CSIRO report dispels negative myths about solar power for Australia
Solar power has bright future – CSIRO, SMH, Ben Cubby, Environment Editor, June 15, 2012 THE myth that solar power is unreliable because clouds sometimes cover the sun has been dispelled by a world-first report produced by the CSIRO. While clouds or rainy weather drastically reduce the amount of electricity produced by solar panels, intelligent management of the power grid means panels and mirrors should still supply 40 per cent of
the nation’s energy in the future, the report said.
“People are worried about the reliability with little evidence, and that is limiting solar,” said Glenn Platt, a senior researcher in local energy systems at the CSIRO. “Solar intermittency is not an issue at the moment, but when it does become an issue there are solutions available to deal with it.” Continue reading
Wind energy company calls for inquiry into wind energy and health
Pacific Hydro supports calls for wind farm health probe http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-14/pacific-hydro-supports-calls-for-wind-farm-health/4070878 June 14, 2012 A wind energy company, Pacific Hydro, has backed calls for a study into the health effects of wind farms and power generation. The company’s general manager, Lane Crockett, backed the suggestion during a meeting on wind farms in Portland on Tuesday.
A Senate inquiry last year recommended the Government should fund a health assessment. Mr Crockett says the Government should launch a broad-ranging inquiry into the claimed health problems caused by power generation.
“If you really want to have a broad conversation about what forms of power generation are appropriate to power Australia, then you should do a health review of all forms of power generation,” he said.
Demand for solar PV can only grow in Australia: get used to it!
An increase in electricity costs will increase demand for PV. Reading through AEMO’s report again (which we helped model), they define their “rapid uptake scenario” as being driven by “relatively large” increases in electricity price, “rapid system price reductions” and a “clear incentive” from Government. Under this scenario, they predict 18GW of rooftop PV by 2030.
We now have two out of three and arguably, the Carbon tax is the clear incentive.
get on board with PV or get out of the way. Its coming whether you like it or not.
NSW power price rises underscore case for solar REneweconomy, By Nigel Morris 13 June 2012, The Independent Regulatory and Pricing Tribunal (IPART) today released its final price determination for 2012-2013 electricity prices. Continue reading
Big Solar is NOT more beautiful than Small Solar energy
“Solar Flagships is an idea full of good intentions, but it is grandiose and cumbersome,” says Giles Parkinson, pointing out the project won’t be up and running until 2015; whereas the ACT Solar Auction will have projects up and running well before then.”
the Australian solar PV industry installed over 800 megawatts in the prior calendar year alone using a market-based policy mechanism which entirely avoided the need for government to get involved in picking a winning project
Solar Flagships – ‘Grandiose And Cumbersome’ http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3247 by Energy Matters, 14 June 12, Seeing large scale solar getting a bit of a helping hand in Australia certainly isn’t a bad thing per se; but just how good a deal is it for the battling Aussie taxpayer?
AGL Energy and USA-based First Solar were recently announced the successful grantees in the Australian Government’s troubled Solar Flagships Program.
The $450 million project will see two solar panel based facilities established – one in Broken Hill and another in Nyngan. Together, the facilities will boast 159 megawatts capacity, enough to supply the electricity needs of approximately 30,000 homes. The Federal government is kicking in $129.7 million and the NSW Government has committed to provide $64.9 million to the projects; totalling $194.6 million in grants – or $1.22 per watt of capacity.
While AGL (and its shareholders), First Solar (and its shareholders) and Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson may be rejoicing, some industry commentators haven’t shared the exuberance. Continue reading
Australia’s electricity networks can cope with plenty more Solar PV power
Networks Should Have Nothing To Fear From Solar PV, Energy Matters, by Giles Parkinson, editor of RenewEconomy.com.au, 14 June 12, A new study led by the CSIRO has questioned the validity of fears that widespread deployment of solar PV could not be supported by the electricity grid, and says Australia could support a lot more solar PV with minimum fuss.
The integration of intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar has been a major issue in discussions about the deployment of clean energy, but the CSIRO study says fears about solar have been overblown, in much the same way as they were about wind energy.
Glenn Platt, the head of CSIRO’s local energy systems division, who oversaw the team that wrote the detailed report, says it was commonly thought that the maximum amount of solar PV that could be supported by the grid without significant upgrades was 20 per cent.
“That’s a very common statement, but I’m not sure we have found much evidence to support that. The analysis shows we can have a heck of a lot more than 20 per cent,” Platt told RenewEconomy .
