Did you know? Australia is a supporter of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL)
No to Nukes: Australia’s Stand Lunes, Novembre 17, 2014
“………Fukushima met its unfortunate fate due to nature’s indescribable and immeasurable force. Now, we must return to its cradle in order to survive the next thirty or so years. Other renewable resources Australia is currently harnessing are bioenergy, hydro, and geothermal. It seems the country is one of the supporters of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) program launched on September 2011by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
SE4ALL has three objectives, one of which is “doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix” by 2030. Renewable energy is eco-friendly and cheap compared to fossil fuels that contribute to air pollution worldwide. This global initiative is same as “hitting two birds with one stone” approach. It doesn’t only solve the problem of energy or electricity shortage in the future. This may also lessen the impact of climate change that we are experiencing right now.
In this way, we don’t have to resort on desperate actions such as extracting electricity from nuclear power plants. As always, nature has everything we need in terms of natural resources and all we have to do is search for it and seize it. In return, we must be responsible ambassadors of our planet so it could still be available for the future generations. Article Written By: www.heatexchangers.com.au http://japstreet.blogspot.com.au/
ACT and South Australia winning the renewables race
The ACT has the country’s most ambitious emissions reductions and renewable energy targets Climate Council report reveals, Canberra Times November 18, 2014 Clare Colley The ACT is “punching above its weight” compared to other jurisdictions with the most ambitious emissions reduction and renewable energy targets in the country, the Climate Council’s latest report reveals.
Along with South Australia, the ACT is “winning the Australian renewable energy race” putting it in the “best position to reap the benefits of the global shift to cleaner energy”, the report comparing the renewable energy policies of all states and territories said.
The ACT aims to source 90 per cent of its electricity supply from renewables by 2020; currently it’s at 20 per cent.
In comparison, South Australia has a renewable energy target of 50 per cent by 2025 but is already sourcing around 33 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources.
………The report said Australia’s states and territories could act as leaders tackling climate change and growing Australia’s renewable energy industry, mirroring the US where state-based targets and incentives had made the country second in the world for installed renewable energy capacity.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/the-act-has-the-countrys-most-ambitious-emmissions-reductions-and-renewable-energy-targets-climate-council-report-reveals-20141118-11ot2h.html#ixzz3JXoA5Gds
Australia under Abbott government is missing huge job opportunities in renewable energy
Does this government like creating jobs? The huge opportunities we’re missing in renewable energy, Perth Now, ANTHONY SHARWOOD NEWS.COM.AU NOVEMBER 17, 2014
THIS is a story about thousands of jobs the Abbott government could be helping to create, but which may never come into being. It is not a story about climate change, or any other issue which divides people along ideological lines, despite the divide between Australia and the the rest of the world becoming much clearer over the weekend.Quite simply, it is about something we all believe in — Australia’s prosperity.
Let’s break this thing down into 25 quick, easily digestible points.
1. Two Aussie employers spoke exclusively this week to news.com.au about their extreme dissatisfaction with the Abbott government’s stance on renewable energy. They want to create jobs and wealth in the renewable energy industry. They say the government is making it virtually impossible for them.
2. First a little background. The renewable energy industry is by any measure is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries. Other countries understand this. For example, China this year for the first time installed more renewable energy capacity than fossil fuels.
3. But the Australian government is scaling back its commitment to renewable energy. Up until recently, Australia had a bipartisan agreement to a 20 per cent renewable energy target (RET) by the year 2020.
Seems we once understood that the holy trinity of jobs, investment and a cleaner environment was well worth chasing. But the Abbott government no longer buys this. It says we should be working towards a new target of 26,000 gigawatt hours of green power instead of the agreed 41,000. This massive reduction has created an environment of great uncertainty for investors. Many of these investors come from overseas and would sink money into Australian projects. But they are now worried the industry has no future here. Continue reading
Australia’s deadlock over Renewable Energy Target *RET)
RET fate deadlocked, Stock & Land DANNIKA BONSER 13 Nov, 2014 AUSTRALIA’S future in sustainable energy is on shaky ground as the federal government remains in a stand-off with Labor over proposed cuts to the Renewable Energy Target (RET).
