ACT solar farm project will go ahead – in a different location
ACT solar farm project moved from controversial Uriarra site to Williamsdale
666 ABC Canberra 24 Mar 15 A controversial project to build a solar farm next to the rural village of Uriarra has been dumped by the ACT Government after fierce opposition from local residents.
Plans by Elementus Energy to build a 26,000-panel solar farm that could power more than 1,400 homes will now be moved to Williamsdale in the Territory’s south.
Environment Minister Simon Corbell told 666 ABC Canberra the Government would now license parts of blocks 1470 and 1471 in the district of Tuggeranong (Williamsdale) for the OneSun Capital solar project.
But an approval process would still be necessary for the new location.
“The ACT Government is proposing to enter into a rental arrangement with the developer for a new site on land the Government now owns at Williamsdale, on the Monaro Highway,” Mr Corbell said.
“And it will occur without any change to the tariff feed-in price that the developer bid in the reverse auction for the solar farm project.
“What this means is a clearer path. We can get on and hopefully see that project built and it also addresses the concerns raised by Uriarra residents.”……http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-24/act-solar-farm-project-to-move-from-controversial-uriarra-site/6342900
Victorian Labor government makes regulations easier for wind farms
Australian state of Victoria open for wind energy business http://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/article/australian-state-of-victoria-open-for-wind-20150320 Robin Whitlock Friday, 20 March 2015 The Victorian State Government in Australia has made some regulatory changes in order to make the state more attractive to wind farm developers.The changes will help to unlock billions of dollars in investment, providing a bipartisan deal can be reached on Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). The director of the Clean Energy Council (CEC), Russell Marsh, said that under restrictive rules introduced by the previous government, a coal mine could be built closer to homes in the state than a wind turbine.
“It is important to get the balance right between attracting renewable energy investment to Victoria and ensuring that the voice of communities is heard when building a wind farm” Mr Marsh said. “But the restrictions introduced by the previous government simply drove wind farm companies to other states and robbed Victoria of investment and job opportunities in regional communities. New wind farm applications virtually dried up after these new measures were introduced.”
Mr Marsh added that it is fantastic to see the Andrews Government recognising the need for change and acting to address some of the most draconian parts of the former governmental legislation, which is clearly a step in the right direction.
The changes will mean that the 2 kilometre setback distance between houses and wind turbines will be reduced to 1 kilometre. The Planning Minister will decide on wind farm applications and local councils will be responsible for regulating new and existing wind farms. The ongoing review of the national RET by the Federal Government has led to an 88 percent reduction in investment in large renewable energy projects such as wind farms across the country over the course of last year. The RET remains the industry’s highest priority and bipartisan support for a strong RET needs to be secured in order to return investment and stability to the renewable energy industry. According to Mr Marsh, once this happens, the industry can look forward to working with the Victorian Government to build renewable energy infrastructure and pass the many benefits of that onto rural and regional parts of the state.
In turn, this will provide direct employment and will also provide flow-on benefits to local contractors, suppliers, shops, restaurants, accommodation providers and much more while wind farms are being constructed.
For additional information: Clean Energy Council Victorian Government
Prices of solar battery systems set to plunge
Munson sees Australia as one of the most prospective markets in the world. That’s because of its high electricity costs, huge grid, expansive geography, excellent solar resources, and the penetration of rooftop solar PV.
But it’s also because the industry – from regulators down to networks and retailers, partly as a result from the boom in rooftop solar and the prospects for battery storage – are beginning to rethink their business.
Why battery system costs may fall 3x faster than solar PV http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/why-battery-system-costs-may-fall-3x-faster-than-solar-pv-84344 By Giles Parkinson on 20 March 2015 Everyone, it seems, agrees that battery storage is the next big thing to affect global energy markets. What is not agreed upon is the timing. Some think this may happen in a few years, others in a decade or more. Some think it is happening now.
The big question for many is how quickly battery storage costs will fall in coming years. Will it be as dramatic as that of solar PV, which took everyone but a few solar savants off-guard and cut costs 80 per cent over a five-year period? Some – such as investment banking giants Deutsche Bank and UBS – say it will. Others say it is not possible.
