Success of wind and solar energy in South Australia
SA shows wind and solar make energy cleaner and cheaper, REneweconomy, By Giles Parkinson 13 August 2012As Europe has looked towards its biggest and most successful economy Germany to lead the way into green energy, Australians are getting a glimpse into its own grid of the future in the state of South Australia – arguably the advanced economy with the highest wind energy penetration, and now with the highest penetration of rooftop solar PV, in the world.
The latest South Australian Electricity Report (SAER), released by the Australian Energy Market Operator last week, gives some fascinating insights into how wind and now solar PV are changing the nature of the local grid – and providing the state with cleaner, greener and cheaper energy.
For a start, in 2011/12, wind overtook coal as the second biggest producer of energy in the state.
But while solar PV is not included , here’s another interesting set of statistics. South Australia has had the biggest reduction in energy demand compared to forecasts of just a year ago – down 10 per cent from last year’s predictions. Industry demand has fallen, but it still represents growth of 5.4 per cent. The biggest change has been in residential demand, which has fallen 7 per cent. It just so happens that South Australia has the highest penetration of rooftop PV of all the NEM states, meaning – as AEMO states – that ‘”less electricity is being supplied from the grid.”
Indeed, by the end of 2012, two out of five houses in the state had installed rooftop solar PV – more than double the national rate ….. Another interesting snippet from AEMO’s report is that rooftop solar – contrary to some opinion – is helping to meet peak demand….. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2012/sa-shows-wind-and-solar-make-energy-cleaner-and-cheaper-39021
Olympic Dam anti uranium protestors facing court
Olympic Dam protest has court sequel http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-09/olympic-dam-protest-charges-heard/4188096?section=sa August 09, 2012 Some of the protesters arrested near the Olympic Dam mine recently have faced the Magistrates Court at Port Augusta. Those who pleaded guilty were fined $150 and had no conviction recorded. Others who did not attend or pleaded not guilty will face a pre-trial conference in mid-September.
One man who was charged with interfering with a motor vehicle for allegedly chaining himself to a semi-trailer refused to enter a plea. He argued the court had no jurisdiction over him as he observed the laws of the Arabunna nation.
He also refused to stand in the dock, claiming it was where criminals stood and he was not a criminal.
Hundreds of people protested near the BHP Billiton mine, urging it be closed down rather than expanded.
Giant cuttlefish – a unique species under threat – especially relating to Olympic Dam uranium mine
Let us not forget that the giant cuttlefish has only one breeding ground in the whole world. And that is in Upper Spencer Gulf – where BHP Billiton would put its desalination plant -as part of its project for the world’s biggest uranium mine at Olympic Dam. The breeding ground depends on a very special, and delicate, balance of fresh and salt water.– CM
Green group demands cuttlefish study’s release http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-08/green-group-demands-better-giant-cuttlefish/4185184 August 08, 2012 The Conservation Council of South Australia is calling on the State Government to release the results of a recent study on the population of giant Australian cuttlefish near Point Lowly.
Conservation Council CEO Tim Kelly says the Government needs to announce a plan of action and immediately put the cuttlefish on a protected species list. Continue reading
Solar panel popularity cuts demand
Adelaide Now, Julian Swallow August 09, 2012 REDUCED electricity consumption and growing use of renewable energy will cause a five-year delay in the need for extra generation investment in SA, a new report says. Continue reading
Investors warn – forecast for Olympic Dam mega uranium mine just gets gloomier
Argo worries BHP’s $3b write-downs a warning sign, The Age, Michael Evans August 7, 2012 JASON BEDDOW, the boss of listed investment company Argo Investments, has expressed concern over the $3 billion in write-downs at BHP Billiton, saying he fears there may be more to come.
After announcing a 3 per cent fall in Argo’s net profit to $167.3 million for 2012, Mr Beddow, who estimates his firm’s BHP 
stake at about $260 million, told BusinessDay that he would like BHP management, led by the chief executive, Marius Kloppers, to know that ”you need to be a bit prudent”….
Mr Beddow said that there was ”every chance they will have to take [further] write-downs’….. if you really wanted to point the [finger] that’s what you’re paid for in a CEO. You’re paid for responsibility.”…
The market was concerned at the uncertainty around some of its major projects such as Olympic Dam, he said.
The push for monster Olympic Dam uranium mine – a monster mistake for Marius Kloppers?
a go-ahead decision on the $US30bn expansion will be delayed for at least two years.
Kloppers made what can now be said to have been an error in talking up the ability of its monster cashflow to fund $US80bn over five years in organic projects to the end of the 2015 fiscal year. Olympic Dam was included in those organic growth projects…
The big money in horse racing waits to the last moment in case an unknown becomes known and changes the odds. A decision on Olympic Dam is much the same. ….