The Abbott government is pushing to slash the RET from 41 terawatt hours per year by 2030 to 26tW hours/year but needs support from Labor or the Palmer United Party to get the change through the Senate.
Labor was willing to bargain the RET down slightly but walked away from talks with cabinet ministers after a compromise could not be reached. Continue reading
New South Wales govt backs community renewable energy projects
NSW Government throws its support behind renewable energy projects for regions like the Mid North Coast ABC News 10 Nov 2014, State government grants totalling $700,000 are now available for new renewable energy projects in areas like the Mid North Coast.
Community-based renewable projects can apply for grants of up to $70,000, to help with set-up costs.
So that may mean providing financial help with feasibility studies, to engage with the community about the project and do some planning
Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy and Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams, said the projects will not be industrial-scale in size, and will be entirely owned by community members…….http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-11/nsw-government-throws-its-support-behind-renewable-energy-proje/5881366
New design to make wave energy commercially attractive
Researchers making waves in bid to harness renewable energy, ABC News 10 Nov 14 By Damian McIntyre A team of researchers in Tasmania is testing equipment designed to capture an endless supply of clean energy generated by waves.
The Australian Maritime College in Launceston and a West Australian company have joined forces to test the commercial viability of the wave energy converter.
The director of Bombora Wave Power, Shawn Ryan, was optimistic the design would eventually lead to a commercial venture.”We think we’ve solved the issues of the predecessors that have gone before us,” he said. “The key criteria we looked at was survivability, so you’ve got to survive those large storm events that have highly energetic sea states and cost of electricity is the dominant consideration.
“It’s seabed mounted so that we can potentially survive those larger storm events that others have had difficulty trying to get through.
“With a number of different design features, we think that we’ve cracked the kernel.” here are several trials underway in Australia but so far there are no large scale operations.
The company believes the market for wave power will be substantial. “There could be up to 500 gigawatts of wave energy installed by 2050,” Mr Ryan said………http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-11/researchers-making-waves-in-bid-harness-renewable-energy/5883226
Australia well out of the race, as renewable energy investment goes to China and USA
Australia losing renewable energy business to China and the USA http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/11/10/00/04/australia-losing-green-business-overseas Investment in renewable energy has dropped by 70 per cent as Australia loses green business overseas, a report has found.The slide in investment has seen China consolidate its position as the world’s renewable energy powerhouse, according to the Climate Council Report, Lagging Behind: Australia and the Global Response to Climate Change.
“Investment that could be coming to Australia is instead going overseas to countries that are moving to a renewables energy future,” report’s co-author, Professor Tim Flannery said. “Unfortunately the lack of federal government commitment to renewable energy is hurting the industry.”
Australia has come under pressure to cut its carbon emissions deeper after the European Union last week agreed on a new target of 40 per cent by 2030.
The agreement, labelled by the EU as a new global standard, also includes a 27 per cent target for renewable energy by 2030. The coalition government has said it will consider a new post-2020 target in early 2015 before a United Nations conference in Paris, where a new commitment will be discussed and possibly settled.
Prof Flannery said over the past year investment in Australian renewable energy projects dropped 70 per cent, while China installed more renewable energy capacity than fossil fuels in 2013. Continue reading
Business Council of Australia offers dodgy bribe to Australian Renewable Energy Agency
I see this deal as a very dodgy one for the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, (ARENA) ARENA is fighting for its life – no guarantee that it will survive beyond 2014. The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is bribing it to include the wasteful and useless Carbon Capture and Storage project to be included in ARENA’s brief. And that’s not all. Look out for those weasel words “low emissions technologies”. For the BCA, tied as it is to nuclear lobby enthusiasts, “low emissions technologies” include nuclear power. Matthew Franklin reported, in The Australian March 01, 2011 on a BCA report arguing that “the nation must consider all power sources to meet rising energy needs, including nuclear power”
THE taxpayer-funded Australian Renewable Energy Agency — the body given a stay of execution following a deal struck with Clive Palmer — will support projects including Carbon Capture and Storage and other low-emission technologies if a new reform blueprint is adopted.The Business Council of Australia proposals for ARENA are contained in a paper that also urges a swift bipartisan deal on the renewable energy target.
