Australian Greens will push for a Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff
The petition is still active and can be viewed at FeedInTariff.com.au.
Greens Senate Victory And Australia’s Solar Power Revolution : Renewable Energy News, 25 Aug 2010, While Australia starts the working week still not knowing who will take the reins of the country, the Greens having won the balance of power in the Senate is very good news for renewable energy….. Continue reading
Economic case for a carbon price in Australia
Time for Australia to Go Green Green News and Ecological Awareness , 25 Aug 2010, Australia’s Climate Institute estimated that an absence of a carbon price will cost both the country’s economy and consumers an additional 2 billion dollars by 2020. “It would be better in the long run if we had a carbon price,” said Mr. Warren of the Clean Energy Council. “It’s the economic tool of choice, because it’s seen as being the most efficient and most effective.”Furthermore, he also said, “Once introduced, it creates a core signal to business to change their investment patterns. Without it we are in a second-best market. We encourage a more cooperative approach to a AU carbon scheme as quickly as possible.” However, the bipartite agreement which helped pass the laws on renewable energy does not include the issue on carbon….. Time for Australia to Go Green Green News and Ecological Awareness | Green News and Ecological Awareness
Murdochracy and Lobbyocracy Australia
Major Elephant In The Room Issues Ignored In Australian Elections, Countercurrents.org By Dr Gideon Polya, 24 August, 2010
An extraordinary feature of the election campaign in Murdochcracy and Lobbyocracy Australia was the virtual absence of any discussion about the most serious issues facing Australia .
The major reasons for reasons for this are (a) Murdoch News Empire ownership of about 70% of city daily newspapers; (b) a spineless and irresponsible Australian Broadcasting Corporation (the ABC, Australia’s equivalent of the UK BBC) which adopts a “balanced “ position between extreme right wing Labor and extreme right wing Liberal-National Party Coalition; and (c) Mainstream media and bipartisan, Lib-Lab refusal to properly discuss these key Elephant in the Room issues…… major matters that were effectively not part of the national discussion in the Australian federal elections because of the ignorance and dishonesty of the Australian Mainstream media and right wing politicians. Major Elephant In The Room Issues Ignored In Australian Elections
Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff – the key to thousands of jobs
If we look to those places where renewable energy JOBS are already employing tens of thousands of people, places such as nearly all of Europe and most of Asia; and did I mention Wisconsin? Yes, Wisconsin….
That is the Feed-In Tariff. It is the one item that is proven to make it all work.
(USA) Renewable energy can be the source of JOBS Review Messenger, By Richard Carter. 24 Aug 2010, It’s certainly no secret, the economy needs JOBS, especially in rural Minnesota.There is a source of jobs which could help. Those JOBS come from renewable energy: solar electric, solar hot water, solar hot air, and wind. Continue reading
Australian Election -That Green Light on the Hill
Media commentators focus on the overall national swing against Labor, in the Australian election results.
But what about that other equally big, equally national, swing – towards the Greens?
I note that some mainstream media are describing the elected Greens as “extremists”, and as “completely irrational”.
But a swing to the Greens, across Australia, and the prospect of 9 Greens Senators – it’s hard to write off such a sizeable representation of the Australian public as “extremists” and “irrational”
In the more positive article, Paul Strangio’s ”post-materialist cosmopolitans” is mentioned, as the constituency for new Greens MP Richard di Natale. These people represent a growing new breed in Western culture – progressive, broad-minded, ready to lead a satisfying lifestyle with fewer material things, and less energy use.
It’s unfortunate that the newly elected Senators will not take their places until July 2011. This means that Australians will need to be aware of their politicians rushing bad laws through between now and then – Christina Macpherson 23 Aug 2010
Only the Greens dared mention nuclear issues
Australians watched in amazement and amusement, as the media and election campaigns focused on personalities, buzz words, mantras – “going forward” “real action”. If possible – anything but policies, it would seem.
Focus groups, daily opinion polls, and good old spin – these were the factors driving Australia’s ever dumber election campaigns by the major parties.
Some real policies got a mention, – seemingly in inverse relationship to their importance.
What got little mention is Global Warming, Climate Change.
What got no mention at all- the nuclear issue.
It must have come as a shock to Australia’s major political parties to realise that The Greens do have leaders of vision – Bob Brown, and Christine Milne. These leaders do have clear policies on Climate Change, uranium mining, and nuclear power.
Self cleaning solar panels a solution to dusty desert areas
The researchers found that 90 percent of deposited dust can be removed by the transparent screen in fewer than 60 seconds.