Ken Munson, the founder and head of smart energy systems start-up Sunverge – which is backed by an Australian government-funded investor – is in no doubt that storage costs will fall. In fact, he thinks they could fall three times as fast as solar costs did. Continue reading
VIDEO: Greens’ Larissa Waters strongly defends current Renewable Energy Target
Greens savage Labor over RET deal http://media.theage.com.au/news/federal-politics/greens-savage-labor-over-ret-deal-6366253.html A report that shows power companies are the worst polluters underscores the need to retain the renewable energy target in its current form says Greens environment spokesperson Larissa Waters.
Australian Senate votes to back councils’ solar initiatives in western New South Wales.
Senate shines a light on bright solar initiative in western NSW http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-18/senate-solar/6327952 The Senate has passed a motion calling on all levels of government to back a solar powered initiative in western New South Wales.
The Greens put forward the motion in the Upper House yesterday about the solar energy exchange initiative which involves 24 council areas throughout the state’s west.
The program is also known as SEXI. Each council is installing photo-voltaic panels as part of the initiative.
Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon said the motion was a significant show of support in the project and its ambition to provide cleaner energy. “There is nothing binding on this motion on anybody,” the Senator said. “However it clearly carries weight when the national parliament of the country comes behind a project in one specific region.”
Senator Rhiannon said the project set an example for other councils around the nation to follow.
“To have the support of the Senate clearly adds weight to this important project for solar energy in western New South Wales,” she said. The councils involved in the initiative include Balranald, Bourke, Mid-Western and Narrabri.
Western Australia’s huge wind power potential blocked by Federal and State governments
While there are only three large-scale wind farms in WA, smaller community-based operations have been successful at locations including Denmark, Bremer Bay, Rottnest Island, Kalbarri, Denham and Coral Bay.
An expansion of the Albany wind farm means it meets 80 per cent of the town’s power needs.
Wind power: WA wind farms ineffective for renewable energy TREVOR PADDENBURG PERTHNOW MARCH 16, 2015 WA is one of the windiest places on the planet with wide open spaces for wind farms, yet the state remains a renewable energy backwater, latest figures reveal.
Clean Energy Council data for significant wind farm projects shows WA generates less than 500MW of power from a total of 308 turbines around the state.
That’s half of Victoria’s wind generation at 939MW from 454 turbines and well below South Australia, which generates 1205MW of electricity from 561 turbines.
One reason is debate about health effects and noise emissions from wind turbines, even though numerous studies including a recent National Health and Medical Research Council review ruled there was no truth to claims that turbines cause health effects.
Aside from the question of health effects, the wind energy industry in WA is in crisis from a political double whammy, with the Federal Government signalling it wants to scrap Australia’s renewable energy target and the WA Government signing new contracts that tie electricity production to coal.
Estimates put investment in large-scale renewable energy projects in 2014 at 10 per cent of the figure for 2013.
That’s despite the Australian Institute saying wind had the potential to supply 40 per cent of Australia’s energy needs and was now cheaper to produce than coal.
Clean Energy Council policy director Russell Marsh said WA should be a world leader but it remained in the doldrums, underfunded and undervalued by governments fixated on coal.
“WA has a great wind resource and the space. But the review of the renewable energy target has basically closed the industry down,” he said. Continue reading
A new project off the coast of Australia may make wave power a reality
Renewable energy Looks swell, The Economist 14 Mar 15 A new project off the coast of Australia may make wave power a reality
Mar 14th 2015 NO LAND stands between Antarctica and Australia’s west coast—just a vast ocean, rippled and rocked by the Roaring Forties. For centuries these westerlies, which blow between latitudes 40° S and 50° S, powered ships sailing from Europe to Asia. These days, they are also creating waves in the world of renewable energy. At the end of February, a demonstration project designed to use the ocean swell they produce went live. As a result Australia’s largest naval base now gets part of both its electricity and its fresh water courtesy of the ’Forties.
