues have compiled a report that shows exactly how 139 nations could transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050 without throwing millions of people out of work.
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Australia urged to aim for 100% renewables by 2030sAs climate impacts mounts, there is a growing push for a 1.5°C target. This would mean reaching 100% renewable energy within 20 years. Australia could lead, and reap enormous economic benefits.
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Neoen may expand Vic solar farm to 126MW after tram tender winNeoen says it may treble size of its Nurmukah solar project off back of Victoria government tender win.
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Infigen eyes commercial and industrial sector for new renewablesInfigen Energy reports a jump in profit for FY2107, as the company continues its transformation into an “active energy markets participant.”
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Victoria leads, Federal government leans on energy transitionYesterday was an historic day for Victoria’s energy future. And there’s more good news on the way. Not that you would know it from listening to federal energy minister.
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AEMC suggests new body to decide on battery storage standardsAs industry rejects Standards Australia home battery ban proposal, AEMC calls for new body to govern standards for distributed energy market.
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Windlab to receive $10 million milestone success payment in respect of the Coopers Gap Wind FarmWindlab has become entitled to receive a milestone success payment of just over $10 million in respect of the Coopers Gap Wind Farm.
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Rethinking the grid: Changes in power sector are an opportunity, not a threatThe Department of Energy’s study on grid reliability and resilience offers an incomplete picture of our grid’s transformation.
North Korea’s angry response to Australia participating in USA- South Korea war games
North Korea fires back at ‘suicidal’ Australia over war games http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/north-korea-fires-back-at-suicidal-australia-over-war-games/news-story/de1d5835b92982ee2eee237da4e2b7cf, PRIMROSE RIORDAN, Political reporter, Canberra, @primroseriordan 22 Aug 17
North Korea has attacked Malcolm Turnbull for sending Australian Defence Force personnel to join US-led war games, describing it as a “suicidal act”.
After being singled out by the North Korean regime, the Prime Minister issued a statement late yesterday staring down threats against Australia.
“North Korea has shown it has no regard for the welfare of its own population, no regard for the security and good relations with its neighbours and no regard for international law,” he said.
“We call on all countries to redouble their efforts, including through implementation of agreed UN Security Council resolutions, to bring North Korea to its senses and end its reckless and dangerous threats to the peace of our region and the world.”
North Korea has warned Australia against further aggression in response to the government’s commitment to the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian War Games, which began yesterday.
“Not long after the Australian Prime Minister had stated that they would join in the aggressive moves of the US — even referring to ANZUS which exists in name only — the Australian military announced that they would dispatch their troops to the aggressive nuclear exercises of the US,” said a spokesman from North Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“This is a suicidal act of inviting disaster as it is an illustration of political immaturity unaware of the seriousness of the current situation.”
Defence Minister Marise Payne sent more than two dozen ADF members to join the 10-day war games between the US and South Korea.
Yesterday, defence analysts warned that Australia must “get used to” thuggish threats from the North Korean regime. The director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute, Euan Graham, said this would not be the last time Australia was threatened by Pyongyang, as Australia’s participation “matters” to the regime. Continue reading
Non nuclear production of medical radioisotopes st South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute
85% of ANSTO Lucas Heights isotope production is for Technetium 99. This can also be made in a cyclotron by using electricity – which makes NO Intermediate Level Waste & NO long lived LLW – thereby negating a national radioactive dump facility
Having the CRIC located on the same site as SAHMRI’s cyclotron will enable new shorter half-life compounds to be used in research. There are now several compounds being developed using the cyclotron for conditions such as dementia, cancer and cardiovascular disease which need to be tracked by advanced imaging machines.
State’s most advanced clinical imaging centre, worth $13m, opens at SAHMRI http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/states-most-advanced-clinical-imaging-centre-worth-13m-opens-at-sahmri/news-story/a20eb257edad98bb0597dd787aa6837b?nk=ba26857f63080120cbd5fc74c94d3959-1503458683, Brad Crouch, Medical Reporter, The Advertiser February 15, 2017 THE growing South Australian Health and Biomedical Precinct takes another step forward today with the opening of the most advanced clinical imaging centre in the state.
