Australia’s fossil fuel industries determined to kill the Large Scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET)
what really scares the fossil fuel generators is the potential impact of a widespread deployment of solar, which some analysts predict could dominate the LRET rollout post 2015, as the cost of large-scale solar PV matches that of wind.
It is clear that there is a big push from industry and from the established generators to remove all “complementary measures” now that a carbon price has been implemented, and this includes the LRET – which, incidentally, is up for review next year.
Why big energy wants to kill the Large Scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) Climate Spectator, Giles Parkinson, , 16 Dec 2011 Ever heard of the merit order effect? Readers of this column may be familiar with it, because it is emerging as a key issue in the Australian electricity sector, and a flashpoint between the established fossil fuel generators and the new wave of renewable energy technologies, and a conflict between short term profits and long term gains.
The National Electricity Market, like many around in the world, is based on a merit order, where the plants with the cheapest marginal cost of fuel get preference. They bid into an energy stack until demand is filled. The price of electricity for that period is set by the bid of the last generator into the stack.
For decades, this has meant that the brown coal generators in Victoria, shoveling in cheap and dirty coal from their doorstep, go first, followed by black coal, gas, and then gas peaking stations when demand is really high. But the rollout of renewables has changed those dynamics, because their marginal cost of generation is next to nil, so they go first, forcing other generators further up the stack, meaning prices are pushed down, and some fossil fuel generators miss out altogether.
This has been a well documented effect in Europe and elsewhere, and is considered a virtue by the International Energy Agency, which says the merit order effect has meant that cost savings on wholesale energy prices have, in some cases, more than compensated for the cost of the subsidies that got the renewables built in the first place. Continue reading
Australia’s Energy Minister subtly sabotages photovolcaic solar energy
Ferguson labeled all clean technologies as expensive and requiring subsidies, however the figures in the white paper, concerning photovoltaics, are more than 12 months old and do not reflect the rapidly falling cost of photovoltaics.
Australian energy “white paper” neglects PV potential, PV Magazine, 14. DECEMBER 
2011, BY: JONATHAN GIFFORD A strategy document released this week, on Australia’s energy future, seems to have 
overlooked the potential of photovoltaics in the country. Instead the report focused on unproven technology, like carbon capture and storage, and leaving the door open for thedevelopment of nuclear power stations.
The Australian Federal Government has released a draft energy “white paper” in an attempt to develop a clearer energy policy direction for the nation. While “accelerating cleaner energy outcomes” is identified as one of the policy priorities, it appears that a major role for photovoltaics has been eschewed in favor of alternative “cleaner” energy technologies, such as carbon capture and storage – forcoal-fired power plants, nuclear and geothermal power. Continue reading
Venture Capital Fund launched by Australian Government
Australian Government Launches A$200 Million Venture Capital Fund, WSJ, DECEMBER 15, 2011, By Gillian Tan The Australian Government has appointed Southern Cross Venture Partners as fund manager of the nation’s largest renewable energy venture capital fund, valued at 200 million Australian dollars (US$198 million).
Softbank China Venture Capital will match the Government’s A$100 million commitment and the pooled funds will assist high potential Australian renewable energy start-up companies by making early-stage, critical equity investments beginning in 2012.
Southern Cross Venture Partners has offices in Sydney as well as Palo Alto and Shanghai and according to its website, a typical initial investment will be between A$2 million and A$5 million with additional cash injections in later rounds……The Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund forms part of the Australian Government’s $3.2 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
http://blogs.wsj.com/dealjournalaustralia/2011/12/15/australian-government-launches-a200-million-venture-capital-fund/?mod=google_news_blog
Australian Capital Territory legislates for solar feed in tariff
ACT passes large solar scheme, ABC News, By Kathleen Dyett December 09, 2011 The ACT Government has passed legislation to set-up Australia first large-scale solar feed-in tariff scheme. It will support renewable energy projects with a total capacity of up to 210 megawatts, with the first 40 megawatts to be allocated via an auction.
Large solar facilities that generate 2 megawatts or more will be the first to take part in the auction. The Liberals have slammed the scheme as costly and ineffective. But the Greens negotiated some changes before backing the bill.
Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury says he is happy with the outcome. “The two amendments we’ve agreed with the Government are to first of all ensure that the developments take place within the Australian capital region,” he said.
“The second is to open it up to systems above 200 kilowatts which will predominantly go on rooftops. “We want to make the most of the many rooftops around Canberra that could be used to generate clean, green energy.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-09/act-large-solar-tariff-scheme/3721884?section=act
Promoting renewable energy is the way to save the climate change debate
The heavy polluting industres know they cannot easily shift basic values, so they have undermined solar and wind at the next level of understanding, around jobs, prices and the electricity industry. In reaction to the statement, ‘Investing in renewable energy is good for the economy by creating jobs,’ 80 per cent were in agreement, and only 10 per cent in disagreement.After two years of campaigning for coal and against renewables, energy-intensive and heavy-polluting industry, along with certain media outlets and Opposition leader Tony Abbott, have done barely any damage to the perceived value of renewables as an industry.