Carnegie Wave Energy, in Perth, has been working since 1999 on what it calls CETO technology. Ceto was the ancient Greek goddess of sea monsters, and Carnegie’s particular monsters are buoys that resemble giant macaroons. They float a metre or two below the ocean’s surface, bobbing up and down in the swell and generating electricity as they do so. The current version, CETO 5, has a capacity of 240kW per buoy. Three of the beasts are now tethered to the sea bed 3km from HMAS Stirling, on Garden Island. They also help to run a desalination plant on the base, for fresh water is a valuable commodity in Western Australia’s arid climate………
Carnegie aspires to bigger and better buoys it hopes will generate a megawatt each when launched in 2017. These versions, CETO 6, will be 20 metres across and will produce electricity inside themselves instead of at an onshore power plant. That means no pipe is needed; a submarine power cable will do instead……….
Carnegie also has its sights on markets farther afield. Military bases around the world need secure supplies of energy and water. And wave energy is attractive to island countries like the Maldives that must, at the moment, import fossil fuel at some expense. Whether submarine wave power of this sort will ever become truly mainstream is moot. But Carnegie is showing that, in appropriate circumstances, it could indeed have the wind behind it. http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21646176-new-project-coast-australia-may-make-wave-power-reality-looks-swell
Community renewable energy taking off rapidly in Australia
Communities take lead on renewable energy as big projects stall http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/communities-take-lead-on-renewable-energy-as-big-projects-stall-81109 By Giles Parkinson on 10 March 2015
Dozens of projects have emerged as state governments tap into local ideas, offering grants for innovative projects that allow solar and other renewables to be developed at a local level, for innovative financing packages, and even the development of localised smart grid.
It’s a crucial step. Australia has nearly two million homes with some sort of solar appliance – rooftop PV arrays or solar hot water – and is probably leading the world in residential solar, with some 4,000MW of rooftop arrays, penetration rates of more than 25 per cent. It is at the forefront of the rise of the so-called “energy prosumer”.
The CSIRO last year predicted that up to one-half of total electricity needs will be generated locally, either on households rooftops, by business, or in community-owned or sponsored arrays.
What has been missing from the emergence of this “decentralized” energy system – which will ultimately turn the current centralised economic model on its head – has been concrete action at community level.
This is important because it will not just build up scale, it will also offer solutions to those not yet able to take part in the solar revolution, including low-income housing, apartment dwellers and renters.
And it will allow whole communities to look after their own energy needs, as some network operators are even encouraging. And, as pointed out by Beyond Zero Emissions Stephen Bygrave earlier this week, “all revolutions need to start from the bottom up,” as they had in Germany and Denmark in the energy space. There’s not much hope of leadership at the federal level in Australia.
Apart from a few groundbreaking projects, such as the Hepburn wind farm and a few smaller community-funded solar arrays, little has been done so far in Australia, although there have been plenty of ideas and aspiration of how to match the achievements in Europe, where much of the renewable energy is owned at community level in some form.
That is now starting to change rapidly. Continue reading
Tadmanian govt, Workers Union, Clean Energy Council push for decision on Renewable Energy Target
Pressure Builds For Renewable Energy Target Resolution http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/ret-resolution-urged-em4722/ March 11, 2015
February 17 marked a year of wrangling over the Renewable Energy Target, a situation that resulted in investment in large-scale renewable energy projects such as wind and solar farms plummet 88 per cent; putting Australia behind some developing nations.
Yesterday, the Tasmanian Government demanded certainty from the Commonwealth, stating the ongoing issue hurt Tasmania more than the other states due to its reliance on hydroelectric power.
The Australian Workers Union has also repeated its calls for an immediate resolution, stating tens of thousands of jobs are at risk. The AWU has a special focus on the exemption of the aluminium industry under the RET and says an exemption has been agreed upon by both major parties.
So, is there light at the end of the tunnel given all the competing interests? Yes, but the more pessimistic might say it still remains to be seen if that will be an oncoming train for some sectors. One thing is certain, the Clean Energy Council is fighting hard for its members; wanting a target somewhere in the mid to high 30,000GWh range and Labor is supporting this stance.
On the weekend, Environment Minister Greg Hunt held discussions with the Clean Energy Council and the Australian Industry Group, saying ‘huge progress’ had been made. It’s understood the Federal Government wants the impasse resolved by Easter.
The Australian Industry Group is very conscious of the fact things have dragged on for far too long.