The $13 million Clinical and Research Imaging Centre at the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute has been established in partnership with Dr Jones and Partners Medical Imaging.
Space on the ground level of the SAHMRI building on North Terrace has become a Dr Jones & Partners clinic, with dedicated time allocated to SAHMRI researchers for clinical research without compromising the scheduling of patient treatments.
State-of-the-art imaging equipment in the centre includes CT, MRI and PET/CT platforms.
Officials say the arrangement is moving SAHMRI in a new direction of commercialisation with industry partners to create a facility to benefit researchers with the aim of improving the treatment and diagnosis of patients. Continue reading
Traditional Owners fighting Adani undeterred by Qld Court outcome
“Where there’s mining there is no justice” http://wanganjagalingou.com.au/traditional-owners-fighting-adani-undeterred-by-qld-court-outcome/
“Responding to a Supreme Court decision in Brisbane today, Traditional Owners fighting Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine say that yet again the Queensland Government and Adani have benefited from laws designed to suppress Aboriginal peoples’ rights.
“The Queensland Court of Appeal today upheld an earlier decision that the Queensland Minister for Mines did not have to afford Wangan and Jagalingou people natural justice when he issued the mining leases for Adani’s Carmichael Mine. The Wangan and Jagalingou Traditional Owners Council
is now seeking legal advice on grounds to appeal to the High Court.
“Senior spokesperson for the W&J Traditional Owners Council, Adrian Burragubba, says,
““Where there’s mining there’s no justice for Traditional Owners. The mineral resources regime so often puts massive barriers in the way of Traditional Owners and the wider community which opposes coal mining in Queensland.
““We appealed the decision of Queensland Mines Minister, Anthony Lynham MP, to issue leases over our country to Adani, only to find our common law right to natural justice is of little worth. We have always aimed higher than this in pursuit of our rights. We are not deterred by today’s outcome.
““The Court decision has let the Minister get away with sacrificing our heritage and sacred places to promote his own political interests.
““Instead of standing up for our rights in the lands and water of our ancestors, in April 2016 the Queensland Government preferred not to wait for our fight to be resolved in the Federal Court court and instead issued leases to Adani. …
““As Traditional Owners we wait more than a decade for our native title claim to be dealt with, while Adani can get a lease quickly, without our consent and with no money for its project.
““We have clearly and unambiguously rejected a land use deal with this shyster company, yet they push on. … ““We are not done yet. We will exhaust all legal avenues in our fight to for our rights and to protect our country. … “We have further litigation challenging their fake ‘land use agreement’ in the Court, with a hearing date set for March 2018.
““There will be no surrender. … ”, Mr Burragubba concluded.”
Continue reading W&J’s statement here:
http://wanganjagalingou.com.au/traditional-owners-fighting-adani-undeterred-by-qld-court-outcome/
23 August More REneweconomy news
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Origin Energy faces three shareholder resolutions on climateCoordinated by environmental finance group Market Forces, shareholders in Origin Energy have filed a series of resolutions with the oil and gas major.
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Graph of Day: How solar tower and storage sailed through eclipseMurdoch media’s “Monkey’s uncle” thinks solar towers and storage are intermittent. But its performance during eclipse shows otherwise.
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CEFC backs waste management sector with $90m Cleanaway loanCEFC extends $90m corporate loan to Cleanaway, its first major transaction with a leading Australian waste management company.
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30MW battery to create renewables-based mini grid in South Australia
http://reneweconomy.com.au/30mw-battery-to-create-renewables-based-mini-grid-in-south-australia-63304/, By Giles Parkinson on 23 August 2017 The Australian Renewable Energy Agency says it is providing $12 million towards the $30 million cost of a major battery storage installation to be located on the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia and close to the Wattle Point wind farm.
