Battery storage of energy poised to increase renewable energy systems, especially in remote areas
the way the world generates electricity and delivers it to customers is undergoing fundamental change, be it towards smart grids or green grids, and scalable energy storage solutions, such as batteries, will be a key part of the industry in the future.
Redflow is one of only a handful of manufacturers of “flow” batteries, which Winter says are better able to manage long-term storage than lithium ion or other battery standards…..
Energy storage group Redflow works to recharge batteries BY: GILES PARKINSON The Australian July 20, 2012 WHEN Brisbane-based battery storage developer Redflow listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in November 2010, it quickly became a market darling: the prospect of a cost-effective battery in a market increasingly hungry for storage capacity to manage demand peaks and the influx of renewables seemed irresistible.
Redflow shares quickly jumped to a peak of $1.70 for a market capitalisation of well more than $100 million before enthusiasm began to wane. Earlier this year, the bottom fell out when the company admitted its business plan was overly optimistic and any manufacturing deals would have to be put on hold……Chris Winter, who co-invented the company’s key product, a zinc-bromine “flow” battery in a Brisbane back yard in 2001, took the reins again. Continue reading
Protest continues at Olympic Dam uranium mine: 5 more arrests
Protests flare again at Olympic Dam news.com.au 19 July 12, FIVE people have been arrested after renewed protest action at the Olympic Dam uranium and copper mine in South Australia’s north.
The arrests on Thursday brought to 18 the number of people taken into police custody since about 350 anti-nuclear activists converged on the area on Saturday.
The official protest was scheduled to conclude on Wednesday but up to 100 people remained in the area. Police said about 40 people blocked Olympic Way, just south of the declared protected area, on Thursday morning. They pushed a car onto the road, let down its tyres and locked the steering.
The action forced a truck to stop on the road and two men then chained themselves to the underside. They were arrested and charged with illegal interference. Three other people were charged with refusing to follow police direction.
Warning on over optimism about Australia’s uranium industry
Toro boss says analysts overestimate uranium industry Australian Mining 19 July, 2012 Andrew Duffy Toro Energy managing director Greg Hall, who is leading the development of WA’s first export uranium mine, says analysts have overestimated future uranium production….
new projects must pass technical, regulatory and finance hurdles, often uniquely specific to the uranium sector, before construction and ultimately production can come online,” he said.
“In this regard Toro believes the market and a number of uranium analysts are being overly optimistic on supply timelines for new uranium projects and that as a result future production is overestimated.”
Toro Energy now postponing decision on whether to go ahead with Wiluna uranium mine
WA’s first uranium mine delayed Business Spectator, 19 Jul 2012 The timeline for Western Australia’s first uranium mine has slipped after a rigorous environmental assessment. Toro Energy Ltd announced a revised target date for a final board decision on whether to proceed with its Wiluna project in central WA, moving it back to the first half of 2013.
The company had previously expected to make a final decision by the end of 2012.
The project was approved by the state’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in May and appeals are being reviewed before a final decision by WA environment minister Bill Marmion. Managing director Greg Hall said yesterday the company hoped Mr Marmion would make a decision by the end of September….
…. In 2008, the Liberal state government lifted a six-year ban on uranium mining that was imposed by the previous Labor government. WA’s Labor opposition remains has not changed its stance on uranium mining, but says it will not stand in the way of any planned uranium mine that has received approvals if the party wins state elections in March.
There are no other uranium projects in WA that would be fullyenvironmentally approved by the time of the election.
ww.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Timeline-for-WAs-first-uranium-mine-slips-WC4P8?OpenDocument
BHP tightlipped about whether or not the big new Olympic Dam uranium mine will actually go ahead
For all the hype about its planned “biggest uranium mine in the world” at Olympic Dam, BHP is experiencing some jitters, as shareholders are not so keen on seeing the company blow $30 billion on this behemoth, before there’s a sign of any profit from this geewhiz dream of CEO Marius Kloppers.
BHP Seeks Friends in Volatile Times, Wall Street Journal, 19 July 12“…..fuel for volatility in BHP’s shares is the question of BHP’s spending discipline. Commonwealth Bank has said it remains concerned by the company’s capital allocation policy, and believes the market would rather see windfall cashflow returned to shareholders via dividends or share buybacks…
BHP has declined to comment on the progress of the multibillion dollar projects, including the expansion of the OlympicDam copper-uranium mine in South Australia …“Cuts to capex [capital expenditure] and growth profile are…likely if commodity prices weaken further than expected,” Citi analysts said.