“I think what you’ve got now is a sense of urgency and a recognition that this needs to be done quickly if it’s to be done at all with any sort of reasonable outcome to give industry the certainty needs, so the time for sitting on the fence is pretty much over and this deal just needs to be done,” said chief executive of the Australian Industry Group, Innes Willox.
A strong Renewable Energy Target isn’t just about overseas investment, jobs or environmental benefits – it’s been shown the RET will reduce electricity prices. A 2013 report stated that even by that point in time, Australia’s rooftop solar power systems alone were saving between $300 million and $670 million each year in wholesale electricity costs.
Government in no hurry to reach agreement on Renewable Energy Target?
Renewable energy target compromise deal within reach but no time frame set, Greg Hunt says ABC News PM By David Mark 6 Mar 15 Environment Minister Greg Hunt says an agreement with Labor and the renewable energy industry on the renewable energy target (RET) is “within reach”, but it seems there are still sticking points and different views from within Government. Continue reading
South Australia shows the way with a floating solar energy plant
Australian-first floating solar farm due to begin construction in SA ABC News By Matthew Doran, 5 Mar 15 An Australian-first floating solar power plant is expected to be operational in South Australia by early April, with construction about to begin. (Below – a floating solar energy plant in France)
The plant will float on a wastewater treatment facility in Jamestown in the state’s mid north. Felicia Whiting of Infratech Industries said the plant was designed so that much of the construction could be carried out offsite and slotted together at the facility. “We should see some plant on the site within about two weeks,” Ms Whiting said.
She also explained that as the solar panels were floating they would be kept cool by the water mass, making them about 57 per cent more efficient than land-based solar panels. “It prevents water evaporation up to 90 per cent of the surface area covered, and for dry states and dry climates that’s a big water saving measure,” Ms Whiting said.
“It prevents the outbreak of blue-green algae by keeping the surface water cool, which is for treated wastewater an issue in water quality. “By preventing photosynthesis, the energy from the sun goes into the panel rather than into the water.”……
Ms Whiting said that once operational, the plant would become Infratech’s showpiece for export around the world.”We’ve invested our whole research and development program in this technology over the past two years in South Australia,” she said.
“We have other councils waiting to have a look at this and see how it might be adapted to a water basin or a community wastewater management scheme.
“We are using Australian engineering and it’s an Australian supply chain – that will be taken internationally.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-05/australian-first-floating-solar-farm-for-sa/6281374
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) helps Flinders hybrid system get going
Hybrid system to take off-grid Flinders 60% renewable http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2015/3/4/renewable-energy/hybrid-system-take-grid-flinders-60-renewable JOHN CONROY The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) today announced $5.5 million support for Hydro Tasmania to develop an “innovative” off-grid hybrid project on Flinders Island.The $12.9m project will use a combination of solar, wind, diesel, storage and enabling technologies, together with a “sophisticated” control system, to displace more than 60% of the island’s diesel generated energy, ARENA said.
The project is scheduled for completion in November 2016.
“The Flinders Island project will build on the success of a similar project Hydro Tasmania developed on King Island with ARENA support, which is delivering 100% renewable energy to the island when conditions allow,” ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said.
“One of the exciting aspects of the Flinders Island project is the development of a portable hybrid energy solution with the potential to further drive down costs and move a step closer to delivering a commercially competitive product.
“Hydro Tasmania will trial a series of modular units suitable to house and transport components for off-grid hybrid renewable energy projects.
“This low-cost, scalable approach has the potential to be a real game changer in remote areas – reducing the amount of construction and engineering work needed to be carried out on site would significantly reduce costs, risks and construction time.”
Mr Frischknecht said Hydro Tasmania’s hybrid project demonstrates how a flexible and integrated approach can provide improved penetration of renewable energy.
“Technologies like storage and dynamic resistors smooth out the power generated from solar and wind, while the automated control systems ensure generation and enabling equipment are coordinated and perform when required,” Mr Frischknecht said.
“Australia is a large country with many off-grid communities and industries facing similar energy supply challenges, whether they are on islands or in remote locations on the mainland.
“ARENA is committed to working with Hydro Tasmania to share the learning and expertise from the King Island and Flinders Island projects.