The 30MW/8MWh large scale battery will deliver both network services and market services, and is the result of a lengthy study begun in 2014 called ESCRI (Energy Storage for Commercial Renewable Integration) by local grid operator ElectraNet, Worley Parsons and AGL.
It is designed principally to provide fast frequency response and help balance the local network, but it will also help reduce congestion on the Heywood interconnector with Victoria, because its placement means more power can be transported over the line. This should relieve constraints imposed by the market operator.
It will also have the ability to “island” the local network – pairing with the local 90MW Wattle Point wind farm and local rooftop solar PV as a local micro-grid to ensure grid security and so keep the lights on in case the network failures elsewhere in the state.
The battery is due to be in operation by February, 2018, adding to the Tesla big battery which is due to be in place by December 1, up to 100MW of demand response, and emergency back-up generators.
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht says having a series of mini-grids across the state would help ensure grid security. If more were added, “it means over the longer term that state wide blackouts will be a think of the past,” he told Reneweconomy.
Indeed, AGL – which will operate the battery – said last year after the state-wide blackout that renewable-based micro-grids were the best way to ensure grid security. Continue reading
23 August REneweconomy news
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BOC to collaborate with CSIRO on revolutionary $3.4m hydrogen projectBOC will support CSIRO during its $3.4 million ammonia to hydrogen cracking and membrane purification project that is set to revolutionise the global supply chain for hydrogen.
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Know your NEM: Wind output and “baseload” renewablesAre Australia’s wind farms living up to expectations? Why the market preferred Origin’s results to AGL’s; and a dive into the Windlab prospectus and its “busload” wind and solar plant.
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Battery install standard needs to change, not be thrown on scrapheapChanges to the draft Australian Standard for installing home battery units are essential, but it is also important to ensure appropriate technical standards are in place to ensure consumers are protected, the Clean Energy Council said today.
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Victoria to unveil wind and solar tenders in push for 40% renewablesMajor renewable energy tender announcements expected from Victoria, along with more details of state renewable energy target architecture.
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California grid survives solar eclipse, as Australia prepares for 2028California’s solar-centric grid manages eclipse without a hitch. In Australia, preparations already being made for 2028 eclipse.
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Super cheap solar – and why that’s good for Australia’s mining sectorSolar pioneer Martin Green says solar PV will fall to $US10/MWh within a few years, but this will be good news for Australia’s mining industry because the fall in Australia’s thermal coal exports will be offset by a factor of more than 5 by demand for other resources.
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AEMC backs down on rooftop “solar tax” proposalEnergy market rule maker backs down on proposal to charge solar households to export excess PV generation back to the grid.
- Why solar towers and storage plants will reshape energy markets,
More details emerge of the contract for the Port Augusta solar tower and storage project, and why it means huge change for energy markets, and a shift of focus from “base-load” fossil fuel to clean, flexible capacity built around “base-cost” renewables.
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“Unaccredited” rooftop solar installer nabbed by Clean Energy RegulatorClean Energy Regulator continues rooftop solar crack-down, this time taking action against “unaccredited” individual installer.
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Aurora: What you should know about Port Augusta’s solar power-towerMuch has been written about the $650m Aurora project, and I set out here to collect together what is known and fill in some of the gaps.
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By train or by ship, transporting coal causes troubleDerailment of 30 coal wagons is just latest in long list of coal transport accidents which highlight risks from shipping fossil fuels long distances to markets.
South Australian govt’s pro nuclear propaganda campaign was expensive
Agency formed to push nuclear waste dump to SA spent $7.6 million http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/agency-formed-to-push-nuclear-waste-dump-to-sa-spent-76-million/news-story/34c2ed1ade9a24c8d195ecf32f45709d 20 Aug 17, Miles Kemp,
THE taxpayer has been handed a “catering” bill that is the equivalent of 45,000 cups of coffee, for a talkfest on nuclear energy. The catering bill for the so-called “Nuclear Fuel Cycle Royal Commission Consultation and Response Agency” was $182,580.
