REneweconomy lists Australia’s top solar energy postcodes for 5 States
The top solar postcodes, and Australia’s solar capital, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 6 April 2012
The top 10 NSW solar postcodes:
1. 2830 Dubbo and surrounds 28.0%…….
The top 10 Queensland solar postcodes
1 4551 Caloundra, Pelican Waters, Golden Beach 27.3% of houses have solar power systems……
The top 10 West Australian solar postcodes:
1. 6208 Pinjarra, Oakley, Blythewood, Ravenswood 24.7% of houses have solar power systems…..
The top 10 South Australian solar postcodes:
1. 5211 Victor Harbor, McCracken, Hindmarsh Valley 25.9% of houses have solar power systems….
The top 10 Victoria solar postcodes:
1. 3564 Echuca 13.3% of houses have solar power systems…..
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2012/the-top-solar-postcodes-and-australias-solar-capital-28344
Aboriginal protest against Muckaty nuclear waste dump stops traffic in Tennant Creek
Muckaty protest brings town’s traffic to a halt 05 Apr, 2012 http://tennantcreek.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/muckaty-protest-brings-towns-traffic-to-a-halt/2512703.aspx AN impromptu protest staged by Muckaty traditional owners on Monday brought highway traffic to a halt.
The women, many in traditional body paint, rallied outside the Northern Land Council office in Paterson Street to reiterate the stand they have taken since their land was first nominated as a site for the Federal Government’s national radioactive waste dump.
“We do not want a nuclear dump on our land,” Bunny Nabarula said.
“We have always said ‘no’ and we mean ‘no.’ The Government needs to get this message because we are not ever going to change our mind.”
Lawyers representing traditional owners who have challenged the nomination of Muckaty faced the Commonwealth Government and Northern Land Council in the Federal Court in Melbourne last week.
After a two-day hearing the matter was adjourned with a trial date to be set next month.
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation competed unfairly against private company
Nuclear agency ‘breached competition rules’, ABC News, By business editor Peter Ryan April 05, 2012 Australia’s government-owned nuclear and scientific agency been has criticised for using its public ownership to win a contract to supply nuclear medicine to hospitals in New South Wales.
A report by the Productivity Commission has found that the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) breached some rules on competitive advantage when it beat a small private company, Cyclopharm Limited, in the multi-million dollar tender last year. Continue reading
Sydney to get low carbon electricity network – cogeneration for energy efficiency
History made with Australia’s first low carbon energy network, Cogeneration and on site power production, Cospp.com, 05/04/2012 By Diarmaid Williams Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore has hailed the groundbreaking new district energy system, which will link Sydney in the country’s first citywide low carbon network, and says has the potential to make Sydney one of the world’s leading green cities. “Our trigeneration network will give consumers a cleaner and cost-competitive alternative to the rising price of electricity,” the Lord Mayor said.
“This network could save NSW electricity consumers as much as $1.5 bn by 2030 in avoided or delayed spending on grid upgrades and new power stations. “It will help us deliver on our target to cut carbon emissions across the City of Sydney by 70 per cent by 2030 (on 2006 levels) – one of the most ambitious of any Australian government.” Continue reading
Stock analysis report shows the advantages of solar power, worldwide
In Australia, the solar industry is driven by several regulatory initiatives that support the installation of solar PV modules in both rooftop and free-field applications, including the federal government’s nationwide Renewable Energy Target, which has set a renewable energy goal for Australia of 20% by 2020. Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), both established in 2011, will begin implementation in 2012.
Alternative Energy Stock Outlook – April 2012, By: Zacks Equity Research April 03, 2012 “……A worldwide industry association for solar photovoltaic electricity market, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) forecasts that the power generated from solar modules in Europe could be competitive in relation to conventional forms of energy by the end of the current decade. The major solar markets under survey were Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Britain…..
A major growth area in this space is Solar Energy…… Continue reading
Queensland solar energy plan will go ahead, despite no help from government
the nature of solar – there’s no waste, there’s no ongoing costs, there’s no emissions,
Funding cuts won’t cast shadow over Gulf solar plans ABC News, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-04/funding-cuts-wont-cast-shadow-over-gulf-solar-plans/3931956?section=qld April 04, 2012 A plan to power properties in north-west Queensland’s eastern Gulf Country with solar electricity is likely to go ahead, despite cuts to State Government clean energy funds. Continue reading
A clever solar energy tariff plan from Western Australian firm
Horizon finds a smart way to price a solar tariff, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 5 April 2012 Western Australia energy utility Horizon Power has achieved what appears beyond the capabilities of its larger peers in the eastern states, the Victorian and NSW governments and regulatory pricing authorities, and produced Australia’s first differentiated feed in tariff for rooftop solar PV.
