World Bank waking up to the need for a new energy economy
“The biggest hurdle is we still don’t value financially the environmental and social damage we’re doing with our current fossil-fuel economy. The economist’s term for that is “the externalities” – the things we’re not including in our calculus. Everything from the negative impacts of floods, sea-level rise, drought….”
Signs of Energy at the World Bank – NYTimes.com September 14, 2010, By ANDREW C. REVKIN – quoting Daniel Kammen, chief technical specialist for renewable energy and energy efficiency at the World Bank…… Continue reading
Just a step to the Right – Australia’s new govt on environment
It’s a bit of a worry. No Education Ministry for Australia -( it’s as if education is just about training kids for jobs – not about an informed, creative minded society in all age groups). As for Environment, – tucked away in a new portfolio (Sustainable Population, Communities, Environment and Water) under Tony Burke. He could be good – we don’t yet know.
Meanwhile, higher in the Ministerial food chain, are Martin Ferguson, Minister for Resources and Energy and Greg Combet, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. Combet was a coal engineer, degrees in mining engineering and economics.
Lurking in the wings, Bill Shorten, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, a leader of the putsch that elevated Julia Gillard, and an ardent pro-nuclear advocate. – Christina Macpherson
Greg Combet, Australia’s new Climate Minister keen on coal
how we can achieve in the longer term things like carbon capture and storage for coal-fired power stations.”
New Australia climate minister backs coal – Sept 13 (Reuters) – Australia’s new climate change minister, Greg Combet, believes the country’s coal sector has a future under government policies, .. Continue reading
Australian Capital Territory leads the way on solar feed-in tariffs
“This is the most progressive policy reform for renewable energy in Australia, from any state or territory government,”
ACT ‘has got it right’ on solar, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Julie Doyle and Jessica Nairn 14 Sept 10, The solar industry says the ACT is the first jurisdiction to put forward such a comprehensive plan.: Simon Corbell speaks with 666 presenter Louise Maher (ABC Canberra) The solar energy industry has welcomed the ACT Government’s decision to dramatically expand the solar feed-in tariff scheme. Continue reading
Queensland govt’s short-sighted vision on energy future
“The Bligh government is locking Queensland into an economy dominated by high dependence on fossil fuels, high greenhouse gas emissions and high payments on carbon credits,”
Carbon future will cost, activist says, Sydney Morning Herald, September 13, 2010 Queenslanders could be subsidising the renewable energy industries of China and India because the state government is locking itself into a future fuelled by fossil fuels, an environmental activist says. Continue reading
Investing in Renewable Energy? – China’s the place
Government backing, a growing market and flowing capital make China the ideal choice,
China Named Best Place To Invest In Green Energy NuWire INVESTOR September 10, 2010 by:Kerri Shannon China has taken over the top spot on the latest list of top countries for green energy investment, beating out the US, Germany and India. Government backing, a growing market and flowing capital make China the ideal choice, while lack of enforcement and incentives cost the US its favorite status. See the following article from Money Morning for more on this….. Continue reading
Renewed call for Australian national Feed-In Tariff for solar power
National solar power solutions provider Energy Matters is running a petition at FeedInTariff.com.au calling for a national gross feed in tariff program for solar power that has collected over 20,000 signatures so far.
WA SEA Calls For National Feed In Tariff : Renewable Energy News, 12 Sept 10, The WA Sustainable Energy Association has called on the new Gillard Government to work with the Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) to develop a nationally consistent gross feed-in tariff (FiT) for renewable energy. Continue reading
Carbon price, and rural renewable energy now likely in Australia
The process agreed between the Greens and Labor, the Climate Change Committee, will likely provide the pathway forward…rural communities in Australia will see greater development in renewable energy and clean energy infrastructure
Australian Greens should avoid Peter Garrett’s fate
the experien
ce of Peter Garrett shows that the Greens should be wary ……If a Greens MP or senator were to accept a ministerial position related to the environment or climate change, they would inevitably be forced to compromise….For the sake of the party’s future success, the Greens should decline an environment ministry in the Gillard government.
Peter Garrett: a cautionary tale for the Greens, By Sara Phillips, ABC Environment | 10 Sep 2010 “………speculation that one of the Greens may be given an environment-related ministry in a show of rainbow-coalition unity – much in the way that the Tasmanian Greens have assumed cabinet positions in that state’s minority government. Continue reading
New energy generation since 2000 – renewables 17%, nuclear 2%
Carbon dioxide-free energy sources have made up less than one fifth of the new generation. Of that, 17 per cent has been renewable energy – largely solar, wind and hydroelectricity…..Nuclear power, the largest source of installed low-carbon energy, has declined markedly since the 1980s and made up just 2 per cent.
Limit on climate, and the catch, The Age, Adam Morton, September 10, 2010 “……..According to research published today in the journal Science, global warming can be limited to 1.3 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2060 Continue reading
There’s money in them there solar rooftops
So long as the sun comes up each morning, this system will keep producing power at the same price, whereas most industry forecasters anticipate that retail electricity prices will rise at double-digit rates.
China races ahead in renewable energy investment
..In the second quarter of 2010, China attracted $11.5 billion in asset-financing for clean technologies, more than Europe and the U.S. combined,
China Supplants U.S. at Top of Ernst & Young Ranking for Renewable Energy, Bloomberg, By Alex Morales – Sep 9, 2010 China overtook the U.S. to lead a quarterly index of the most attractive countries for renewable energy projects for the first time, according to a list compiled by the global accounting firm Ernst & Young. Continue reading
Labor election victory in Australia because of climate change issues?
Labor stance sways independents, The Age, September 8, 2010 TONY Windsor and Rob Oakeshott have nominated climate-change policies as a key part of their decision to back a Labor government.Mr Windsor said it was time Australia ”stood back and revisited” the climate change and renewable energy debate in the wake of the rejection and subsequent shelving of Labor’s emissions trading scheme.Mr Windsor said country Australia could see great advantages from renewable energy and other climate-change policies. Mr Oakeshott also indicated emissions trading was part of his decision.Labor stance sways independents
Labor victory in Australia – renewable energy a key issue
“Regional Australia will benefit not only from harvesting clean energy and carbon farming but also from avoiding the worst impacts of climate change if Australia can help build global ambition for action.”
Renewable energy key to Independents’ support for Labor — EcoGeneration , Tue, 7 September 2010 Independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor both cited climate change and renewable energy sources as key issues in their decision to support the Australian Labor Party.Prime Minister Julia Gillard will now lead the Labor Party in forming a minority government Continue reading
Climate Change the spur for green movement in Australia, UK, Germany
“There are growing numbers of young people reading and accepting the science of climate change.”- Adam Bandt, Greens MP
Green Party Assumes Pivotal Role in New Australian Government | SolveClimate.com, 7 Sept 10, Like the UK and Germany, a surge in popularity has given the environmental movement an unprecedented parliamentary presence in Australia this year, prompting suggestions that electorates are punishing mainstream parties for failing to act decisively on climate change. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
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