Under a deal that the government struck with the crossbenchers in order to get the $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund through the Senate, the government promised that it would not reintroduce bills to abolish the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and the ARENA in the spring sitting period — which guarantees it would not be abolished before the end of 2014.
In its report on energy policy, the BCA calls for the ARENA’s mandate to be expanded so that as well as overseeing the renewable energy sector it supported “emerging low-emission technology and systems”……….
Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told the Senate on October 30 that the “government’s position is that we are committed to the abolition” of the ARENA and the CEFC………
On the RET, the paper says that, unless a compromise deal is reached on the target, investment in wind energy could stall.
“Unless a compromise deal can be reached on the RET, investment in wind is unlikely to occur, creating the risk of higher electricity prices for consumers,” the paper says.
The Coalition is pushing Labor MPs to agree to cut the large-scale target. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/renewable-energy-agency-will-back-ccs-if-reform-redrawn/story-e6frg6xf-1227117617594
South Australia’s largest wind farm now fully operational
“This plant confirms South Australia’s commitment to being the nation’s leader when it comes to providing efficient renewable wind energy programs. It is a key platform in our plan for renewable energy to supply 50 per cent of the state’s annual power by 2025,”
South Australia’s 270MW Snowtown takes wind energy to new highs http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/south-australias-270mw-snowtown-takes-wind-energy-to-new-highs-43971 By Sophie Vorrath on 3 November 2014
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funds business case for grid-connected renewable energy storage
ARENA funds business case for grid-connected renewable energy storage http://www.thefifthestate.com.au/business/arena-funds-business-case-for-grid-connected-renewable-energy-storage/69278
Willow | 5 November 2014 Agency announcing $445,000 funding for AGL to develop a business case for grid-connected energy storage in partnership with WorleyParsons and ElectraNet.
“Commercial scale storage is especially important for enabling higher penetrations of renewables where less base load energy is provided by fossil fuels,” ARENA chief executive Ivor Frischknecht said.
The project will look at feeding the energy produced by AGL’s South Australian wind farms overnight back into the grid during daytime peak demand periods. Mr Frischknecht said the project would set out a clear pathway for establishing commercial scale, grid integrated electricity storage in Australia.
“In the long term it could potentially become the norm for new renewable energy installations, increasing their competitiveness and leading to more renewables in Australia,” Mr Frischknecht said.
The study is scheduled for completion in September 2015.
AUDIO: Sweden’s biomass energy system could be applied in Australia
AUDIO The Swedish renewable energy model, ABC Radio National Ockham’s Razor 3 November 2014 Andrew Lang While discussion of renewable energy in Australia has largely focused on wind, solar and hydro for electricity generation, Sweden has opted for an economy-wide biomass-based system. Farmer Andrew Lang takes a look at the Swedish model and how it could be applied here. …….. Continue reading
Casltlemaine’s remarkable launch of a solar energy revolution
Renewable energy: power to the people, SMH, November 3, 2014 Michael Green Chewton’s primary school, student population 40, perches on a hill above the houses of the small central Victorian town, which borders Castlemaine. Before the year is out, its red tin roof will be home to solar panels facing east and west, positioned to best offset its demand. The school is crowdfunding for a renewable energy system, by way of a new scheme called the People’s Solar.
“Our savings won’t go back into the big bucket,” says principal Julie Holden. “They won’t be used for staffing and books.” She’s promising to fund environmental initiatives by students around the town instead, as well as more energy efficiency improvements for the buildings.
Modest though its goal sounds, Chewton Primary is one front in a revolution. Continue reading
Wind power surging ahead in South Australia
The $450 million addition of 90 turbines increases the farm’s capacity from Sunday by 1350 gigawatt hours a year, enough to power 230,000 homes.
The wind farm in the state’s mid-north is now the largest in the state, the government says.
The Premier has also warned projects such as the Snowtown wind farm are at risk if the federal government scaled back the Renewable Energy Target.
