Our lack of preparedness

Bega District News
22/08/2006 Page: 5

OUR lives are about to change. We face two critical issues in the near future. The first is that we are about to run out of oil. By 2100 it will be gone! Over the next decade, the cost of petrol is going to increase rapidly as demand outstrips supply. Everything is going to be more expensive.

The second problem is global warming. SE NSW is getting hotter and drier, which will compound the impact of oil depletion. The crisis is not so much in the problems themselves, but in our lack of preparedness to face them. Impending change can be regarded as an opportunity if we are smart.

In the Bega Valley, we are preparing for change. We are setting a renewable energy target for the Bega Valley Shire, to be achieved by the year 2020. We are hoping to set a target of 50 per cent. We are hoping to set a similar target for the reduction in consumption of energy by the same year. We believe that these targets are realistic and achievable, and can provide the Bega Valley with many opportunities.

We must become more self sufficient in energy if our community is to thrive over the next couple of decades. We hope to achieve a renewable energy target for the Bega Valley by embracing renewable energy. To provide sufficient power, we will need to use diverse sources of clean energy, which will also improve the security of our electricity supply. Solar hot water and solar photovoltaic cells need to get on to the roof of every house, and to make that happen will require increased subsidies from government. Wave, tide and geothermal generation look promising, but may require further development, and I'm not sure that we have the luxury of time.

For us to be serious about renewable energy, we must include wind. Wind farms represent a perfect measure at a time when an urgent response is required. From conception to kilowatt can take less than two years, which allows us to change our energy dependency quickly. A single wind turbine can produce enough renewable energy to provide power to around 800 homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 6,000 tonnes each year. Wind farms also provide local jobs. In 20 years time, when we come up with a revolutionary new energy source, we can take the wind turbines down, and they won't leave a trace.