Rooftop solar taking over in South Australia – the test State for Renewable Energy
Rooftop solar to cut total grid demand to zero in South Australia, 
REneweconomy By Giles Parkinson on 18 June 2015 See also Rooftop solar to overtake coal capacity before 2030
The Australian Energy Market Operator predicts that the growing uptake of rooftop solar by homes and businesses will reduce grid demand in South Australia on certain occasions to zero by 2023, highlighting the rapid change in the nature of energy markets, and the growing shift from centralised baseload generation.
The predictions from AEMO came in its 2015 National Electricity Forecasting Report, released on 
Thursday. It says that the near 575MW of rooftop solar is already accounting for one-third of total grid demand on certain days in the state.
But within a decade this total could treble, pushing minimum demand required from the grid in the whole state to below 0MW (zero) on some occasions in 2023-24, and for several hours at a time by 2024/25 – when AEMO expects 1864MW of rooftop solar.
It says zero demand from the grid could last from 11.30am to 2.30pm local time on some days………..
South Australia will be a test case for Australia, and indeed the world, because of its high level of “variable renewables” such as wind and solar in its energy mix. Continue reading
New White Paper on Northern Australia might undermine Indigenous land rights
Don’t use northern development as ‘Trojan Horse’ to undermine Indigenous land rights, Noel Pearson warns, ABC News By political reporter Anna Henderson, 19 June 15 Influential Cape York Indigenous representative Noel Pearson has warned that development of the north must not be used as a “Trojan Horse” to undermine Indigenous land rights.
The Federal Government has unveiled the northern Australia white paper, a blueprint for policy ideas to develop the sparsely populated region and capitalise on lucrative resources.
The white paper included a section on simplifying land arrangements and a commitment that Indigenous Australians should have the “same opportunities as other Australians to leverage their land assets and generate wealth”.
It also said the Federal Government aimed to have all current native title claims finalised within a decade. Mr Pearson — who attended the Cairns launch of the policy — said the white paper’s reference to expediting native title claims was “certainly welcome”.
“They’re good words,” he said. But he said there have always been concerns that state, territory and federal governments may use the policy to erode progress in the land rights campaign.
The Aboriginal leader also said the policy would not achieve anything if land tenure issues were not addressed…….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-19/noel-pearson-northern-development-indigenous-land-rights/6558842
South Australia’s Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) ‘determined’ not to fold
Environmental Defenders Office NT to stay open; other jurisdictions enter ‘caretaker’ mode following funding cuts 105.7 ABC Darwin By Emilia Terzon “…. It’s a difficult time but we’re determined to stay open. We will not fold. We will stay open. Melissa Ballantyne, principal lawyer at EDO South Australia
In South Australia, the EDO office is preparing to enter caretaker mode on June 30. Melissa Ballantyne, the principal lawyer at EDO SA for nearly 10 years, said the office had no choice but to “downsize services”, but is still determined to find a benefactor or philanthropic funding.
“It’s a difficult time but we’re determined to stay open. We will not fold. We will stay open,” Ms Ballantyne said.
Caretaker mode will see the EDO SA office managed by an employed office coordinator one day a week, and will provide legal advice from volunteer lawyers. “It means we’ll be offering a very basic service in terms of lawyers providing advice,” Ms Ballantyne said.
Ms Ballantyne said EDO SA was the only environmental legal centre of its kind in the state, providing advice on everything from mining on Aboriginal land through to the controversial Olympic Dam expansion in recent years. “Since the funding cuts, it’s been difficult to do much casework,” Ms Ballantyne said. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-11/edo-nt-to-stay-open-despite-funing-cuts/6558190
Independent Senators Glenn Lazarus and Ricky Muir support Renewable Energy
Glenn Lazarus accuses Government, Labor of ‘dirty deal’ over renewable energy target, ABC News By political correspondent Louise Yaxley ,19 June 15 Independent Queensland senator Glenn Lazarus has accused the Government and Labor of doing a “dirty deal” to reduce the renewable energy target.
The Coalition and Labor have agreed to a new target for renewable energy of 33,000 gigawatt hours down from the existing target of 41,000.