Self-cleaning solar panels could find use in the dusty environs of Arizona, the Middle East or Mars, Scientific American, By Larry Greenemeier, Aug 22, 2010, The best places to collect solar energy are also some of the dustiest on Earth and beyond, a quandary that leads to inefficiencies in how well the cells are able to convert strong sunlight into renewable electricity. The solution, according to new research, is to coat solar cells with material that enables them to chase away dirt particles on their own with the help of dust-repelling electrical charges. Continue reading
Australia’s error – dig it up, ship it out, high carbon mentality
Lack of certainty on a carbon price stunts the growth of fledgling alternative energy industries, stifles consumer behavioural change and, combined with conflicting regulatory measures, leads to non-optimal short-term decisions, while both main political parties lack the stomach to take on the vested interests. So we fall back into the comfort zone of our dig-it-up and ship-it-out high carbon mindset. In so doing, we are making arguably the greatest strategic error in Australia’s history.
Our great strategic error, ABC The Drum Unleashed, 21 Aug 2010, “…Our resource base is formidable and expanding. But that bounty is fast becoming our Achilles heel. Continue reading
Both Australian Labor and Liberal would cut renewable energy funding
Australian Greens Blast Gillard For Cutting Solar Power Funding : Renewable Energy News, 20 Aug 2010, The Australian Greens say they are the only party serious about tackling climate change and transitioning Australia into a renewable energy economy. Greens Deputy Leader, Senator Christine Milne, has attacked both Labor and the Coalition for cutting $416.5 million out of renewable energy funding. Continue reading
Business needs a carbon tax, says Bob Brown
business sees the Greens as being economically responsible, I talked about saving Australia from recession. I talked about our proposal for a carbon tax. I believe it’s that proposal which one of the big parties, the next party in office is going to have to come back to because business wants it, because business is saying we need a carbon signal for investment into the future. Only the Greens are offering it
Greens say business wants carbon tax, Radio Australia:, Linda Mottram interviews Bob Brown, Australian Greens leader. August 19, 2010 “……..BROWN: The Australian Greens are in favour of transforming our economy from burning coal and forests to renewable energy and energy efficiency, and we have to do it urgently. My colleague Christine Milne has put forward a proposal for Australia to be carbon neutral; that is not putting any further carbon into the atmosphere between 2030 and 2050. Continue reading
Renewable energy – Australia’s opportunity
Australia has larger potential resources of renewable energy than any other country. We have abundant sunshine, wind, geothermal and tidal power. The great positive is that we can harness these over the next decade or two to supply most or all of our electricity and perhaps also enough to run our transport systems. We might even be able to export renewable energy
Climate change: the biggest campaign gaffe, Sydney Morning Herald, Barrie Pittock, August 20, 2010 – Climate change is costing us now – and it’s both a challenge and an opportunity – but you wouldn’t know it from the election campaign. Continue reading
Folksy, narrow focus in Australia’s election campaign
The politicians, the big corporations and their lapdog media have successfully managed to con Australians into a narrow, navel-gazing view of politics.
Especially with the “town hall meetings” with the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, and the Opposition leader, Tony Abbott – the campaign process has been transformed into a nice, folksy talkfest about each “real person” ‘s personal worries.
Oh for an “unreal person” – a good old-style political heckler – to bring reality into this.
I do not discount the genuine concerns of the community speakers. But each voter’s personal concern is not the whole story in this election.
The wider issues – climate change, pollution, nuclear power, nuclear weapons, nuclear waste dumping – these issues also concern each voter. The fact that they are global issues does not make them irrelevant to this election. – Christina Macpherson 19 August
Renewable energy score – Australia’s election
Here’s how the parties stack up in terms of their major national commitments to renewable energy and climate.
Australia’s Election 2010 – Renewable Energy And Climate Change : Renewable Energy News, 19 August 21 is nearly upon us …Australia’s 2010 Federal Election. While climate change and renewable energy were major platforms in the last election and appeared to have top billing again from the two major parties during the initial stages of the 2010 election campaign; it has somewhat taken a back seat to other issues, leading some to ask – where’s the green? Continue reading
A noisy minority: Australia’s Climate Sceptics
It seems that the opinions of a noisy minority have been amplified by the media because of a love of conflict, the need to promote a false balance and partisan zealotry (the last one refers to you, Mr The Australian).
Australian politicians overestimate the electorate’s skepticism about global warming : Deltoid, August 14, 2010 , by Tim Lambert The University of Queensland has surveyed Australian politicianson their attitude to climate change: “Labor politicians are more influenced by scientists than Liberal/National politicians – 85 per cent of Labor politicians are highly influenced by this group compared to 44 per cent of Liberal/National politicians,” Dr Fielding said. Continue reading
Feed-in tariffs, tax incentives needed to fire up Australia’s Big Solar
In Spain, Germany and Italy, feed-in tariffs have driven massive growth in big solar. In the United States, loan guarantees coupled with tax incentives and renewable energy targets have driven growth. Along with the exiting renewable energy target (RET), these incentives should be adopted by whoever wins the federal election to ensure Australia meets its solar potential.
CLIMATE SPECTATOR: Big solar’s big potential, Business Spectator. John Grimes, 16 Aug 2010 This week, the Australian Solar Energy Society joined the Australian Conservation Foundation in calling for an additional 5 per cent of Australia’s electricity to come from ‘big solar’ by 2020. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 