Australia well placed to be hub of renewable energy export industry
Could Australia be the hub of a renewable energy export industry powering the homes, industry and electric car fleets of our region? In fact, our proportion of the global renewable energy resource is much higher than it is for coal.
Do renewable energy by the numbers, and it all adds up, Sydney Morning Herald, MIKE SANDIFORD June 24, 2010 “………..Geographically dispersed production – spreading out renewable energy farms so as not to rely on weather conditions in one area – is one way to improve energy stability and security. And our nation-continent, stretching across climate and time zones, appears ready-made for that.
Two new studies published by the Melbourne Energy Institute look at just these issues. Continue reading
Australian govt’s new trick to benefit nuclear industry
The NT intervention is clearly racist and is not motivated by concern for Aboriginal children but to enable government control of Aboriginal land…..Many Aboriginal communities have been forced to sign over their land on five-year leases to the federal government — land that contains gold, iron ore, uranium as well as areas that have been slated as potential nuclear waste dumps.
We are all in this together, Green Left Weekly, Ruth Ratcliffe June 20, 2010“…….The Rudd government plans to extend the paternalistic policy of welfare quarantining, which the Howard government initiated in remote Aboriginal communities, to other areas of disadvantage. Continue reading
Welfare quarantining in order to re-instate Racial Disrimination Act?
Racial discrimination act delayed as welfare rules extended * Patricia Karvelas * From: The Australian * June 22, 2010 THE Racial Discrimination Act, suspended for welfare quarantining in Northern Territory Aboriginal communities, will not be reinstated until December.Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin said it would take some time for it to be fully reinstated after the government passed new laws to make income quarantining apply to indigenous and non-indigenous Australians….. Continue reading
New hope for Australia to get real Climate Change policy
That [lack of a carbon tax] may change after the election if the Greens hold the balance of power in their own right.
Wong negotiates renewable energy plans, Sydney Morning Herald, June 23, 2010 The Rudd government is preparing to unveil a new climate action policy ahead of the next federal election, likely in a few months. Continue reading
Agreement on Australia’s renewable energy scheme
Review: Resources tax, GNEP to IFNEC, Renewables
Australia: Mainstream media continues to publicise the billionaires’ revolt against Resources Super Profit Tax – as though it’s going to end Australia’s resources industries. (At the same time, China signing up for long term resources buying). Uranium market remains in the doldrums. ERA’s annual profit halved. Moves in Parliament to get REAL renewable energy legislation. Victorian Labor opposing uranium sales to Russia. Senator Scott Ludlam keeps asking those awkward nuclear questions.
International: USA gets new renewable energy coalition. GNEP rises up again under a new name – International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC). South Africa abandoning Pebble Bed Nuclear Reactor project. China selling nuclear reactors to Pakistan, seeing that USA is selling them to India. USA’s proposed Climate Bill is in fact a massive bailout for nuclear industry. Punjab children retarded due to uranium contamination. Anti nuclear protest at APEC. – the week that has been.
Greens and Liberal Senators push for Solar and Wind Power
Solar, wind power may meet 2020 energy use, Sydney Morning Herald, TOM ARUP, June 22, 2010 A MASSIVE introduction of solar-thermal power plants and wind farms would allow Australia to generate all its energy needs from renewable technologies by 2020, research shows.The report, to be announced today by the retiring Liberal Victorian senator Judith Troeth, the Greens senator Christine Milne and the Independent Nick Xenophon, finds a 100 per cent renewable plan by 2020 would cost $37 billion a year, in public and private money – or 3 per cent of Gross Domestic Product. Continue reading
Victorian Labor Party opposes sale of uranium to Russia
The Victorian ALP State Conference on Saturday 19th June passed a Motion opposing export of uranium to Russia.
This is a strong position and an important challenge to the Federal ALP government’s stated support for the Howard – Putin uranium deal that was cut by the preceding Liberal government before the last federal election.
The Motion calls on Federal ALP to accept the findings of a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties that recommended the Russian uranium sales deal should not proceed and placed a set of strong preconditions in its path – conditions that the Federal Labor government are not honouring to date.
