LifeSaving Energy

Bega District News
Tuesday 20/2/2007, Page: 7
By Matthew Nott

THE wind turbine and solar panels on the roof of the Tathra Surf Club are functioning well and there has been a lot of positive feedback. We are hoping to help the Pambula and Bermagui (once it has a clubhouse) surf clubs set up with renewable energy in the near future.

What this project has done is show people how easy it is to install renewable energy onto a rooftop. The technology is ready to go, and the equipment was installed quickly and easily. Wind and solar energy are no longer the domain of environmentalists, or "alternative lifestylers".

In fact, the phrase "alternative energy" no longer applies to wind and solar energy. We are talking about renewable energy, energy that never runs out, energy that does not emit carbon dioxide and therefore does not wreck the planet. Renewable energy can provide a baseload power source and employs more people than conventional fossil fuel power.

The concept that are economy cannot cope without the dollars of export coal must be balanced against the cost to our economy of climate change. The CSIRO predicts that it will be 10 years before we know whether or not clean coal technology will work and a further 10 years before that technology becomes freely available (if it works).

In the meantime, the world's biggest exporter of dirty coal (Australia) will continue to increase its exports. Australia is one of the engine rooms of climate change.

Where does "LifeSaving Energy" go from here? At this stage we have one surf club running on renewable energy, which leaves 304 to go. A fundraising event will be held in Jindabyne on February 24 to help raise money to get the Jindabyne Surf Club set up with renewable energy.

A human sign, reading "LifeSaving Energy", will be formed at the surf carnival being held that day and donations towards the renewable energy package will be sought.

A further human sign will be formed at South Broulee Beach on March 17 at noon again to say "LifeSaving Energy". This event will help raise money to get all four surf clubs in Eurobodalla set up with renewable energy. The LifeSaving Energy project has the full support of Surf Lifesaving NSW and we have had interest from several big Sydney surf clubs.

We have also had interest from fire and ambulance stations who want to get involved with LifeSaving Energy and more recently there has been growing interest from religious groups that want to get involved.

Could this be the start of something big? Stay tuned.