Olympic Dam decision will show Kloppers’ standing BY: BARRY FITZGERALD : The Australian July 31, 2012 THE number five is popping up everywhere for Marius Kloppers. He turns 50 next month, has been chief executive for five years come October, and on August 22 will get to announce an annual profit fall of $US5 billion ($4.7bn) and the need for a $US5bn or so writeoff on last year’s US shale gas push
Then there is the talk that the clock on his chief executive tenure is at five minutes to midnight, ….
Rounding out the string of fives is whether the time is right to commit $US5bn to kick-start the Olympic Dam expansion. A decision on that is due in December. Continue reading
South Australian govt not keen to extend Olympic Dam agreement. BHP tightlipped
No extension offer to BHP – Weatherill. Christopher Russell The Advertiser August 01, 2012 PREMIER Jay Weatherill has rejected suggestions the State Government has offered to grant BHP Billiton an extension to the
indenture agreement on the Olympic Dam project.
Reacting to interstate reports that the Government was offering BHP an olive branch and was willing to “entertain” an extension, Mr Weatherill said he had been misinterpreted.
The Government’s position had consistently been that it wanted BHP Billiton to make a decision by the December 15 expiry date of the indenture agreement….. “There has been no proposition advanced to us that would justify an extension of the 12-month period at this time.”
This is consistent with Resources and Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis who has previously stated the Government would be reluctant to grant an extension… Despite outside speculation, BHP Billiton has said again this week that no decision has been made on the Olympic Dam project.
Its Adelaide office continues to work on a proposal to present to the BHP Billiton board.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/no-extension-offer-to-bhp-weatherill/story-e6frea6u-1226440162081
Port Augusta, South Australia, encouraged by government interest in solar thermal energy
Minister on solar thermal fact-finding tour http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-02/minister-on-solar-thermal-fact-finding-tour/4171960 August 02, 2012 South Australia’s Mineral Resources and Energy Minister, Tom Koutsantonis, will travel to Nevada to research the viability of solar thermal energy. The Minister met solar thermal lobbyists and local government representatives in Port Augusta yesterday. He was given documentation showing the community’s support for the local power stations to be converted to the renewable source.
Mr Koutsantonis says the trip to the United States is to explore and clarify details of solar thermal energy. “We understand gas power generation, we understand coal power generation, we understand wind – in terms of renewable energy we’re
basically the epicentre of Australia,” he said. “If South Australia was a country in its own right we would be number
two in the world for renewable energy.”
Mr Koutsantonis says he is willing to lobby the Federal Government and Alinta Energy to invest in solar thermal.
Port Augusta Mayor Joy Baluch says she is pleased the State Government is supporting a conversion to solar thermal energy for local power stations and is learning more about how the technology works.
“Our conversation has been extremely encouraging to the fact that the Minister is going to Nevada personally to check out the existing and operating solar thermal plant,” she said.
180,000 homes to be powered by Snowtown wind farm, (South Australia)
Siemens and TrustPower to build largest wind farm in South Australia, PACE, 3 August, 2012 Kevin Gomez, TrustPower has appointed Siemens as their turn-key supplier to construct South Australia’s largest wind farm at Snowtown using for the first time in Australia, gearless drive wind turbine technology.
With the project formally reaching financial close, the Snowtown II wind farm development will be capable of generating 270 megawatts of renewable energy and powering approximately 180,000 South Australian homes……. South Australia has now set a target of 33 per cent renewable energy by 2020. The new Snowtown II wind farm is set to help achieve this target.
Snowtown II is co-located with the existing Snowtown wind farm, which will more than triple the renewable energy generation of the region. Early preparations have commenced at the site with construction commencing inAugust 2012 to ensure the project is fully operational by the end of 2014…. http://www.pacetoday.com.au/news/siemens-and-trustpower-to-build-largest-wind-farm
A reminder of the disgraceful history of Beverley uranium mine in South Australia
police brutality against environmentalists and local Aboriginal people. An online video clip details this brutality. Heathgate applauded the police action (in a 2000 media release which is no longer available online). After a 10-year legal case, 10 people were awarded a total of $700,000 damages.
. At least 59 spills have been documented at the mine. The company sells uranium to nuclear weapons states (all of which are in breach of their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty),
A refresher on who’s behind one of our uranium mines, Jim Green, The Punch, 2 Aug 2012http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-refresher-on-whos-behind-one-of-our-uranium-mines The story behind the corporation that owns the Beverley uranium mine in north-east South Australia is scarcely believable.