Electricity network upgrades, not renewable energy, are causing cost rises
Smart meters, time-of-use tariffs, cutting demand at the peak and localised power generation – for example, from rooftop solar panels – can help cut this network spending. The problem is the network companies have no financial incentive to make this happen
High power rates: it’s a poles and wires story, SMH, Paddy Manning, Brian Robins June 12, 2012 Poor demand management means consumers could be paying for infrastructure that isn’t really needed. Electricity prices have been rising fast and, from July 1, they are set to go higher.
Green schemes such as the renewable energy target and feed-in-tariffs – as well as the coming carbon tax – are often
blamed for pushing up prices, but the reality is they are responsible for only a small part of the increases approved by the Australian Energy Regulator.
By far the largest driver of the price increases is increased spending on electricity transmission and distribution networks (the ”poles and wires”), which is passed on to residential and commercial customers alike. These network costs account for 57 per cent of the average residential electricity bill around the country, the Australian Energy Market Commission says Continue reading
New solar project for Broken Hill will be operational by 2015
Silver city becomes solar city ABC Broken Hill, By Noah Schultz-Byard, June, 2012 Broken Hill will host one half of the largest solar energy project in the southern hemisphere, it was announced today. The $450 million project will have an ultimate output of 159 megawatts, enough to power 33,000 homes, and will be constructed across two sites; Broken Hill and Nyngan.
The Broken Hill site will consist of nearly a million solar photovoltaic (Solar PV) panels and will be built to the west of the
city. Construction is hoped to begin in 2014 and is expected to bring 150 jobs to Broken Hill and a further 300 to Nyngan.
The solar farm is expected to be operating by 2015 and is a joint venture between the Federal and State Governments and Australian energy company AGL…. Continue reading
Energy research in Australia welcomes the carbon tax
The real cost of carbon-based fuels needs to become apparent and with the carbon tax that will be so. When you see that real cost of carbon then other renewable energy projects like solar or wind or geothermal, they can now become a lot more competitive.
having a background like a carbon tax and all that will definitely help and assist these newer technologies to get to
maturity.
Carbon tax powers energy innovators ABC Radio AM Adam Harvey , June 9, 2012 ELIZABETH JACKSON: At least one person in New South Wales’s mining heartland is looking forward to the carbon tax kicking in. Newcastle University professor Behdad Moghtaderi is developing new technology to cut power bills.
He’s working on ways to use the earth’s heat to power mines and he’s helped devise an ingenious system to warm the university’s swimming pool. He hopes that rising power prices, sparked by the carbon tax, inspires businesses to follow his lead….. Continue reading
Grassroots movement to make Australia’s politicians aware of renewable energy
building this kind of grassroots capacity is central to ensuring that the people’s overwhelming desire for big solar and renewables is heard and acted on in the nation’s parliament.
Abbott set to catch last wave on clean energy, By Andrew Bray on 8 June 2012 Last week, as the drama of the Craig Thompson affair continued to unfold, our national parliament was reduced to a circus of politicians sprinting around the chamber, and the press gallery struggled to digest each new stunt-filled moment, the 100% Renewable campaign took 30 community representatives to Canberra to talk to our leaders about an issue the public actually cares about – building big solar plants in the sunniest country on earth.
Last Monday, constituents sat down with their local MPs, as well as senior ministers and ministerial advisors, and talked about the widespread support for big solar we found in our big solar poll conducted earlier this year and outlined in the poll report, 12,000 Voices: Australia’s vision for big solar. Continue reading
Wind farms supported by majority of people in South Australia, Victoria and NSW
those who opposed wind power were “out of step with community thinking”.
Two-thirds (67 per cent) of people believed a farmer’s right to generate income from their land was more important than a resident’s right to a view clear of wind turbines.
‘People worrying themselves sick’ over windfarms http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/people-worrying-themselves-sick-over-windfarms/story-e6frea83-1226388175640 Political Reporter Lauren Novak June 07, 2012 MORE than 80 per cent of people believe health concerns about wind farms will “turn out to be nothing to worry about”, a survey commissioned by the Clean Energy Council says. Continue reading
Solar Dawn project- Concentrated Thermal Power (CSP) in the balance for Australia
as a new report points out, Australia has a unique opportunity to grab a significant share of the global supply chain for solar thermal, a technology recognised by the International Energy Agency,
Industry awaits dawn of federal solar project BY GILES PARKINSON The Australian June 08, 2012 IN the next few weeks, the federal government will learn whether the $1.2 billion Solar Dawn project in Queensland has been able to meet its extended deadline to obtain finance for the 250 megawatt solar thermal project. Continue reading
The movement for Intelligent energy efficiency
This has special relevance in Australia where customers are witnessing a marked fall in the cost of technologies such as solar PV, as well as being subjected to rising electricity prices, a situation exacerbated by the utilities’ push for time-of-use pricing.