Cleaning up the climate debate, Climate Spectator , 8 Dec 2011, Dan Cass A recent poll confirms what I have come to believe after watching the global warming issue for 20 years; renewable energy is the only way to save the debate about saving the planet. If the UN wants to make progress in the climate negotiations and closer to home, if Julia Gillard wants to win the next election, then the debate should be couched in terms of the tangible benefits of today’s solar and wind technologies.A poll by Essential Research, conducted during Australia’s recent carbon price negotiations, shows overwhelming public support for investment in solar and wind, and that this support might just win the politics of a carbon price.
detractors. Solar and wind have been politicised and companies need to step in and vigorously defend their interests. Continue reading
Solar photovoltaics booming on Australian homes
with high levels of irradiation nationwide, some argue that residential grid parity has arrived, on average, throughout Australia.
Australia’s 500,000 solar homes PV Magazine, 07. DECEMBER 2011 BY: JONATHAN GIFFORD In a report released yesterday at the UN climate negotiations in Durban, the Clean Energy Council of Australia has revealed that more than 500,000 homes in Australia feature photovoltaic systems. The report looked at renewable electricity generation across the board and revealed that power for around four million homes was produced in 2011. This means that the country is well on the way to meet its goal of producing 20 percent of its power through renewable sources by 2020.
The progress of photovoltaics was outstanding, Continue reading
Australia’s renewable energy to double by 2020
Report finds Australian renewable energy to double, Australia Network News, 6 Dec 11, A new report has found that renewable energy sources now provide Australia with nearly 10 per cent of its power, and that figure is on track to double by 2020.
The report produced by the industry’s Clean Energy Council said more than a million Australians now live in homes powered by solar panels and heavy rains have boosted output from hydro-electric plants. It found uncertainty over the carbon tax had stalled investment in major projects like large wind farms. But the council’s Director Kane Thornton predicts that will change now the tax has passed.”Certainly we believe that we’re on track to achieving the 20 per cent
renewable energy target by 2020,” he said.
“We’ve seen a strong year for solar power, there’s a lot of pent up investment in large scale wind projects that now that we have a carbon price in Australia we’re optimistic that there’ll be a strong growth in large scale wind farms over the coming years to ensure we really track towards that 20 per cent
target”.http://australianetworknews.com/stories/201112/3384606.htm?desktop
Bendigo calls on Victorian government to reverse its anti wind energy legislation
Bendigo joins wind farm planning fight, ABC News, December 02, 2011 The State Government is coming under further pressure from central Victoria to overturn its controversial changes to wind farm planning rules. The Victorian Government moved in August to establish no-go zones for turbines in selected areas across the state, including land around Bendigo.
The decision upset several local environment groups and the Mt Alexander Shire at Castlemaine was among the first councils to voice opposition to the move. Bendigo Mayor Rod Fyffe says his council has also voted to ask the Government to reverse the decision…..”On balance, we feel that it was a decision that we would like to see reversed so that communities can look at what they want, work out what they want and plan for what they want.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-02/bendigo-joins-wind-farm-planning-changes-fight/3708280
A pioneer wave energy project for Port Fairy, Victoria
Wave energy to power homes, The Age, December 2, 2011 – A world-first wave energy project which mimics the movement of seaweed and kelp through the water will power hundreds of homes in Victoria’s south-west. The $14 million BioWAVE project is a single wave energy unit that will be anchored to the sea floor 30 metres underwater and about 800 metres from the shore at a site four kilometres west of Port Fairy.
The 450kW unit will be connected to the energy grid and power 300 homes by early 2013. The project is an example of biomimicry, in which biological traits are used in engineered systems. The Victorian government has put $5 million towards the project and other partners include AGL Energy Bluescope Steel, Lend Lease, Swinburne University, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney. Energy and Resources Minister Michael O’Brien said the project would also support the local economy and jobs. http://www.theage.com.au/environment/energy-smart/wave-energy-to-power–homes-20111202-1ob24.html#ixzz1fW5uImjT
As renewable energy costs go down, Australia should be partnering China in solar development
wind is already cheaper than new-built coal in the US, and solar thermal with storage, and used as a peaking plant, will be competitive with peaking gas.
Australia should be pursuing a more strategic partnerships with China – like that between UNSW and Suntech, the world’s biggest solar PV maker
Why we don’t need coal, Climate Spectator, Giles Parkinson, 1 Dec 11 Last month, the International Energy Agency released a stunning report that suggested that the future of thermal coal exports could be threatened if the world ever decides to implement the policies to limit global warming to an average 2°C, rather than just merely talking about it, as they are doing in Durban this fortnight.