Australia top in solar radiation, may soon be top in solar energy market.
Yingli Green Energy, a Chinese solar panel manufacturer, believes that the potential for solar energy in Australia is so high that it may become the leader of the photovoltaic mass market by the end of the year.
Yingli notes the number of solar energy projects that are taking root in the country. Some researchers and solar energy market analysts have suggested that Australia may be the first to reach grid-parity with its solar energy initiatives. If this is accomplished within the next five years, the country could be home to the most active solar energy markets in the world.
Australia poised to take the lead in solar energy market http://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/australia-poised-to-take-the-lead-in-solar-energy-market/854766/ BY ANGIE BERGENSON – JULY 16, 2012 ingli Green Energy notes the solar energy potential of the country
Over the past decade, Australia has shown modest support for alternative energy. In recent years, this support has been growing at a rapid pace, with the country now showing major interest in solar energy. Because of Australia’s exposure to solar radiation, it is one of the most attractive locations in terms of a solar energy market. Continue reading
Lizard’s revenge – David Bradbury’s daily notes on Olympic Dam anti uranium protest
I am a physician to the people, but you (the protestors at the Lizard’s Revenge camp site) 
you are physicians to a dying planet – Dr Helen Caldicott.
From David Bradbury 19 July Benny got out last night to round of applause. Fire ceremony with Uncle Kevin thanking everyone for coming.
Iris just been arrested. Going into Roxby lockup now.
Racing to protest camp. Got call just now that somehow the Lizard vehicle they wouldn’t let us take on road three days ago is on the road to mine. Cops will be pissed.
From David Bradbury 18 July Helen addresses the camp this last day. Sitting next to Uncle Kevin she said how the Lizards Revenge has inspired people all around Oz in our fight to save a dying planet. Very inspiring exchange here just now.
From David Bradbury 18 July The big day has arrived for us! Helen Caldicott is in flight as we speak headed for Roxby. We’ll pick her up midday and straight to the town meeting. Starts 1pm. Hard to know how it will go. Definitely a buzz in this town of 3-4,000 about her coming. One gets a sense some will come as result of watching When the Dust Settles. And Helen’s street cred, though many have never heard of her. Others cannot afford in their terms to hear the truth. It will cost them too much to throw in their jobs and move out.
And it’s likely the company will send its spies there to note who attends as they’ve done in the past. Roxby is a small town where everybody knows each other. Those arrested who do not want to live upto the stringent bail conditions eg stay
indefinitely away from the protest, have been shipped off to Port Augusta 270kms away and kept in the cells overnight. They will face court today. They include long term activist Benny Zables, the Masked Radiation Man. Continue reading
Anti nuclear protes targets Toro Energy at Australian Uranium Conference in Fremantle
Protesters to target uranium conference, AAP, The West Australian July 18, 2012 Anti-uranium protesters will make the “symbolic gesture” of bashing a bull pinata, representing Toro Energy, outside a uranium conference while the firm’s chief is addressing delegates.
Protesters have traditionally camped outside during the morning sessions of the two-day Australian Uranium Conference in Fremantle, south of Perth, complete with costumes, signs and music.
But this year organisers have chosen the afternoon session of the second day to target Toro Energy for its plans to develop the State’s first uranium mine in WA’s mid-west region. In May, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) approved a
proposal to develop the mine 30km from Wiluna.
Anti-Nuclear Alliance of WA spokesman Marcus Atkinson said the protesters would make the “symbolic gesture” of bashing a pinata shaped like a bull – after Toro Energy’s logo – as managing director Greg Hall made his presentation at the conference on Thursday.
Since the EPA approved Toro Energy’s proposal, several anti-uranium groups have indicated they will appeal the decision,…..
Union secretary Paul Howes paid to do a Murdoch media hatchet job on the Greens
Green-hating News Ltd confirms Howes on the payroll, Crikey, by Stephen Mayne , 19 July 12, Ever since Senator John Faulkner told Paul Howes to “put a sock in it” last Sunday, the frenetic media tart, AWU national secretary and political kingmaker has been surprisingly quiet.
It was Howes, a paid News Limited columnist, who teamed with the broader Murdoch press and fellow ALP young turk Sam Dastyari to launch an all-out assault on the Greens last weekend.
