Broadcast Australia goes renewable energy
A 15kW wind turbine was installed, along with a 5kW solar power system. Surplus generated electricity is stored in two banks of deep cycle batteries, providing a total of 5800 amp hour storage; enough to provide full power autonomy for two days….The Broadcast Australia network covers approximately 580 transmission sites located throughout the metropolitan, regional and rural areas of Australia.
Broadcast Australia Powers Site With Wind And Solar Energy : Renewable Energy News, 7 Oct 10, Broadcast Australia has upgraded a broadcast transmission site in Tasmania to be powered by renewable energy. Continue reading
Australian govt can use carbon pricing to provide renewable energy infrastructure
The construction of new renewable energy grid infrastructure is one example of an investment-centred measure. Expanded electricity grid infrastructure would open up renewable resources for sustainable development and help overcome a non-market barrier to clean energy deployment……
The Gillard government and those in the parliament who support effective action on climate change can use carbon-pricing legislation to secure funding for an ambitious nation-building climate policy agenda.
Want to stop climate change? Move beyond carbon pricing, Rooted, Leigh Ewbank, October 7, 2010 by Crikey: Continue reading
USA federal govt approves huge solar project on govt land
the projects in Southern California involve a square mile of glimmering solar panels near Victorville and a large array of satellite dish-like sun catchers covering about 10 square miles in the remote Imperial Valley.Both could start transmitting electricity to the state grid by the end of 2011 or early 2012.
Feds approve 2 Calif solar plants on public land, MontereyHerald.com :By JASON DEAREN Associated Press: 10/05/2010 SAN FRANCISCO—For the first time, federal land managers gave final approval Tuesday for the construction of two large solar installations on public lands that could power hundreds of thousands of homes with renewable energy. Continue reading
The White House to get its solar panels back

These new panels go far beyond what Jimmy Carter installed and then Ronald Reagan tore down. Carter’s $30,000 rig was installed in 1979 to heat water, which it did.
Reagan’s tear down was part of his assault on the green power industry on behalf of big oil and nuclear power.
Obama says he’ll now re-instate solar water heating to the White House roof, AND will add photo-voltaic cells that will generate electricity. by Harvey Wasserman, 6 Oct 10, Continue reading
UK Feed In Tariff delivering solar energy boost
“The scheme is delivering exactly what it was meant to do in terms of a rapid increase in the number of installations, creation of jobs and increase in the amount of renewable energy generated
UK Solar Power Feed In Tariffs Delivering : Renewable Energy News, 5 Oct 10, Rooftop solar energy systems are driving uptake of the UK government’s pilot solar feed-in tariff scheme, Continue reading
ANZ, National, CBA, Westpac hypocrites with their huge investment in coal
the ANZ, National, Commonwealth and Westpac are investing billions of dollars into the coal industry while promoting an image of community responsibility and environmental sustainability…
Greenpeace Slams Australia’s Big 4 Banks’ Coal Power Investment, Renewable Energy News, 4 Oct 10, A report prepared for Greenpeace Australia Pacific has found Australia’s big four banks are pouring huge amounts of money into the most polluting form of power generation: coal. Continue reading
USA renewable energy gaining, while nuclear power stagnant
“Renewable energy has proven itself to be a solid investment – growing rapidly and nipping at the heels of the stagnant nuclear power industry.”…..
(USA) Renewables Gaining Ground, Without Congress’ Help , E Magazine.com (By Brita Belli), 4 Oct 10, Continue reading
Solar electricity in direct competition with coal
“Germany is a world leader in solar power but it has half as much sun per square metre as Australia,” he adds. … solar power is in direct competition with coal- generated electricity.
Solar Energy Gets a Boost, But Offers Much More, By Stephen de Tarczynski MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct 4, 2010 (IPS) – Proponents of renewable energy say that a planned large-scale solar power plant in Australia’s northern Victoria state, which will produce enough output to provide electricity to 60,000 homes, is just a fraction of what could be achieved if federal and state governments were fully committed to harnessing solar energy. Continue reading
Ontario closes coal plants with private investment in renewables
The Ontario Government says the province has attracted over CAD $1 billion in private sector investment through these three renewable energy projects, which will add almost 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity….. more than 80 per cent of power generation came from emissions-free sources. Ontario has already closed four coal-fired powered generation four years ahead of schedule.
Ontario’s Government Showcases Wind And Solar Power Projects : Renewable Energy News, 4 Oct 10,”……. in the province of Ontario, solid headway is being made in renewable energy, Continue reading
Renewable energy is happening, and nuclear isn’t

I know that this is supposed to be an anti-nuclear blog. But I get bored with all the stuff in the media about nuclear. For one thing, it’s just not happening – the “nuclear renaissance”.
For another thing, the Australian media is full of hype about uranium. Today – several articles on how wonderfully well Paladin Energy is doing in Africa- oh you gotta invest! Nary a word about how Paladin is pulling out of Niger because uranium workers are getting kidnapped by al-Qaida.
But for the main thing – Renewable Energy is happening! It’s happening both on a big scale – how business and the media love BIG!
It’s happening on a small scale – where communities, schools and households are getting truly clean energy, and making a profit out of it.
Not apparently a scenario for Australia. Are we some sort of cultural outpost – where the idea of energy has to be always BIG, corporate-owned, and coal or uranium fueled?
Australia’s brain drain for solar, and now wave power
Clean energy advocates are concerned that wave power could experience the same sort of brain drain that has hit the Australian solar industry over the past decade.
Rough ride for sea power, Sydney Morning Herald, Mathew MurphyOctober 4, 2010 A LACK of government support for the fledgling wave-energy industry is forcing Australian companies to increasingly invest overseas despite having the world’s best wave resource off our coastline. Continue reading
Decentralised renewable energy profitable in Italy
More than 800 Italian communities now make more energy than they use because of the recent addition of renewable energy plants,…wind turbines, solar panels generate electricity at its ancient cemetery, its sports complex and a growing number of private residences.
Italian towns turn a profit with the wind at their back, The Age, Elisabeth Rosenthal,Tocco da CasauriaOctober 4, 2010 THE towering wind turbines that rise from gnarled ancient olive groves here speak to something extraordinary happening across Italy. Continue reading
Campaign for localised renewable energy in India
sustainable power that can be delivered through local renewable energy solutions.
Campaign for an energy revolution in Bihar, Sify News, Patna, Oct 2 (IANS) Greenpeace India along with a coalition of civil society groups Saturday launched a campaign to demand an energy revolution in Bihar. Continue reading
How to lie about nuclear power funding and still sound “ethical”
In this month of focus on lies and secrets, we might ponder what Westpac Bank actually does mean when it promises to favour “clean” energy projects.
In the USA, the word “clean” is routinely applied to nuclear power. In China, even the word “renewable” is applied to nuclear power. We regularly hear of “green” nuclear power, along with other amazing lies like “cheap”.
Most (not all) of Australia’s “ethical” investments fund any uranium mining that is not specified as intended for nuclear weapons – in other words, they fund any uranium mining – and still call themselves “ethical”
Hypocrisy of Australian banks over finance for renewable energy
Most Australian banks are signed up to the Equator Principles for project finance……the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment….the equator principles are “pretty loose … they don’t compel banks to do or not do particular things”. At worst, they are a dangerous aid to bank greenwashing.
Banks under scrutiny over coal funding, Sydney Morning Herald, Paddy Manning, 2 Oct 10, Australian banks, highly dependent on offshore capital, will face increasing international scrutiny of their lending practices – particularly, their exposure to the coal industry. Continue reading