Intelligent efficiency could have a dramatic impact on the demand outlook for Australian utilities, and the sort of new generation needed in coming decades, plus whether or not the tens of billions of dollars being spent on transmission and distribution networks is money well spent.
Industry awaits dawn of federal solar project, BY GILES PARKINSON The Australian June 08, 2012 “……..Smart thinking HERE’S a new concept in reducing energy consumption: intelligent efficiency. Essentially it refers to a movement beyond energy-efficient light bulbs and other savings devices to a systems-based approach that combines the benefits of a suite of new technologies such as smart meters, renewables such as solar PV and electric vehicles. Continue reading
Promoting renewable energy from the grassroots – The Australian Youth Climate Coalition
Generation Y promote renewable energy http://www.parramattasun.com.au/news/local/news/general/generation-y-promote-renewable-energy/2582725.aspx BY CALLAN LAWRENCE, 07 Jun, 2012 IF climate change does pan out, with oceans rising, rivers drying and storms causing havoc, it will be Generation Y that lives it, so they are trying to stop it.
The Australian Youth Climate Coalition has small groups in Parramatta and Blacktown to help change how western Sydney is powered. Business by business, school by school, the group of youth wants to convert people to “green” power.
Granville resident and Parramatta climate coalition convener Amy Gordon, 22, said they wanted to raise money to reduce the community footprint.
“We go out in to the community and approach local businesses, whether it’s a cafe, a school or a not-for-profit organisation, and create some sort of event,” she said. “It could be a mufti day, or a band event or whatever, to try and
raise $1000 and help them switch to renewable energy. “It’s about raising an awareness in our own community . . . “it’s
really inspiring to see change from the grassroots up.”
The coalition has worked with inner-west Sydney businesses for two years but Parramatta High School was the first organisation in the region to take part. Deputy principal Paul Taylor said Ms Gordon spoke to students about the environment. “They came away very enthusiastic and empowered from the whole experience,” Mr Taylor said. Students have introduced water and energy saving measures to the school and plan a media campaign.
Australian govt helping local councils, low income earners, to get solar hot water systems
Solar funds redirected to councils, poor, Business Spectator, 6 Jun 2012 The federal government has finally announced what it plans to do with the $45 million left over after the solar hot water rebate program was wound up earlier this year.
Climate change parliamentary secretary Mark Dreyfus said on Wednesday $24 million would be spent on a new program to help local councils install solar or heat pump hot water systems in community facilities. The remaining $20.7 million would be redirected to the existing home energy saver scheme (HESS), which helps poor Australians buy more efficient white goods and air-conditioning systems……
The Australian Greens claimed credit for forcing the government to spend the money on programs that would continue to support the solar hot water industry. “The Greens highlighted the scheme was underspent and insisted the funding allocation be maintained and not lost to general revenue,” leader Christine Milne said in a statement. “So directing this support to lower income householders and to community facilities is a great way to direct the benefits where they
are needed most.”
The Australian Council of Social Services praised Labor for pumping an extra $21 million into the HESS. “It will assist households to better understand and manage energy use,” council chief executive Cassandra Goldie said in a statement.
“New funds for investment in solar hot water systems are an excellent extension of the scheme that will allow households to take action to reduce energy costs.” Australian Manufacturing Workers Union NSW secretary Tim Ayres said the government had pledged the $45 million would be spent on locally-made products…
http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Solar-funds-redirected-to-councils-poor-UZBG7?OpenDocument&src=hp7
New South Wales government policies stifle wind energy development, promote coal and gas
Concern over State Government’s wind farm guidelines, ABC News June 06, 2012 The State Opposition says the O’Farrell Government’s planning guidelines for wind farms is putting potential investment in the Hunter at risk. The guidelines include a two-kilometre exclusion zone between homes and wind turbines.
Energy spokesman Luke Foley says planning charges are set to prohibit investment in the industry. He says developers could be paying more than $1 million in planning fees compared to $15,000 in Victoria.
Mr Foley says the planning guidelines for wind energy are much stronger than for the coal and gas industry.
“If a single landholder, one landholder out of hundreds objects to a wind farm proposal the proposal then has to go through all sorts of hoops, that doesn’t apply to coal seam gas or coal or our extractive industries,” he said.
Newcastle based, wind energy consultant Richard Finlay-Jones says the planning guidelines could put local projects at risk…. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-06/concern-over-state-government27s-wind-farm-guidelines/4056328
1 This month
15 April – Zoom –Nuclear Power is Not the Solution
Apr 15, 2026 01:00 AM in Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) on Tuesday, April 14th for a timely webinar exploring the risks associated with nuclear power and challenging the myth that it offers a simple, safe, carbon-free solution to the climate crisis
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 