Heathgate Resources − a 100 per cent-owned subsidiary of General Atomics (GA) − owns and operates Beverley and has a stake in the adjacent Beverley Four Mile mine. Over the years GA CEO Neal Blue has had commercial interests in oil, Predator drones, uranium mining and nuclear reactors, cocoa, bananas and real estate. Continue reading
Investment funds applaud BHP’s decision to shelve Olympic Dam uranium mine expansion
factors hampering BHP’s ability to build massive expansion projects like Olympic Dam.
Shelving projects ‘a wise move for miners’ THE AUSTRALIAN, BY: MATT CHAMBERS AND BARRY FITZGERALD July 30, 2012 THE nation’s biggest listed investment fund and one of BHP Billiton’s top shareholders has applauded moves by big miners to shelve Australian projects because of high costs and sliding commodity prices.
Over the weekend, the most likely of Australia’s next big uranium developments, the Kintyre project in the Great Sandy desert, became the latest victim after being hit by sluggish prices for the nuclear fuel and Western Australia’s heated construction market.
The shelving of Kintyre, by Canada’s Cameco, came as The Weekend Australian revealed BHP had told outsiders of a two-year delay on a $30 billion decision due this year on expanding the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine in South Australia’s outback.
Australian Foundation Investment Co managing director Ross Barker said the time of huge profits from very high commodities prices appeared to be coming to an end, Continue reading
BHP delays for 2 years decision on whether or not to go ahead with new Olympic Dam uranium mine
Olympic Dam threat as BHP puts brakes on
BY: SARAH MARTIN, SA POLITICAL REPORTER The Australian July 28, 2012 “,,,,,,Documents obtained by The Weekend Australian show the company has informed outsiders that a decision to proceed with the project – spruiked by federal and state Labor governments as key to South Australia’s economic future – will be delayed by two years……The expansion would make Olympic Dam the world’s largest uranium mine,,,,,the strongest indication yet that the project will not receive board approval before the end of the year, meaning the company will fail to meet the government’s December 8 deadline and its indenture agreement will lapse…… The potential delay for the project comes as the South Australian government has recently softened its commentary on the importance of the mine expansion to the state’s economy. Treasurer Jack Snelling last week told The Australian that the mine expansion was never going to be a “cash cow” for government coffers….” http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/olympic-dam-threat-as-bhp-puts-brakes-on/story-fn59niix-1226437208652
South Australian government not affected if BHP’s Olympic Dam expansion doesn’t go ahead
“Olympic Dam doesn’t have any significant revenue for the state government,” “Olympic Dam is never going to be some sort of cash cow for the state government
Olympic Dam no cash cow for state, says Jack Snelling THE AUSTRALIAN, BY: SARAH MARTIN July 25, 2012 BHP Billiton’s $30 billion Olympic Dam mine expansion will have no revenue implications for the South Australian government, Treasurer Jack Snelling says.
In comments far removed from earlier claims that the mega-project would transform the state, Mr Snelling said the budget would not be affected if the project did not go ahead. Continue reading
Contractor lays off Olympic Dam workers, in view of doubts on its future
BHP reviews contractors, staff amid project uncertainty Business Spectator, 24 Jul 2012 In the latest sign that BHP Billiton Ltd may not approve the expansion of its Olympic Dam copper-uranium mine in South Australia later this year, the miner is conducting a review of contractors and staff across its mining mega-projects, looking for potential cost-saving cuts, according to The Australian Financial Review.
In the wake of BHP’s indication recently that it may not approve its three mining mega-projects before December, the company in charge of conducting a feasibility study on the $US20 billion-plus Olympic Dam project laid off several workers last week after its contract expired, according to the AFR.
The company, Jacobs Engineering, made the layoffs on the basis that it could not justify the staffing levels unless BHP’s board approved the project….. If the BHP board fails to approve the Olympic Dam project by December 15 the South Australian government will have the right to allow an indenture agreement setting royalty rates for 45 years to lapse. … http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/BHP-reviews-contractors-staff-amid-project-uncerta-pd20120723-WGLXZ?OpenDocument&src=hp10&WELCOME=AUTHENTICATED%20REMEMBER
Olympic Dam expansion in doubt, say South Australian Liberals
SA Libs say Olympic Dam in doubt THE AUSTRALIAN AAP July 25, 2012 A DECLINING world economy may force BHP Billiton to delay a $30 billion expansion of the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine in South Australia, the state opposition says. Mineral Resources spokesman Mitch Williams says there is growing evidence world economic woes will prompt the company to delay the project, including an Access Economics report which points to the mining boom finishing in two years.
“There is a strong chance now that the expansion won’t go ahead next year as BHP Billiton puts the brakes on its global investments, especially long-term ones like Olympic Dam,” Mr Williams said in a statement on Wednesday.
BHP Billiton has until the end of the year to finally approve the expansion or face the need to renegotiate approvals with the state government…. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/sa-libs-say-olympic-dam-in-doubt/story-fn3dxiwe-1226434685135
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