Senator Lazarus supports the higher target. “I cannot and will not be part of this dirty deal that reduces Australia’s renewable energy target (RET) and our country’s commitment to the renewable energy sector,” he told the Senate. “If the Abbott Government and the Opposition are successful in reducing Australia’s renewable energy target, Australia will become the first country in the world to reduce a RET. “I cannot and will not be part of this despicable act.”
Senator Lazarus said the Abbott Government’s reluctance to commit to the RET of 41,000 eroded confidence in the sector, which in turn caused a significant and sharp downturn of investment.
“I can only assume that political donations being made by rich, multi-national mining companies to the pockets of the Coalition is affecting the Federal Government’s decision making,” he said.
Victorian Ricky Muir was a supporter of the higher target, but said the issue dragged on so long while the two big parties negotiated that it had become much harder to achieve that figure. He is now backing the lower target Labor and the Coalition eventually agreed on. “Let’s get it through and restore investor confidence to an industry that employs thousands of people both in my state of Victoria and throughout Australia,” he told the Senate.”http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-18/glenn-lazarus-accuses-government-labor-of-dirty-ret-deal/6554764
Northern Territory’s Environmental Defenders Office will stay open, despite federal funding cut
Environmental Defenders Office NT to stay open; other jurisdictions enter ‘caretaker’ mode following funding cuts 105.7 ABC Darwin By Emilia Terzon The Northern Territory wing of the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) will stay open another year despite Federal Government funding cuts, after holding an Indigenous art auction and receiving an emergency grant.
The news comes as EDOs in other jurisdictions enter caretaker mode, following the loss of $10 million in funding for the nationwide network of environment-focused legal centres.
EDO NT lost $450,000 in funding following a 2013 announcement that EDOs across the country would be completely defunded by July 1, 2015.
Offices in northern Queensland and South Australia are now entering caretaker mode, while the Western Australia office also had its State Government funding entirely withdrawn last month. Continue reading
Solar panels with battery storage: Western Australia’s White Gum Valley project
Green energy for White Gum Valley development ‘an Australian first’, to benefit residents and investors, ABC News By Kathryn Diss, 19 June 15 A new residential complex south of Perth will feature solar panels and battery storage technology, providing financial benefits for tenants and investors.
Landcorp’s White Gum Valley project will include apartments, townhouses, maisonettes and single home sites, housing more than 150 people on the former Kim Beazley school site.
The WA Government said the use of renewable energy technology would cut energy and water bills by about $1,200 a year for tenants in the complex, which will feature a demonstration housing project managed as a strata development………
Overcoming barriers to solar technology Ms Green said the new business model overcomes several barriers which have prevented solar technology from taking off on strata developments.
“Barriers include getting approvals from Western Power, designing the system so that it is compliant with strata laws is really important, and also designing a system which is going to charge no more than what [residents] would pay from Synergy,” she said.
What has been designed here is something that should be affordable to the Gen Y marketplace
Ms Green said the project would be the focus of a four-year study at Curtin University into low carbon living, and is confident it will succeed.
“People are willing to buy apartments that perhaps cost a bit more, but the pay-off is they don’t pay the electricity bill,” Ms Green said………http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-17/green-energy-for-new-white-gum-valley-residents/6553896
The dangerous flaw in the Trans Pacific Partnership
Investor-State Dispute Settlement (I.S.D.S.)-style provisions may once have made sense. But they’re now outdated and unnecessary. And including them in trade agreements undermines the broader case for free trade, by making it look like exactly what people fear—a system designed to put corporate interests above public ones.
Trade-Agreement Troubles, MULTUM NON MULTA BY JAMES SUROWIECKI, 19 June 15, In 2012, Australia implemented tough anti-tobacco regulations, requiring that all cigarettes be sold in plain, logo-free brown packages dominated by health warnings. Philip Morris Asia filed suit, claiming that this violated its intellectual-property rights and would damage its investments. The company sued Australia in domestic court and lost. But it had another card to play. In 1993, Australia had signed a free-trade agreement with Hong Kong, where Philip Morris Asia is based. That agreement included provisions protecting foreign investors from unfair treatment. So the company sued under that deal, claiming that the new law violated the investor-protection provisions. It asked for the regulations to be discontinued, and for billions in compensation.