……… Howes….with a paid column savaging the Greens in The Sunday Telegraph…
While many have criticised the tactics of Dastyari and Howes — there is also an important issue about conflict of interest and News Ltd payments to Howes. When the HSU scandal was at its peak, Howes tweeted that his AWU salary is only $140,000. I asked the self-described faceless man on several occasions whether he’s on the Murdoch empire payroll courtesy of his weekly Sunday Telegraph column, but he’s declined to respond.
Sunday Telegraph editor Neil Breen cleared up the matter when he emailed this response yesterday: “Yes he is paid. ….Howes should disclose the precise figure, but it would probably exceed $20,000 a year.
So when you add the Murdoch payments (there’s the superannuation board fees too, but it’s unlikely he’s taking those) to Howes’ $140,000 AWU salary, the former radical Trot is arguably doing better than your typical 28-year-old working for the Millionaire Factory Macquarie Bank.
…….there is a legitimate question whether Howes should be returning the Murdoch moolah to his union considering he’s a full-time AWU employee and the column is written on union time.
The other problem with a unionist pocketing Murdoch cash is the stench around News Corp’s right-wing agenda and dodgy practices in Britain. As part of its power agenda, News Corp has long put emerging politicians on the payroll as paid columnists or delivered large cash advances for publishing deals.
Some argue this is a perfectly legal way to build relationships and bank balances, but there should be disclosure. …….
Howes was certainly very obliging in delivering a paid hatchet job on the one cause the News Ltd press hates above all else — progressive Green politics. But Howes has run into more trouble than just a public John Faulkner excoriation. Some progressive AWU members are equally unimpressed and have attempted to express their concerns through the union’s Facebook page.
Alas, Mount Isa-based AWU member Zane Alcorn had his comments blocked, so he set up his own Facebook page “for Australian Workers Union members & supporters to discuss progressive reform of the AWU re: union democracy and climate + social justice policies”.
The Sunday Telegraph assault on the Greens was described as follows: “Pretty damn sure Paul Howes has nothing even remotely close to a mandate from the AWU membership to be embarking on such a destructive divide and conquer mission as this. Note: reading this may cause nausea and vomiting. You have been warned.” *Disclosure: Stephen Mayne was not paid for this contribution http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/07/18/green-hating-news-ltd-confirms-howes-on-the-payroll/
Video – police arrest Olympic Damn anti uranium activists at breakfast
Too often we ignore the effects of this industry because it happens away from our direct doorstep, uranium is mined here in the desert, and dumped on the homes of Aboriginal communities in the desert within Australia. But as we have been reminded again from Fukushima, radiation doesn’t discriminate, and this is a threat to the health of us all, now and into the future.
VIDEO Breakfast not Bombs http://lizardsrevenge.net/breakfast-not-bombs-media-release-17-7-2012/ Lizards Revenge 18 July 12 Activists call for “Breakfast not Bombs” as police defend what BHPBilliton aims to make the largest uranium mine in the world. At the road blockade set up to control access to the Olympic Dam mine demonstrators set up a breakfast and blockade. Their message, that the uranium from this mine and others like it contributes to the nuclear weapons industry and any expansion to this mine is an increased contribution to the industry.
Here are statements from the picnickers that have blocked the road near the Bypass rd and Olympic way from7am til 9am. 6 people were arrested with what the police describe as various offense “Breakfast not Bombs” crew reported seeing many trucks being turned around during the picnic road block. Continue reading
Review confirms bullying and coverup at Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
N-plant spill probe ‘seriously flawed’ BY: LEIGH DAYTON, SCIENCE WRITER The Australian July 18, 2012 A DAMNING review by global consultant KPMG has again highlighted safety and bullying concerns at Australia’s nuclear facility.
The review by KPMG’s forensic unit was conducted for the national regulator, the Australian Radiation Protection & Nuclear Safety Agency, and obtained by The Australian yesterday.
It found an ARPANSA investigation into a September 2007 contamination incident at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation involving radioactive Yttrium-90 was seriously flawed. Continue reading
South Australia: strong police presence protecting BHP against peaceful anti-uranium protestors
Poor little old BHP – the Big Non Australian and its damn Olympic mine (which probably won’t make any profit for its shareholders anyway – as the nuclear industry continues its ungracious decline into oblivion) – any way – poor BHP, even scared of a little game of cricket!
