Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

USA’s 10 Million Solar Rooftops Act

a homeowner who decides to install a 5-kilowatt solar system which, depending on location, would produce enough electricity to cover most, if not all, of an average electric bill (the solar panels would produce excess power during the day that can be sold back to the utility, covering some or all of the cost of electricity when the sun is not shining).

Here Comes the Sun: Ten Million Solar Rooftops, Renewable Energy World, by Greg Chafee July 21, 2010 Continue reading →

July 24, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, solar | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Victoria: large scale solar plant and feed-in tariff

There is no doubt this initiative will mean that many local and international solar developers will remain in the country, and that Australia will have the opportunity of ranking among the leading developers of large-scale solar in the world…..

CLIMATE SPECTATOR: Brumby’s solar hit…Giles Parkinson,  Business Spectator, 22 Jul 2010 Victorian Premier John Brumby certainly didn’t miss with the timing of the state’s large-scale solar power plant initiative…..announcing a 5 per cent large-scale solar energy target, supported by the country’s first large-scale feed in tariff.…. Continue reading →

July 22, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, solar, Victoria | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bob Brown will back Labor or Liberal Climate Bills

Asked if he would block a climate change package without a price on carbon, Senator Brown said: “Goodness, no. We’re advocating renewable energy. “We’re advocating energy efficiency and we’ll negotiate. “We’re in there for better outcomes. But it will be remiss of both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott if they don’t get a carbon price.”

Brown promises climate backing,  Sid Maher, Patricia Karvelas  The Australian  July 21, 2010

BOB Brown .. said he would pass climate bills from both parties even if they had no price on carbon.

The Greens leader, campaigning in Adelaide yesterday, also intensified his attack on the mining industry, saying his party wanted uranium mining at the South Australian behemoth Roxby Downs stopped. Continue reading →

July 21, 2010 Posted by | energy, solar, wind | , , , , , | Leave a comment

European Union looking to over 1 million renewable energy jobs

The biggest growth is anticipated to come from job creation in the consumer and small business sectors as homeowners focus on green lifestyles in order to enhance home energy efficiency, health, comfort and sustainability.

Green Jobs and Renewable Energy, ECOINSTITUTION,  July 20, 2010 by davidhoward Renewable energy industry has proven its potential to create jobs. Under current policies, the European Union could create sizeable number of jobs: 950,000 direct and indirect full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs and increase to 1.4 million in the next decade. Continue reading →

July 21, 2010 Posted by | energy, solar, wind | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Detailed report on Europe’s Renewable Energy Policy

The report provides trends and information on renewable energy policies in Europe and analyzes some of the driving forces for the renewable energy sector

Europe Renewable Energy Policy Handbook 2010, GlobalData ReportStore,  Jul-2010

GlobalData’s new report “Europe Renewable Energy Policy Handbook 2010” provides an in-depth analysis of the renewable policy initiatives in the European Union (EU) and the key countries in terms of strength of policy implementation. Continue reading →

July 21, 2010 Posted by | energy, solar, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia: the electoral power of Climate Change activism

on July 12 Tony Abbott said the Opposition had “no plans to promote nuclear power”. This is a watershed.Politicians now fear the electorate’s environmental commitment, and its preparedness to punish lax environmentalism.So let’s use our electoral power.

Watershed for voting power – inMyCommunity – Perth, Western Australia, David Freeman , 20 July 2010, Continue reading →

July 20, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, General News | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Climate and Energy Policy IS Water Policy

energy efficiency and many forms of renewable energy–such as wind power and solar photovoltaics–use little or no water.

These key messages delivered and explained in new report, Protecting the Lifeline of the West: How Climate and Clean Energy Policies Can Safeguard Water,

(USA) In the West, Climate and Energy Policy Is Water Policy, Dan Grossm and Bart Miller, 19 July 2010, “………………scientists are concluding that the extended droughts of the past may become the norm of the future. So what should we do about this bleak situation? If we are serious about avoiding the biggest looming crisis of meeting the water needs of the West, we have to understand the energy-water connection and advance clean energy solutions. Continue reading →

July 20, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, solar, water, wind | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

$953 million spent to promote nuclear power as “climate solution”

there is real danger that the nuclear industry will continue to promote itself as a ‘silver-bullet’ solution to climate change

Nuclear Energy Steals Billions from Other Technologies « Stephen Leahy, International Environmental Journalist, 20 July 2010, “……..This lavish lobbying effort by the energy and nuclear power sector has been ongoing since the mid-1990s, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a U.S. NGO and now totals at least 953 million dollars. Continue reading →

July 20, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pro nuclear propaganda from Silex Systems

any investor who survived the tech boom and bust of the late 1990s would be wary of grandiose technology claims.