The case has yet to be decided, but the concerns it raises help explain President Obama’s embarrassing setback last week, when the House failed to give him fast-track authority over one of two big trade agreements that had been envisaged as a key part of his legacy. Both agreements—the Trans-Pacific Partnership, with eleven Asian and Pacific countries, and an agreement with Europe called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership—include provisions very like the ones at the heart of Australia’s fight with Big Tobacco. Known as Investor-State Dispute Settlement (or I.S.D.S.) provisions, they typically allow foreign investors to sue governments when they feel they have not received “fair or equitable treatment,” and to have their cases heard not by a domestic court but by an international arbitration tribunal made up of three lawyers.
These provisions have been opposed by an unusual coalition of progressives and conservatives, who contend that they will let multinationals override government policy, and, as Senator Elizabeth Warren put it, “undermine U.S. sovereignty.”………. Continue reading
100% renewable energy will power Canberra’s light rail
Canberra light rail to run on 100pc renewable energy, Capital Metro Minister says, ABC News 20 June 15 Stage one of Canberra’s light rail network will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, according to Capital Metro Minister Simon Corbell.
Mr Corbell said the multi-million-dollar transport project, linking Civic to Gungahlin in Canberra’s north, provided a significant opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the territory…….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-20/light-rail-network-to-run-on-100-per-cent-renewable-energy/6560498
Australia’s Wind Farm Commissioner to investigate a Non Disease!
This Public Health Expert Has A Hilarious Response To Our New National Windfarm Commissioner He’s not a fan. Jun. 18, 2015, Mark Di Stefano BuzzFeed News Report, Australia
Australia’s national fear of windfarms is being taken up a notch, with reports the government will appoint a “national windfarm commissioner” to deal with health complaints caused by wind turbines.
“This will be a world first commissioner for a non-disease. It’s like having a commissioner into reports of leprechauns,” said Sydney University’s Professor Simon Chapman.
“Is it going to be somebody who is qualified to diagnose medical issues? If so, they’re going to have a hard time doing their job.”Guardian Australia revealed the government will appoint the commissioner as part of a deal with cross-bench MPs on renewable energy.
It comes just a week after prime minister Tony Abbott said he acknowledged the health effects of wind turbines and described wind farms as “visually awful”.
Professor Chapman is from the school of public health at the University of Sydney and has published nearly 500 articles in peer reviewed journals. He echoed the thoughts of scientist Dr Karl Kruszelnicki who called the comments embarrassing.
“Wind turbine syndrome has never been diagnosed anywhere in the world. There is no medical case report of it anywhere in the world,” said Professor Chapman. “If you trace it back it goes back to not liking wind turbines, or people who have classic problems like sleep problems and they are trying to attribute their condition to something.”……http://www.buzzfeed.com/markdistefano/commissioner-for-wind#.wjVll9e1o
Abbott deliberately slowing debate, to undermine wind energy – Senator Milne
Glenn Lazarus accuses Government, Labor of ‘dirty deal’ over renewable energy target, ABC News By political correspondent Louise Yaxley ,19 June 15
“……Greens senator Christine Milne said it would not mean certainty. “You just have to look at the Prime Minister’s words,” she said. “He said that the reason the RET is 33,000 gigawatt hours is not that he wants to give certainty to the renewable energy industry.
“No. It is 33,000 gigawatt hours because he could not get it any lower. “That is as low as he could go in this Senate, but he will go lower if he can.
“In terms of whether it means more wind turbines, what did the Prime Minister say? He can’t stand them. There are too many of them. He does not want to see any more of them. But he spoke to the loggers at their dinner and said he thinks they are marvellous; they do a great job.
Slow debate attempting to undermine wind: Milne Senator Milne also accused the Government of slowing down debate on the bill to implement the new target.
“I’ll tell you why — it’s because out in the back rooms the crossbenchers are out there trying to stitch up an even worse deal with the Government,” she told the Upper House. “No doubt it’s an attempt to undermine wind.” Continue reading
Aboriginal people distrust new Northern Australia white paper – with good reason
“the conversation should be driven by Aboriginal people, not by the government, and the “devil was in the detail”. “We’ve got to be careful when we look at these words in the white paper that they’re not code for winding back Aboriginal informed consent in those property rights,”
Northern Australia white paper: native title proposals met with distrust, Guardian, Helen Davidson 20 June 15 ‘It’s disturbing to suggest that Aboriginal people have either got to surrender their native title or extinguish it to be able to have … a typical western form of title,’ Indigenous leader Joe Morrison says. Changes to native title flagged in the federal government’s white paper on northern Australia are being met with reserved distrust by Indigenous council leaders.
