Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

World’s fastest solar-powered car designed by Australian students

Australian students design ‘world’s fastest solar car’ – The Economic Times, 12 Jan, 2011, MELBOURNE: Australian students claim to have designed the world’s fastest solar car which has smashed a Guinness World Record by travelling at a speed of 88 kmph.The car, designed by the University of New South Wales students, smashed the world solar car speed record at the HMAS Albatross navy base airstrip in Nowra. The speed was faster than the previous record of 79 kmph…..Australian students design ‘world’s fastest solar car’ – The Economic Times

January 16, 2011 Posted by | New South Wales, solar | | Leave a comment

Solar power the answer for regional Western Australia

there is an opportunity to consider small-scale electricity generation from renewable sources for local consumption given that the ability to supply more electricity to the region is subject to capacity constraints and the high cost of upgrades to current infrastructure………..

Solar gives good electricity, Science Alert, 14 January 2011 A study by researchers from The University of Western Australia has confirmed the potential for Concentrated Solar Power to generate electricity for communities and mining interests across the Wheatbelt. Continue reading →

January 14, 2011 Posted by | solar, Western Australia | | Leave a comment

Australia ratifies IRENA’s renewable energy Treaty

51 nations have ratified IRENA’s renewable energy Treaty. Australia did so on January 11 this year.

Clinton Lauds IRENA In Abu Dhabi, Renewable Energy News : by Energy Mattersm 24 Jan 2010, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has applauded the efforts of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and their impact on addressing climate change, supporting sustainable technology, and combating “energy poverty” in the third world…. Continue reading →

January 14, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, politics international | Leave a comment

Victoria starts off an Australia-wide movement to community-owned wind farms

In the United Kingdom and Europe, community-owned projects are commonplace. Denmark alone has over 200,000 investors owning more than 5,500 turbines.

Communities embark on clean energy path — EcoGeneration — January/February 2011 Construction has commenced at Australia’s first community-owned wind farm in Victoria. Going first has meant a long, hard road for the team behind the project, but now many other communities around Australia are asking how it was done. Embark’s Alicia Webb reports. Continue reading →

January 12, 2011 Posted by | energy, Victoria | Leave a comment

New South Wales solar farm development

100MW Solar Farm For New South Wales : Renewable Energy News , 10 Jan 2011, The New South Wales government has given the nod to Infigen Suntech to develop the state’s first commercial solar farm. The $300 million solar power station will be constructed on 200 hectares at East Nyngan Road and Boundary Street East, Nyngan and will consist of 300,000 solar panels. The Nyngan PV Solar Farm will generate enough renewable energy to provide clean electricity for up to 20,000 homes and will avoid the generation of 150,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent of removing approximately 30,000 cars from Australian roads annually………….100MW Solar Farm For New South Wales : Renewable Energy News :

January 9, 2011 Posted by | New South Wales, solar | | Leave a comment

Australia’s CSIRO a leader in batteries for renewable energy

Researchers at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), the national science agency of Australia, have developed the UltraBattery,…The UltraBattery has potential applications in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and as energy storage for renewable energy systems–such as solar and wind power.


Better Batteries Coming No Jitter | By Gary Audin, Delphi, Inc. Jan 6, 2011 Batteries will be improving mobile device energy storage soon. These battery improvements will significantly increase the use of and operating life Continue reading →

January 8, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, technology | Leave a comment

January 1, 2011 Australia’s Renewable Energy Target starts

DIARY – Global Environment | Reuters, 31 Dec 10,
SATURDAY, JANUARY 1 AUSTRALIA – Australia’s renewable energy target (RET) scheme which has a set a target of 20 percent renewable energy generation by 2020 to help curb the growth in planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions and trim the nation’s reliance on coal and gas for power generation comes into effect………….DIARY – Global Environment | Reuters

December 30, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy | Leave a comment

Queensland Premier redirects money to solar power

Anna Bligh ….saying it would help develop two new solar plants that power over 50,000 homes.