The coal industry laughed, suggesting such a scenario was highly unlikely. But what if technology took the decision out of the hands of politicians, as seems increasingly likely with the plunging costs of renewables, particularly solar PV, across the globe? And what does that mean also for Australia’s energy infrastructure, and the tens of billions of dollars that will be invested in the coming decade on the basis that business will continue as usual?
New forecasts from China suggest the cost of solar PV in that country will fall below that of coal-fired generation within 10 years. From that point, or even before, says Wu Dacheng, the vice chairman and secretary general of the China Photovoltaic Society, the country’s energy build out will be dominated by cheaper renewables. Continue reading
Geothermal power for Australia should not be ignored
A Clean Resource Too Large to be Ignored – Geothermal Power Gains Steam Triple Pundit By Andrew Burger | November 28th, “……..recent studies showing that the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia – Western Australia in particular – have geothermal resources that dwarf their energy needs, and despite the fact that it’s a proven, time-tested, economic source of clean, reliable baseload power….
Danish visitors puzzled by Victoria’s laws against wind farms
Wind turbine rules mystify Danes, The Age, Adam MortoNovember 26, 2011 The head of the world’s largest wind energy company has questioned the Baillieu government’s rationale for giving households veto rights over turbines within two kilometres of their homes.
Ditlev Engel, chief executive of Danish company Vestas, said he had ”no idea” where the policy had come from. Mr Engel, who is visiting Victoria with Crown Prince Frederik and Tasmanian-born Crown Princess Mary, said no one had explained the motivation for Victoria’s most restrictive regulations on turbines.
Mr Engel backed opening wind farms to the public to dispel myths about wind power. Denmark generates a quarter of its energy from wind power. Vestas had turbine blade manufacturing plants in Victoria and Tasmania, but they closed in 2007 over policy uncertainty… http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/wind-turbine-rules-mystify-danes-20111125-1nzb0.html#ixzz1eqqTjYpA
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) – a new approach to management
ARENA: A new approach to renewables, Climate Spectator, Scott Bouvier, 25 Nov 11 The Bills that set up the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (known as ARENA) quietly passed through Parliament this month. ARENA has been broadly welcomed as consolidating the management of multiple funding programs with greater independence. To date, ARENA has been promoted as business as usual, but with a new approach to management Continue reading
Energy farming an additional industry for rural Australia
In Australia for many of us, isolation and lack of population limits such pursuits. Not so with renewable energy. It holds distinct advantages over traditional farming. It can be locally generated and locally used. We won’t face the market share and price squeezes that overseas competitors foist on us in other commodities.
I encourage state and federal politicians and bodies such as the National Farmers’ Federation and affiliated state representatives to lobby for renewable energy at ministerial level. After all it is a primary industry, no different to beef, sheep and viticulture.
Future in renewable energy, Weekly Times, 24 Nov 11 RENEWABLE energy is everybody’s concern, writes ROB NICHOLS Whether you believe the science on climate change or not, few would deny that a cleaner environment fuelled by renewable energy sources is a desirable goal. Far from threatening farming, this switch offers farmers and rural communities incredible opportunities.
And these are big opportunities, as big as the opportunities afforded by fossil-fuel discoveries which have delivered spectacular fortunes to the world’s energy giants. After all, society’s insatiable desire for easier living and energy continues. Farmers have the resources – sun, wind, crops for biomass etc – plus the space to provide that energy.
Those resources can help us spread our financial risk, but we need to be quick. If we sit back and undervalue them, city and overseas investors will tap and rob our resources and export the financial gains away from our localities into the pockets of others. Failure to take control now will mean our businesses and communities will wither away and become irrelevant. Continue reading
Germany showing the way towards a distributed, decentralised energy future
And will the rest of Europe follow? The poll-leading Socialists in France, after all, are talking of halving the country’s nuclear capacity. “Most of the world will follow this way, but it will be slow,” Dudenhauser says. “Everyone expected blackouts after the nuclear shutdown, but it didn’t happen. But it would not be manageable if everyone goes Germany’s way in the next two years.”
Size not a factor in German power play , Climate Spectator, Giles 
Parkinson, 24 Nov 11 It seems strange that the world’s most cautious and best performing economy should be acting as some sort of crash test dummy for the world’s clean energy future. But this is exactly the position that Germany finds itself in following its commitment earlier this year to abandon nuclear energy and to push towards its vision of a fully renewable power supply by 2050.
And if this is the future, then companies that have based their models around the principal of centralised power stations may find little cause for comfort. But it is presenting enormous opportunities for those focused on the concept of distributed generation, particularly fuel cells – at least that’s the take of Roman Dudenhausen, the CEO and co-founder of German energy consultants ConEnergy, and a recently appointed director to the board of Australia’s Ceramic Fuels Cells. Continue reading
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