But not to worry – cops and security guard aplenty are there to preserve Australia’s colonial status and the privileges of this 76% foreign owned company BHP!
Eminent Australian lawyer calls for support for Julian Assange against USA’s unjust campaign
Public opinion can make a great difference in determining that such a prosecution not take place. Such a situation as not very different from what eventually happened in the case of David Hicks.
Think of the different amount of attention given by the Australian Government to Assange’s case, compared to that given to the case of the Australian woman solicitor in Libya by Bob Carr, our Foreign Minister.
It can’t be that Assange has a bad reputation. He is the recipient of many awards testifying as to his courage and excellence as a journalist and about him generally.
A Support Assange & WikiLeaks Coalition Statement by Mr Kep Enderby QC JULY 15, 2012 BY KELLIE TRANTER ” ….There is something terribly wrong going on in both the Assange and Manning cases, and we are being told very little about it.
Sweden’s sex laws are unrealistically repressive, the most repressive in the world! That was made clear in the recent ABC interview with Phillip Adams and in the recent book by Oscar Swartz “A History of Sex in Sweden”.
Bradley Manning has been in custody for long periods of solitary confinement on the ground that he might injure himself, despite psychiatric opinion to the contrary and despite public protest that it amounts to pre-trial punishment without being brought to trial. He was arrested more than 2 years ago.
America still uses the ancient archaic old English medieval grand jury system of determining whether a criminal trial should take place to determine whether a person has committed a serious crime or not, with all its scope for the manipulated injustice. During the hearing the target of grand jury, the person perhaps to be an accused,
cannot put on a defence.
In America, in Virginia, a federal grand jury has already commenced investigating WikiLeaks – which means Julian Assange – to determine whether an indictment should be served on him. Eminent commentators are claiming that the evidence is mounting that the WikiLeaks case is part of a much broader campaign by the Obama Administration to crack down on all leakers. Continue reading
More from David Bradbury – Day 1 at the Lizards Revenge anti uranium festival
As if to make a mockery of the so called autonomy of the recent award of Native Title to his people, Kevin Buzzacott (pictured) had to 
get a permit from the police to drive down on a public road from his home to the north here to join the protestors yesterday.
So end of daylight going into music and dance celebration tonight and all is good. Very friendly feeling amongst everyone as people get to know their neighbors in pitched tents next to them. People chatting around camp fires, reviewing their part and impressions of today’s great march to the mine entrance gates where people dressed in very colorful outfits and hairstyles Bollywood and danced their booties off. Some amazing break dancing on the road to a very appreciative audience.
The cops who were thick in presence looked on stoney faced from behind the BHP wire and off to the sides. The cost to the taxpayer for this over policed event must be phenomenal. But we love the Land. We love the country. We know why we are here to protect country and the Future. As Uncle Kevin said at utoday’s press conference, “one bulldozer and 40,000 years is gone”.
70,000 scientists wrong about climate science, says Queensland’s Liberal/National Party
Scientists reject LNP school move http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/scientists-reject-lnp-school-move-20120713-221or.html#ixzz20dcQEzwx July 14, 2012 Adam Morton and Daniel Hurst A BODY representing nearly 70,000 Australian scientists has criticised a Queensland Liberal National Party resolution calling for mainstream climate science to be cut from the state’s school curriculum.
LNP delegates at the party’s state conference passed a motion yesterday calling on Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek to stop the teaching of ”environmental propaganda material, in particular post-normal science about climate change”. The mover of the motion, Noosa LNP member Richard Pearson, attacked ”false prophets who would poison the minds of our children in our schools”.
”Few people understand that the so-called science of climate change is really what can be defined as post-normal science,” he said, arguing it went beyond traditional understanding of science. The motion was passed with overwhelming support.
Anna-Maria Arabia, chief executive of Science & Technology Australia, called the resolution ”extremely harmful”. The central principles of climate science – including that man-made greenhouse gases trap heat in the lower atmosphere and have warmed the planet – were backed by all the world’s major scientific academies.
”The message this sends is ‘we do not treat the science as an issue of testing ideas, we treat it as a belief system’,” Ms Arabia said. ”We shouldn’t be telling students that testing ideas is propaganda and that there is ‘post-normal science’, whatever that means.” Queensland Premier Campbell Newman said MPs had not decided whether to act on the resolution. ”We will always do the right thing by Queenslanders ahead of the LNP,” he said.
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