The $1.2bn plan to tap the potential of the north was released on Thursday and included proposals to “simplify” land arrangements in the region, where large sections of land are held under native title or by Indigenous groups. Continue reading
Developing North Australia – at the expense of Aboriginal land rights?
If governments want to work in a “full partnership” with Aboriginal people in The North then they must stop treating their interests in land as something to be dealt with for the convenience of those governments and the powerful interests behind them.Abbott’s white paper for the black tropics: Boon or boondoggle? Crikey,
BOB GOSFORD | JUN 19, 2015 “………Aboriginal people are the fastest-growing demographic, at current rates of population growth, half of the North’s population will be blackfellows by 2050.
So how are Aboriginal interests treated in Developing North Australia? This is the ‘horrid’ part. At page 4 of Developing North Australia we are told that:
Developing the north will need to be done in full partnership with Indigenous Australians, with a focus on creating opportunities through education, job creation and economic development. These opportunities for Indigenous Australians will contribute to achieving the objectives of the Government’s Indigenous Advancement Strategy.
Noble sentiments but a reliance on the vexed Indigenous Advancement Strategy rings out some very loud warning bells. The first chapter is entitled “Simpler Land Arrangements to Support Investment” and some elements of the plan are welcome–particularly the fast-tracking of outstanding native title claims for resolution within the next ten years, increased funding for native title representative bodies and modest increased support for indigenous ranger groups and pastoral land use pilot projects. A streamlining of the needlessly complex native title Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUA) processes, which should be simplified to resemble the standard lease arrangements used widely by the NT land councils, is also welcome.
Overall though, the approach to Aboriginal land interests in Developing North Australia appears very much to be one of “you’ve got something and we want it back.”
This is particularly apparent in the emphasis on “township leasing” that will see control of Aboriginal land in townships–by far the most commercially valuable land in the Aboriginal estate–controlled of a Commonwealth bureaucracy and measures to “cut red tape” around hard-won cultural heritage protections. The old saw of “Aboriginal home ownership”–creating housing markets in communities largely reliant on welfare income and where no market exists–also gets a run. Continue reading
Senator Jacqui Lambie delights the Abbott govt, with her pro nuclear and anti-climate action call
Coalition applauds Lambie’s climate denying, pro-nuclear rant http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/coalition-applauds-lambies-climate-denying-pro-nuclear-rant-71184 By Giles Parkinson on 17 June 2015
The speech from Lambie was made in debate over the proposal to cut the renewable energy target to 
33,000GWh from 41,000GWh. Lambie said it was excellent to cut the target, because renewable energy (other than hydro) could not support an industrialised economy.
Instead, she said, the only way for “cheap, decarbonised” power, was to push for nuclear energy. ”We have got to become world leaders in nuclear,” Lambie said.“You are worse than deluded. You are dangerously deluded … and you should be locked up, for helping enemies destroy our nation – if you think that wind energy will solve problems,” Lambie said. Continue reading
Minerals Council of Australia seem to be ignorant of basic economics
Dennis Matthews, 19 June 15 Support by the Minerals Council of Australia for fossil fuels comes as no surprise, nor does their apparent ignorance of the difference between the Conservation Council of SA (CCSA) and the (Australian) Conservation Foundation (ACF) but it is of concern that they seem to be ignorant of basic economics (The Advertiser, 18/6/15).
Rooftop solar electricity has gone from strength to strength in a classic case of increased demand leading to decreased price. All solar electricity needed was the ability to compete with entrenched fossil fuels. This was done through the Renewable Energy Target , which was an acknowledgement that fossil fuels had pollution derived hidden costs.
The worldwide acknowledgement of these hidden costs is now putting fossil fueled power stations on the endangered list, especially in countries that have “developed” by ignoring the cost of pollution.
Similar advances can be made by addressing other aspects of electricity demand, such as solar hot water or more energy efficient buildings.
ANZ leads big four bank exposure to fossil fuel industry
A new report finds that Australia’s big four banks have almost $37 billion in loan exposures to the fossil fuel sector.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-18/anz-leads-big-four-bank-exposure-to-fossil-fuels/6556330
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