It is therefore mollifying that Silex’s local solar operations are also on a growth path, albeit with only a fraction of the nuclear side’s dazzling (?) potential…….

RBS Morgans analyst Scott Power says solar accounts for less than 10 per cent of the firm’s Silex valuation.

Silex  Systems opts for solar exposure  Tim Boreham  : The Australian * July 17, 2010 WITH the climate-change debate winding its way back on the political agenda, the Lucas Heights-based Silex Systems is hedging its bets. Continue reading →

July 16, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, solar, technology | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Climate Report Card – Australian politics

The Pollute-o-meter awarded the Greens four stars out of five, and found their policies could cut emissions by 26 per cent by 2020. The Greens want to put a price on carbon pollution.


Fails all round on climate report card, Herald Sun, 16/07/2010 With climate change shaping as a key election issue, both major parties have scored a fail from experts. Continue reading →

July 16, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy, politics | , , , , , | Leave a comment

A solar investment success story

A 50% reduction in gas costs and 70% reduction in energy costs. Better yet, he was then able to begin selling the extra power back to the electricity grid, as well as renewable energy credits to investors, who lend money to renewable energy projects.


(USA) Solar Power Success Story: Yearly Return & Low Energy Costs, CalFinder, 16 july 2010, Source: Portland Press Herald, When Jim Camasto had money to spare a few years back, he made a wise decision to invest in something other than the stock market: solar power. Today, this decision yields him a 3 to 4% yearly return and security that other investments just don’t offer. Continue reading →

July 16, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, solar | , , , , , | Leave a comment

With federal support, South Australia could be wind energy hub

a simple federal regulatory change would unlock billions of dollars in investment to expand infrastructure capacity and deliver large volumes of green SA power across the border to the eastern states.

SA wind can power nation, The Advertiser, 15 July 2010, Australia has the capacity to become the nation’s green-energy engine room, because of its potential for wind power projects, experts say. An economic feasibility study by a Macquarie Capital-led consortium shows SA could almost double its energy-generation capacity through expansion of wind power alone – and sell the excess to the eastern states. Continue reading →

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

Australia dithers, missing the tide on renewable energy investment

PriceWaterhouseCoopers’s Andrew Peterson says the delay in setting a carbon price has created wide uncertainty about the investment opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

Finding the funds for clean, green energy – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Andrew O’Connor,  16 July 2010, Carnegie Wave Energy believes its undersea wave power technology is one of the keys to Australia’s clean, green energy future. But lingering uncertainty over the nation’s climate change policy means the WA-based company is increasingly reliant on financial support from foreign investors. Continue reading →

July 16, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, climate change - global warming, energy | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear industry’s poor outlook – latest International Energy Agency Report

the nuclear scenario remains much the same as it was two years ago………..On the whole the 2010 Energy Technology Perspectives brings bad news for the nuclear industry

Bad news for nuclear in the International Energy Agency’s Energy Technology Perspectives report | Greenpeace International, 14 July 2010, Every two years the International Energy Agency, the ‘intergovernmental organisation which acts as energy policy advisor to 28 member countries in their effort to ensure reliable, affordable and clean energy for their citizens’, releases its Energy Technology Perspectives report. Continue reading →

July 14, 2010 Posted by | energy, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia waits for carbon price and action on renewable energy

Germany is aiming to provide between 80 and 100 per cent of its energy needs through renewables by 2050. …even more ambitious than increasing the amount of renewable energy in Germany is its plan to phase out nuclear power.

Germany’s green light for energy, Sydney Morning Herald, July 14, 2010 Europe is baffled as to why Australia does not do more, writes Mathew Murphy.  “…… Germany is so far ahead of countries such as Australia in terms of renewable energy and attitudes towards climate change.

”Australia is seen as a highly polluting country, yet it has so much sun and renewable resources. My question for you is why does it not do more?”………

It is a question that baffles many Europeans and one that now lies at the feet of Prime Minister Julia Gillard. Continue reading →

July 14, 2010 Posted by | climate change - global warming, energy, solar, wind | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment