UK Feed In Tariff delivering solar energy boost
“The scheme is delivering exactly what it was meant to do in terms of a rapid increase in the number of installations, creation of jobs and increase in the amount of renewable energy generated
UK Solar Power Feed In Tariffs Delivering : Renewable Energy News, 5 Oct 10, Rooftop solar energy systems are driving uptake of the UK government’s pilot solar feed-in tariff scheme, Continue reading
ANZ, National, CBA, Westpac hypocrites with their huge investment in coal
the ANZ, National, Commonwealth and Westpac are investing billions of dollars into the coal industry while promoting an image of community responsibility and environmental sustainability…
Greenpeace Slams Australia’s Big 4 Banks’ Coal Power Investment, Renewable Energy News, 4 Oct 10, A report prepared for Greenpeace Australia Pacific has found Australia’s big four banks are pouring huge amounts of money into the most polluting form of power generation: coal. Continue reading
USA renewable energy gaining, while nuclear power stagnant
“Renewable energy has proven itself to be a solid investment – growing rapidly and nipping at the heels of the stagnant nuclear power industry.”…..
(USA) Renewables Gaining Ground, Without Congress’ Help , E Magazine.com (By Brita Belli), 4 Oct 10, Continue reading
Solar electricity in direct competition with coal
“Germany is a world leader in solar power but it has half as much sun per square metre as Australia,” he adds. … solar power is in direct competition with coal- generated electricity.
Solar Energy Gets a Boost, But Offers Much More, By Stephen de Tarczynski MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct 4, 2010 (IPS) – Proponents of renewable energy say that a planned large-scale solar power plant in Australia’s northern Victoria state, which will produce enough output to provide electricity to 60,000 homes, is just a fraction of what could be achieved if federal and state governments were fully committed to harnessing solar energy. Continue reading
Ontario closes coal plants with private investment in renewables
The Ontario Government says the province has attracted over CAD $1 billion in private sector investment through these three renewable energy projects, which will add almost 300 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy capacity….. more than 80 per cent of power generation came from emissions-free sources. Ontario has already closed four coal-fired powered generation four years ahead of schedule.
Ontario’s Government Showcases Wind And Solar Power Projects : Renewable Energy News, 4 Oct 10,”……. in the province of Ontario, solid headway is being made in renewable energy, Continue reading
Renewable energy is happening, and nuclear isn’t
I know that this is supposed to be an anti-nuclear blog. But I get bored with all the stuff in the media about nuclear. For one thing, it’s just not happening – the “nuclear renaissance”.
For another thing, the Australian media is full of hype about uranium. Today – several articles on how wonderfully well Paladin Energy is doing in Africa- oh you gotta invest! Nary a word about how Paladin is pulling out of Niger because uranium workers are getting kidnapped by al-Qaida.
But for the main thing – Renewable Energy is happening! It’s happening both on a big scale – how business and the media love BIG!
It’s happening on a small scale – where communities, schools and households are getting truly clean energy, and making a profit out of it.
Not apparently a scenario for Australia. Are we some sort of cultural outpost – where the idea of energy has to be always BIG, corporate-owned, and coal or uranium fueled?
Decentralised renewable energy profitable in Italy
Italian towns turn a profit with the wind at their back, The Age, Elisabeth Rosenthal,Tocco da CasauriaOctober 4, 2010 THE towering wind turbines that rise from gnarled ancient olive groves here speak to something extraordinary happening across Italy. Continue reading
Hypocrisy of Australian banks over finance for renewable energy
Most Australian banks are signed up to the Equator Principles for project finance……the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment….the equator principles are “pretty loose … they don’t compel banks to do or not do particular things”. At worst, they are a dangerous aid to bank greenwashing.
Banks under scrutiny over coal funding, Sydney Morning Herald, Paddy Manning, 2 Oct 10, Australian banks, highly dependent on offshore capital, will face increasing international scrutiny of their lending practices – particularly, their exposure to the coal industry. Continue reading
A negative thought for Australian solar energy industry
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union is urging government incentives to promote Australian solar panel makers. Sounds good – BUT – as things stand now, such a plan would also indirectly promote the nuclear industry (ANSTO’s baby)
Call to foster local solar panel makers Ben Cubby, Sydney Morning Herald, October 2, 2010The main beneficiary of the union’s plan would be SilexSolar, a subsidiary of a nuclear energy research company, “……. which bought a photovoltaic manufacturing plant at Homebush from BP Solar last year, after BP decided to source its panels from China.The factory turns out less than 100 megawatts worth of panels a year, though that still makes it the largest in the southern hemisphere…” Call to foster Australian solar panel makers
A positive thought for Australian solar energy industry
”We have got a chance to get in at the start of a major new growth industry, and we have the smarts to make it work if the government signals that it will support local manufacturers.”
Call to foster local solar panel makers, Ben Cubby, Sydney Morning Herald, October 2, 2010 Australian solar panel makers are calling for industry protection to slow down a flood of cheap panels being manufactured in China, as the NSW government reviews its solar tariff scheme. Continue reading
Clean Energy Storage Law boosts renewable energy
California lawmakers have passed Energy Storage Bill California Enacts Energy Storage Bill | SmartMeters.com 1 Oct 10, The landmark legislation requires electric utilities to adopt energy storage technologies, making it easier to incorporate renewable energy sources into the state’s electric grid. Integrating energy storage technology will allow California’s electric distribution system to meet and accommodate the daily fluctuations of energy demand. In addition, increasing energy storage capacity is expected to help promote intermittent energy sources like wind and solar power and contribute to an overall more reliable smart grid. California Enacts Energy Storage Bill | SmartMeters.com™ The Smart Meter News Portal
Australian business can reduce costs through energy efficiencies, solar cooling
Such systems are relatively inexpensive (they don’t require large pieces of infrastructure), yet they can realise quite dramatic energy savings, whilst allowing business as usual….Solar cooling using heat from the sun as an energy source which can be used to generate cool air for use in buildings.
FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESSES Business Review, 1 Oct 10, As well as renewable energy generation, businesses can make dramatic emissions and cost reductions through energy efficiency measures. Continue reading
Developing Renewable Energy in Australia
CSIRO (Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) is developing the next generation of technologies that produce energy from renewables including solar, wind, ocean and geothermal resources
The Future of Renewable Technologies – Business News – Dr Jim Smitham, 1 Oct 10, If Australia is to mitigate climate change, we will need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity and transport fuels by finding ways to harness our clean, renewable resources like the sun and wind. Continue reading
Exposing the the LIES of the NUCLEAR LOBBY – October theme
An important nuclear lie is that we’ll need nuclear power to fuel electric cars, and that renewable energy can’t do it.
In fact, electric car batteries can be charged in a variety of ways.
Charging stations can get renewable power from the main grid, or directly from an array of solar panels above the charging station.
As costs come down, and batteries and car designs have improved, good serviceable cars, able to go 100 Km without recharge, are coming at a reasonable price, particularly taking into account the long-term saving in fuel costs.
Today’s batteries last for decades, in fact, for the life of the car itself, thus eliminating the cost of replacing them.
Renewable energy is ideal for electric cars. Over 70% of car travel in Australia involves shorter trips around towns. The Renewable energy car can be ‘topped up’ overnight, in the garage. Its battery stores the renewable energy, for use in daytime – there’s no “baseload power problem” – ( the nuclear lobby would claim ‘baseload” as a problem for electric cars.)
Solutions for the transition period: –
1. hybrid cars having both petrol and electric power
2. people can have solar-powered cars for normal town and city driving, with the second petrol-fuelled car for very long trips.
Large and small solar projects for Victoria, Australia
The government of Victoria has also declared a Solar Hubs Program to encourage community based solar power generations to produce 8.6 MW solar power by the year 2013.
Victorian Government to Invest $100 Million on Solar Projects, CleanTech, 29 Sept 10, The Victorian Government of Australia has kept aside $100 million to develop and construct a solar power producing facility in the North West part of the state. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 