“This knowledge sharing will ensure we are best placed to advance competitive, reliable renewable energy options for off-grid Australia and help reduce its reliance on trucked and shipped in diesel.”
Coalition government cripples renewable energy
Renewable energy industry’s uncertain future under Coalition government The Australian Financial Review JOANNA HEATH, 3 MAR 15
Whether a resolution of the uncertainty that has crippled the renewable energy industry of late is closer or further away than it was a month ago depends on who you ask.
On February 26, Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane made the surprising announcement through a media interview that he was prepared to drop the government’s plans to make changes to the original 2009, 41,000 gigawatt hour target altogether if the clean energy industry rejected the government’s latest compromise offer……..
On the face of it, it seems a victory –the renewable energy industry has always argued there is no need to change the status quo target which runs out in 2020.Not so fast. The Clean Energy Council says it in fact had not received any formal offer from the government for a new deal, and in any case would not accept the low-mid 30,000 gigawatt hour target the government was proposing.
But it is not happy with the government just dropping the whole thing and walking away either. It says given the damage that has been done in the last 12 months or so, some kind of bipartisan agreement on a continued, untouched target was needed to restore confidence………
Kane Thornton, chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, says more has to be done to fix the situation than for the government to “just walk away and leave it”.
“Investment in the clean energy industry is frozen due to the uncertainty generated by this review,” Mr Thornton said.
“The industry needs both sides of politics to reach a bipartisan agreement to provide long-term certainty, not to be left stranded. Without that bipartisanship the investment freeze will continue.”
The situation facing the renewable energy industry is indeed dire……..
Both parties pledged to relaunch talks in the new year. There has been one meeting so far with none further planned, and the situation appears to have once again reached stalemate. The most likely, and probably unfortunate, outcome is the target will be left alone by the government until 2020 but the issue is not resolved in the kind of definitive way required to bring confidence back to the market………….. http://www.afr.com/p/business/resources/renewable_energy_industry_uncertain_hV8xTeUOAwbl5MPKJCRCqK
Queensland wind farm decision due this month, but anti-wind lobby is active
Decision on controversial Tableland wind farm due mid-March http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/decision-on-controversial-tableland-wind-farm-due-mid-march/story-fnjpusyw-1227242229621 DANIEL BATEMAN THE CAIRNS POST FEBRUARY 28, 2015
A CONTROVERSIAL wind farm planned for the Tableland could be approved within the next two weeks. The Palaszczuk Government is expected to make a decision about the Mt Emerald wind farm, four years after the project was first tabled.
A spokeswoman for Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said the Minister’s call-in of the development application was due in mid-March.
Developers for the $380 million project gave the Government until the end of February to approve the wind farm, which was awaiting a ministerial decision before the election was called. The development, to be built near Walkamin, between Atherton and Mareeba, is to include up to 63 turbines on towers about 80m-90m tall, with about 50m blades.
The farm, a joint venture between Ratch Australia and Port Bajool, has the potential to generate enough electricity to power at least 75,000 homes.
It is estimated 158 jobs could be created during the development’s two-year construction phase.
Ratch Australia spokesman Geoff Dutton said representatives from the company’s Brisbane office had recently met with the newly elected Government to brief it on the project.“I think Ratch would be delighted in getting an answer after four years of hard work,’’ he said.
“We’re very hopeful the wind farm will be approved. Continue reading
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane speaks with forked tongue on the Renewable Energy Target
What Macfarlane is essentially saying here is, ‘take my offer or I’ll leave you with scheme that we will make clear to investors does not have Coalition Party support.
And in the event that it looks like the target will not be met, we will use that as a mechanism to overcome Senate obstruction to cut the scheme back by even more than what is currently on the table’
Macfarlane threatens: take my RET deal or else, Climate Spectator TRISTAN EDIS 27 FEB 15 , The confusing saga on the Renewable Energy Target continues with Environment Minister Greg Hunt sounding optimistic (as he seems to be about everything) that there will shortly be an agreement on the level of the target, and one that he said will “go significantly further” than 20% market share for renewable energy. Meanwhile Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane on the same day delivered a message of a rather more belligerent and less optimistic tone. Continue reading
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