Tim Flannery goes anti nuclear?
Time Flannery, previous darling of the Australian nuclear lobby – seems to have got off his pro nuclear horse – well – to some degree anyway. He’s just against it for Australia.
But – that’s incurred the wrath of quite a few pro-nuclear columnists – he seems to be out of favour now
Flannery, quoted 20 June 2010, “Why should we take the most expensive option in this country, which has always been recognized as having the most expensive and difficult option.
We are going to see a whole lot of other technologies and innovations which are now well under way which we could use instead of nuclear power……. Such as concentrated PV technology, geothermal technology, wave power, wind power.”
The Uranium Mining Gamble
The gambling is going on in both uranium markets. Some corporations gamble on selling old weapons uranium. Others gamble on digging uranium out of the ground and selling it – (if it goes belly up – well in Australia they’ll try to blame the Rudd government)
Companies Bet on Market for Enriched Uranium, Online Casino Guide, 21 June 2010, Changes in technology and vagaries like future arms control agreements can affect companies like Urenco and USEC.
Companies Bet on Market for Enriched Uranium | Online Casino Guide
…. projects such as BHP’s uranium and copper mine at Olympic Dam in South Australia. This requires billions of dollars in upfront investment projected to be recouped by cash flows in 2020 or later. The relatively high rate of return required is a function of many risks, including cost pressures and assumptions about the uranium market in 2020….. FT.com 20 June 2010,
Senator Scott Ludlam raises nuclear problems in Senate Estimates
Reporting on Senate Estimates Committee, Scott Ludlam, 19 June 2010, Midway through week one, estimates got radioactive as it always does. A serious leak of radioactive water from the Ranger Uranium Mine into Kakadu National Park made my usual talk with the Office of the Supervising Scientist a little more interesting, with new revelations emerging about pollution spikes and long term impacts in Kakadu. Continue reading
Public kept in dark about radioactivity used in Sydney war games
Radioactive material used in Sydney games Herald Sun: AAP * June 18, 2010 AUSTRALIAN and American military forces reportedly used radioactive material during war training games across Sydney.The material was shifted around the city and its surrounding suburbs throughout May, the Seven Network reported on Friday Continue reading
Renewable energy, Australian media, and BHP Billiton
Across the world’s media – so much about oil spill, about wonderful nuclear power, about soccer … but also quite a lot about Renewable Energy. Yes, renewable energy is happening, and it deserves more coverage.
Of course, in Australia, the news is all about the dreaded super profit resources tax, and how awful our P.M is supposed to be. They’ve done a good job – the corporate-dominated media.
Meanwhile –
BHP Billiton are probably finding this whole tax saga quite convenient, as there are several other factors holding up the expansion of Olympic Dam. China is cutting down on energy use. Uranium prices in the doldrums.
Apart from the serious legal and environmental concerns about Olympic Dam, there’s the unmentioned issue of seismic activity.
Last year’s incident that paralysed the main shaft activity is still a mystery. It could turn out the the whole expansion operation is unsafe and unviable, and BHP can conveniently blame the Australian government, when it abandons the project
UK support for Australian union’s stand against health danger of uranium industry
“We will be urging unions in the UK to join in the stand opposing nuclear- rather than joining the industry’s Compensation Scheme for Radiation Linked Diseases which has thousands of applicants and has paid out millions of pounds – with the caveat that you don’t talk about it,”
Radiation Free Lakeland backs Aussie unions’ nuclear stance , GETNOTICEDONLINE Uk 14 June 2010 Radiation Free Lakeland is supporting Australian unions who have banned members from working in the nuclear industry. Continue reading
Australian govt wimping out on renewable energy legislation?
Several sources are reporting the Federal Government has withdrawn legislation related to a revamp of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) and that it may not be presented again until after the next Federal election.
Reports : Renewable Energy Target Legislation Stalled : Renewable Energy News June 18: A Revised Draft Legislation Program for the Senate released last night shows the RET vote will be going ahead, but rescheduled Continue reading
1 This month
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