Dryness of vegetation in Sydney area adds risk to coming bushfire season
Dry winter primes Sydney Basin for early start of bushfire season The Conversation, Matthias Boer, Associate Professor, Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Postdoctoral research fellow, University of Technology Sydney. Professor, Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires, University of Wollongong, August 21, 2017 It might feel like the depths of winter, but Australian fire services are preparing for an early start to the bushfire season. Sydney has been covered with smoke from hazard reduction burns, and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service has forecast a “horrific” season.
Predicting the severity of a bushfire season isn’t easy, and – much like the near-annual announcements of the “worst flu season on record” – repeated warnings can diminish their urgency.
However, new modelling that combines Bureau of Meteorology data with NASA satellite imaging has found that record-setting July warmth and low rainfall have created conditions very similar to 2013, when highly destructive bushfires burned across NSW and Victoria.
Crucially, this research has found we’re approaching a crucial dryness threshold, past which fires are historically far more dangerous……..https://theconversation.com/dry-winter-primes-sydney-basin-for-early-start-of-bushfire-season-82641?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20August%2021%202017%20-%2081136562&utm_content=Latest%
Malcolm Turnbull in Tasmania – praising wind and solar power!
Turnbull trumpets Tasmania’s ability to lead the country in renewable energy, ETHAN JAMES, AAP, Mercury, August 18, 2017 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has trumpeted Tasmania’s ability to lead the nation in renewable energy at the state’s Liberal Party council meeting.Mr Turnbull today addressed 250 delegates at the annual conference in Launceston, the party’s final gathering before a state election in March. He praised Liberal Premier Will Hodgman’s economic management in a speech that touched on energy, terrorism and mental health.
Community energy in Canberra – backing a solar energy future
Investing in a brighter energy future for Australia http://www.examiner.com.au/story/4860382/investing-in-a-brighter-energy-future-for-australia/?cs=97, 20 Aug 2017, We’re backers, not bystanders. Like many, we’re concerned about climate change – and want to play our part. That’s why we’re among the 867 people who invested in what will be Australia’s largest, community-owned solar farm.
SolarShare is building its flagship project, a one-megawatt solar farm that shares land with a vineyard, in the Majura Valley in Canberra.
It’s the first of hopefully many solar farms and projects owned by the community.
SolarShare has been funded by people like us, who will receive a good return on our initial investment as the electricity it generates from the sun is sold. At the same time, the farm will power 260 homes, reducing our reliance on polluting fossil fuels.
While governments can be slow to act, individuals, communities and businesses across Australia are finding their own solutions.
The transition to renewable energy has started – and it’s exciting. But it needs to happen faster if we are to leave this place better, cleaner and safer for our grandchildren. None of us can do everything, but we can all do something.
As soon as we could, we put solar panels on our roof making our house somewhat of a novelty in the neighbourhood. These days, solar covers 21 per cent of Australia’s suitable rooftops.
A couple months ago we bought an electric car, which we fuel for free with the rooftop panels. We were amazed to see that India, Britain, France and Norway have announced plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
Until governments pick up the pace, individuals will have to work together. Being part of a larger project, like a community solar farm, is a great way to be part of an exciting new vision. David and Lainie Shorthouse are SolarShare investors, and Canberra residents.
1 This month.
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes – A good documentary on Chernobyl on SBS available On Demand for the next 3 weeks– https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-program/chernobyl-the-lost-tapes/235274195556
19 May – Webinar- Webinar: No Nuclear Weapons in Australia
Start: 2026-05-19 18:00:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
End: 2026-05-19 19:30:00 UTC Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney (GMT+10:00)
20 May – Webinar – The dangerous world of AUKUS, US, military occupation and suppression of dissent
National Webinar, 20th May, 2026, 6.30pm AEST. Confronting laws restricting/suppressing protest speech and action
Speakers: Former Sen. Rex Patrick, Lawyer Nick Hanna ,Arthur Rorris ,Jorgen Doyle, Sen David Shoebbridge,
Facilitator Kelley Tranter.
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 