Horizon, which services 100,000 residents and 9,000 businesses in towns and communities across the state, beyond the grid located in the south-western corner, is introducing area-specific solar feed-in tariffs which recognise a higher value for solar put back into the grid from remote locations, and a lower value for solar energy fed from near towns and alternative energy sources. Continue reading
Forget nuclear, clean coal, clean gas – renewables are ready to roll
Clean coal and clean gas is a pipedream and typical of Australia’s irrational debate around carbon and energy – something that stems from the influence of the fossil fuel interests over government, through royalties and donations.
We are ready to roll with renewables today, no new capital should be spent locking in anymore fossil fuel burning. As we deploy our renewables they will continue to get cheaper. We’ll learn as we go and, most importantly, we’ll benefit from the learnings that are continuing to benefit the world’s most innovative successful economies.
Clean fossils of the future? How about ready renewables, REneweconomy By Matthew Wright 4 April 2012 There’s a lot of discussion and political jostling around energy options, decarbonisation, low-carbon or zero-carbon transition…..
Nuclear was not an option for Australia even prior to Fukushima. As second generation nuclear plants have a bad name and are basically off limits in any OECD country, the industry has come up with third generation plants, but these have so far proved impossible to get built. Not one is operating and the flagship plant, by the world’s biggest nuclear builder Areva, is still under construction. Its construction time has more than doubled to 10 years and its costs have more than tripled over original estimates. This plant in Finland is not expected to be finished for at least another two-to-four years, if ever.
With that in mind the nuclear proponents have leapfrogged their own suggestion of going third generation and now push fourth generation plant. Great on the drawing board, deep in a government-sponsored lab in the middle of nowhere US, and sounds great, but no one is selling one, which is telling – not GE, not Toshiba, not Westinghouse, not Areva. Just in case you didn’t get that, you can’t buy one at all, anywhere, period!… Continue reading
The Maralinga atomic tests veterans – further law cases to come
Nuclear test locations in the Pacific and Australia are similar to fall out ‘ exclusion zones’ at Chernobyl , Fukushima and other nuclear reactor accident locations , the truth of the science indicates this and if that is anti – nuclear there isn’t much we can do about it . At nuclear test locations the servicemen deliberately had no protective clothing or respirators, the scientists controlling and monitoring the experiments however did .Inside the exclusion zones around crippled reactors of nuclear accidents such as Fukushima all those working there are fully protected with respirators etc and rightly so .
Our guess is the Government will continue to use legal delaying tactics to prevent the truth of the science of causation being fully debated in an open court
A Message from the Nuclear Veterans, Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, Dennis Hayden, 5 April 12, THE DUST HAS SETTLED FOLLOWING THE SUPREME COURT DECISION THE UK CASE IS STILL ON GOING & UK MINISTERS’ JOY WILL BE SHORT LIVED “…… the Government and nuclear industry will do everything in their power to keep the UK Atomic Veterans Claimants case from a full court hearing on causation . Continue reading
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) involved in uncompetitive dodgy business behaviour
Nuclear facility in hot water,THE AUSTRALIAN, BY:LEIGH DAYTON , April 05, 2012 AUSTRALIA’S nuclear research facility engaged in uncompetitive behaviour to gain a lucrative and exclusive contract with NSW Health to provide radiopharmaceuticals for medical imaging, according to the Productivity Commission.
A damning report by the commission’s Australian Government Competitive Neutrality Complains Office, released yesterday, concludes that PetNet Pty Ltd – a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation – breached competitive neutrality guidelines, set in 2004.
The report confirms PetNet effectively undercut competitive bids from private firms by relying on its relationship to ANSTO.