Mr Weatherill told media the project is creating ‘a new future for this region in South Australia’, but a scaling back of the RET would see large scale renewable initiatives become unviable.
Clean Energy Finance Corporation’s success – making money, cutting greenhouse emissions
Green bank makes money, cuts emissions http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/green-bank-makes-money-cuts-emissions/story-fni0xqi4-1227108689612?nk=0c29fda6cefe7b7916e293378f3d795c PAUL OSBORNE, AAP SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER OCTOBER 31, 2014
IT may be able to cut carbon emissions for $2.40 a tonne, but the Clean Energy Finance Corporation still faces the government axe.
THE CEFC, set up by Labor to leverage investment in a wide range of clean energy projects, has built a $931 million portfolio in its first full year of operation.
- Chairwoman Jillian Broadbent said in the corporation’s annual report it had leveraged $2.20 for every $1 to produce projects valued at over $3.2 billion.Once the projects are running they will abate 4.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, achieving an effective “carbon price” of $2.40 a tonne.However, the CEFC has been asked by Treasury to prepare its accounts for the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook due in December on the basis that it will stop making investments on December 31 and cease operating on June 30, 2015.The one thing standing in the way of this is the Senate, with the Palmer United Party, Greens and Labor opposed to the corporation’s abolition.The annual report is expected to give further ammunition to their argument to keep it running for the long-term.
The CEFC reported its portfolio would return an average seven per cent, or 3.5 per cent above the government rate.Across its portfolio are wind, solar and bioenergy projects, innovative energy efficiency programs and low emissions technology in manufacturing, building and local government.Despite uncertainty about its future, the CEFC is in talks with more than 30 project backers seeking $1.2 billion in finance for total project costs of over $3 billion.It is understood there are discussions within the government on how the CEFC could co-operate with the government’s $2.55 billion emissions reduction fund passed by the Senate on Thursday.
Renewable energy projects funded by community action
Citizen funded renewable energy projects EcoGeneration — April 2014
Margaret Hender from the Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia explains the citizen owned renewables funding mechanism and highlights what is needed to encourage uptake of the concept.
The Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia (CORENA) brings together people in the community who are keen to contribute to action on climate change and that technology by enabling people to help collectively fund practical renewable energy projects.
Passing on the benefits of renewables
At first glance there is nothing particularly unusual about the 7 kilowatt high quality solar photovoltaic (PV) system that was installed in November 2013 on the roof of Tulgeen Disability Services in Bega, New South Wales. It will provide 58 per cent of the electricity used by the Tulgeen cheese packaging facility, which employs people with disabilities, and 21 per cent of the usage at the Training and Education Services day programs centre.
The novel element is the mechanism used to fund the project. CORENA gave Tulgeen an interest free loan of $12,000, funded entirely by voluntary contributions from citizens across Australia. Tulgeen CEO Pete Gordon plans to repay the zero interest loan in three years from the savings in power bills, however, the system will be generating electricity for 25 years. This translates into reduced costs for Tulgeen’s clients and a greater range of services able to be offered by the centre.
This represents a win-win scenario. Tulgeen chose to cover part of the cost themselves, but typical solar PV installations funded by CORENA don’t cost community organisations a cent, and their loan repayments help to fund installations for other organisations.
How CORENA began………..
Quick Small Projects
CORENA’s donated seed funds allow us to pursue what is needed, rather than being bound by conventional financial constraints.
CORENA’s Quick Small Projects take the capital expense out of energy efficiency and solar installations for community serving organisations by using donated funds to give interest free loans. As the loans are repaid out of savings from power bills, the funds then revolve into the next project, and then the next. When approximately 120 projects are funded, there will be enough revolving seed money to fund one new project per month on an ongoing basis. Our Quick Small Projects will then essentially cost nothing. To reach this point, we will need around $2.4 million in seed funds, or $24 from each of 100,000 people.
Solar thermal: the Big Win Project
Similarly, all income generated by CORENA’s solar thermal Big Win Project will be paid forward to help build additional utility-scale projects…….http://ecogeneration.com.au/news/citizen_funded_renewable_energy_projects/089762/
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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