Anna Bligh culls coal to fund solar Courier Mail Patrick Lion  (Qld)   December 25, 2010 The Sunday Mail has learnt the Premier recently redirected one-third of the clean coal allocation in the Queensland Future Growth Fund towards the development of two new commercial-scale solar power projects. Continue reading →

December 27, 2010 Posted by | Queensland, solar | | Leave a comment

Variety of renewable energy growing in regional Australia

In the past year, wind power generated almost 5000 GWh of electricity enough to power more than 700,000 homes.

Clean energy powers up in ACT region, waste-management-world, John Thistleton; Business EditorCanberra Times (Australia)December 23, 2010 From mini-hydro power stations on our water storages to $100million wind turbines, the ACT region is making a growing contribution to the nation’s clean energy industry. Continue reading →

December 22, 2010 Posted by | ACT, energy | 1 Comment

Rooftop solar power, solar jobs, growing in Australia

The group’s 2010 report also predicted more than 55,000 jobs would be created in the industry by 2020, up from about 8085 now.

Green Australia turns to solar power | The Daily Telegraph, Cameron England , 22 Dec 10, THERE were more than 100,000 solar power systems installed across Australia last year which is more than in the previous decade combined. Continue reading →

December 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, business, solar | | Leave a comment

Renewable energy a more resilient system for Australia’s future

Renewables will need to be a mix of technology and scales, he explained, combining small and medium solar-powered stations with a mix of wind power, biomass and, in the future, geothermal and wave power….“It is a different kind of system and I think it is a system that is more robust and more resilient,”

Nuclear Debate On the Agenda for 2011 | Australia | Epoch Times, By Shar Adams, 22 Dec 10“……….Despite concerns that renewables cannot provide enough consistent energy to meet Australia’s and the world’s needs, Dr Diesendorf said he was confident an energy system built on renewables would not only be sufficient, but would also offer a safer, more reliable energy source. Continue reading →

December 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy | Leave a comment

Heart of Australia can develop solar energy

the price of these solar panels is coming within cooee of the cost of gas-fired production,…Alice Springs is very environmentally conscious. If we want to test anything in the environmental area this is where we will test it out.”

Sun shines on nation’s largest solar station, NT News | DAVID WOOD | December 16th, 2010 A NEW solar power station believed to be the biggest in Australia will be built at Alice Springs. The Federal Government will chip in half of the funding for the $6.6 million power station, to be built by Alice Solar City and SunPower Corporation. Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory, solar | | Leave a comment

Dubbo can lead the way for NSW rural solar power

“Dubbo is an excellent location for a number of reasons,” he said.

“It has a very supportive council and local community for renewable electricity, very good sunlight intensity, and our business model is very much building solar power stations in regional australia, particularly regional NSW.”

Dubbo to become renewable energy hub ABC Western Plains NSW – Australian Broadcasting Corporation,  December 15, 2010 A solar power station, believed to be the first of its kind in Australia, is being planned for Dubbo in western New South Wales. Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by | New South Wales, solar | | Leave a comment

Eyre Peninsula wants involvement in wind farm planning

“There is currently no published scientific evidence to positively link wind turbines with adverse health effects”….There is no evidence of wind farms having a negative effect on property values

EPLGA wants more involvement in planning Rural Report for West Coast: ABC Rural,   December 16, 2010, Port Lincoln The Eyre Peninsula Local Government Association is not against any proposed wind farms in the region and has said locals aren’t either.The association wants to pursue more renewable energy options, but they want to be more involved in the planning process. Continue reading →

December 16, 2010 Posted by | energy, South Australia | | Leave a comment

Report highlights Australia’s opportunity for renewable energy

View the full report: Global Clean Power: A $2.3 Trillion Opportunity (PDF)

Australia’s Renewable Energy Energy Investment Potential,  Renewable Energy News : by Energy Matters, 13 Dec 10, Australia renewable energy investmentA report from the respected Pew Charitable Trusts forecasts that if clean energy policies are strengthened significantly; $2.3 trillion could be invested in clean power assets in G-20 countries over the next decade; with Australia having the potential to capture $35 billion of that figure. Continue reading →

December 14, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy | Leave a comment