The AGCNCO report follows testimony to Senate estimates in 2011 and early this year by ANSTO chief executive Adi Patterson that “we operate within our rules of competitive neutrality and efficient business operations”……. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/nuclear-facility-in-hot-water/story-e6frg8y6-1226319057403
Rooftop solar energy to turn out to be an election winner for Gillard?
it could also have a big impact on established energy utilities, both generators and retailers, and has the potential of changing the political rhetoric as the next federal poll is fought on cost-of-living issues, mostly retail electricity prices.
A new surge in the deployment of rooftop solar in Australia could have an impact on generators, who are already worried about the impact it is having on their profits…. AGL highlighted the potential for this to happen in Australia, which is why it is lobbying to slow down the growth in the solar industry in Queensland, the last state to have a significant feed in tariff.
The Clean Energy Future can indeed be clean, exciting (new technology), and cost a lot less than sticking with polluting fossil fuels.
Zero-cost solar: Will this be Gillard’s election secret weapon?, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 2 April 2012 Australian solar installers are racing to become the first companies to offer long-term leasing arrangements that will allow householders to install large rooftop solar installations at zero up-front cost and hedge against rising electricity prices. Continue reading
Australia’s Environment Minister approved huge uranium mine before environment assessment plans even prepared
Aboriginal elder Kevin Buzzacott challenges decision to expand Olympic Dam Adelaide Now AAP April 03, 2012 WASTE from the expanded Olympic Dam mine will remain radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years and
the risks weren’t properly considered by the Federal Government, the Federal Court has heard.
Aboriginal elder Kevin Buzzacott is challenging the government’s approval of the uranium and copper project in South Australia, which is destined to become the world’s largest open cut mine.
He argues the approval by Environment Minister Tony Burke last year was too uncertain because much of the environmental assessment has been left up to plans and studies that are yet to be prepared or considered. Continue reading
Australian Greens urge Future Fund to stop investing in nuclear weapons
4 April 12, Greens welcomed new Future Fund chief David Gonski today and urged him to hit the ground running by cutting the Fund’s links to nuclear weapons. Greens spokesperson for nuclear policy Senator Scott Ludlam said that as of January 2012, the Fund holds more than $133million of shares in 14 companies involved in nuclear weapons programs.
“The Greens urge Mr Gonski to lead the way on cutting all ties between the Future Fund and the nuclear weapons industry. The Future Fund has rightly ruled out investing in the cluster munitions industry, and this approach should be applied to nuclear weapons of mass destruction.”
Senator Ludlam praised members of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons who gathered at the Future Fund office in Melbourne today to draw attention to Fund’s investment in nuclear weapons. “Any firm involved with nuclear weapons should not receive a cent from the Australian tax-payer. These weapons are immoral, unethical and indiscriminate. They are designed to cause maximum and long-lasting destruction to civilians and civilian infrastructure.”
“The Fund’s investment in the offending companies makes up less than one percent of its total portfolio, and a divestment will do no damage to the Future Fund while making an important statement against nuclear weapons.” The Greens currently have a bill before the Senate that would make the Future Fund’s divestment from nuclear weapons law.
2500 U.S. marines in Darwin could be immune from Australian criminal laws
Lawyer Diana Rickard from Basewatch said she had concerns over the Status of Forces Agreement 
between Australia and the United States, which sets out the legal terms under which the US forces operate while in Australia.
She said the agreement could allow Americans to escape punishment for crimes committed in the course of their duties….
Critics cautious as US marines head to NT, 9 News, 3 April 12, Critics of the US troop build-up in Darwin remain cautious about the move, despite a recent meeting with a senior military official. As many as 250 US Marines are due to arrive in Darwin late on Tuesday, the first of a build-up that will see 2500 American troops in the city by 2017. The troop influx comes after a defence agreement announced by Barack Obama when he visited Darwin in November last year. Continue reading
Australia likely to agree to U.S. drones stationed on Cocos Islands
In 2014 there will be a new Defence White Paper…. The announcement of the intention to station drones on the Cocos Islands (without even consultation with local inhabitants) indicates that the depths of the forced generosity of the Australian people to US war planners are likely to be plumbed further.
US drones for Cocos Islands, Further steps to war, CPA, Bob Briton, 4 April 12, It was left to the US media to tell Australians about the war preparations being made above their heads by the Gillard Government. The Washington Post broke the story last week that US and Australian officials have been discussing the rapid expansion of the US militarypresence in South-East Asia and the Indian Ocean including the stationing of pilotless drones on the Cocos Islands. Continue reading
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