www.alaskadispatch.com
24 Sep 2012
It's official: After a decade in the making, Fire Island wind turbines are supplying power to Southcentral Alaska.
All 11 wind turbines are now generating power according to the Alaska Public Radio Network. The turbines went through a checklist of things necessary before Fire Island Wind, a CIRI Inc, subsidiary, could start delivering power to its buyer, Chugach Electric Association Inc., starting Friday, Sept. 21.
The $65 million project is expected to produce 50,000 MWs of power annually--enough to power 4,000 Southcentral Alaska households. All together, that's about 4% of the power Chugach produces.
CIRI entered into an agreement with Chugach for the utility to purchase 25 years of Fire Island's power for $97 per MW for 25 years. That's higher than the current price--about $60 a MW right now--but the price of wind power is expected to remain consistent, while natural gas-powered energy is expected to fluctuate in price.
Work on the project was ironically halted for three days by severe winds from a regional storm earlier this month. No turbines were damaged in the storm, but crews on the island spent time clearing trees. That contract to deliver power to Chugach isn't set to begin until Jan. 1, but any power produced before next year will still be sold to the Anchorage-based utility.
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Denmark gets first power from 400MW wind park
www.climatespectator.com.au
24 Sep 2012
Danish utility DONG Energy has brought the first turbine on stream at Anholt, set to be the country's biggest offshore wind park with a total capacity of 400 MWs. The Anholt development will deliver enough power for 400,000 households, or 4 per¢ of Denmark's power consumption, when it is completed in a year's time, state-controlled DONG Energy said on Friday.
Denmark, already the world leader in wind power with around a quarter of its electricity from wind farms, aims to cover half its power needs with wind turbines by 2020. It also aims to get 30 per¢ of overall energy consumption from renewables by 2020, and Anholt will make a significant contribution to those goals, DONG Energy said.
The wind farm, located off the island of Anholt in the Kattegat between Denmark and Sweden, will have 111 Siemens turbines with a capacity of 3.6 MW each. While DONG Energy has not disclosed the cost of the project, estimates are around 10 billion Danish crowns ($1.74 billion).
DONG Energy, the oil, gas and electricity producer, owns 50% and is the operator of the Anholt development, while pension insurance groups PensionDenmark and PKA own 30% and 20% respectively. The pension providers bought their stakes in March 2011, marking a new step in DONG Energy's efforts to bring new kinds of investors into wind power projects and diversify its own risk as wind farm developer and owner.
24 Sep 2012
Danish utility DONG Energy has brought the first turbine on stream at Anholt, set to be the country's biggest offshore wind park with a total capacity of 400 MWs. The Anholt development will deliver enough power for 400,000 households, or 4 per¢ of Denmark's power consumption, when it is completed in a year's time, state-controlled DONG Energy said on Friday.
Denmark, already the world leader in wind power with around a quarter of its electricity from wind farms, aims to cover half its power needs with wind turbines by 2020. It also aims to get 30 per¢ of overall energy consumption from renewables by 2020, and Anholt will make a significant contribution to those goals, DONG Energy said.
The wind farm, located off the island of Anholt in the Kattegat between Denmark and Sweden, will have 111 Siemens turbines with a capacity of 3.6 MW each. While DONG Energy has not disclosed the cost of the project, estimates are around 10 billion Danish crowns ($1.74 billion).
DONG Energy, the oil, gas and electricity producer, owns 50% and is the operator of the Anholt development, while pension insurance groups PensionDenmark and PKA own 30% and 20% respectively. The pension providers bought their stakes in March 2011, marking a new step in DONG Energy's efforts to bring new kinds of investors into wind power projects and diversify its own risk as wind farm developer and owner.
REpower to install Austria's tallest wind turbines
www.nawindpower.com
20 Sep 2012
Suzlon Energy subsidiary REpower Systems SE says it has signed a contract with Austria-based Windkraft Simonsfeld AG for the delivery of eight 3.2M114 wind turbines. Each of the turbines, which will be installed at the Poysdorf-Wilfersdorf III wind farm in northeastern Austria, has a rated power output of 3.2 MW and a hub height of 143 meters.
With a total height of 200 meters, the REpower Systems 3.2M114 will be the tallest wind turbine ever constructed in Austria, according to the company. The turbines will be delivered in the second quarter of 2013, and the wind farm, which will have a total power output of about 26 MW, is scheduled to go online in the fourth quarter.
In addition to delivering, constructing and commissioning the turbines, REpower Systems also will be responsible for maintaining the machines.
20 Sep 2012
Suzlon Energy subsidiary REpower Systems SE says it has signed a contract with Austria-based Windkraft Simonsfeld AG for the delivery of eight 3.2M114 wind turbines. Each of the turbines, which will be installed at the Poysdorf-Wilfersdorf III wind farm in northeastern Austria, has a rated power output of 3.2 MW and a hub height of 143 meters.
With a total height of 200 meters, the REpower Systems 3.2M114 will be the tallest wind turbine ever constructed in Austria, according to the company. The turbines will be delivered in the second quarter of 2013, and the wind farm, which will have a total power output of about 26 MW, is scheduled to go online in the fourth quarter.
In addition to delivering, constructing and commissioning the turbines, REpower Systems also will be responsible for maintaining the machines.
Fukushima fallout seeps into India's troubled nuclear push
in.reuters.com
19 Sep 2012
(Reuters)-On a wind-whipped beach on India's southern tip, a small fishing community feels it is falling dangerously on the wrong side of history. While much of the world is turning its back on nuclear power, the villagers of Kudankulam, in a part of India hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, say their government is gambling with their lives by opening one of Asia's first new nuclear reactors since the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan.
Unable to rely on a coal sector crippled by supply shortages and mired in scandals, India is pushing ahead with constructing nuclear reactors despite global jitters over safety. Hundreds of millions of Indians still live without power and factories suffer frequent blackouts-an embarrassment to India's aspirations as an emerging economic powerhouse. But that means little to 41 year-old Francisca, the wife of a fisherman. If the Japanese government was unable to prevent Fukushima, she asks, how can India guarantee their safety?
"After the Fukushima incident, we're really scared that the same will happen to us", she said, sitting in the shade of a canopy among about 1,000 protesters. "Our lives are being spoiled. "The government doesn't see us as human beings". Dogged by opposition for nearly a quarter of a century, the Russian-built Kudankulam Atomic Power Project is finally due to start within weeks, producing 2 GWs of electricity-enough to power about 20 million homes in Tamil Nadu state.
Protests against the plant have intensified as the deadline nears: villagers have been tear-gassed, beaten and one was shot dead this month as they launched hunger strikes and waded neck-deep in the Indian Ocean to form human chains in a last-gasp attempt to stop the plant from opening.
One Sunday earlier this month, thousands of fishermen marched along a strip of coastline among coconut trees and tiny churches towards the yellow-and-white domes of the Kudankulam plant. They camped out on the beach overnight, ate rice stew and planned to march on to the site, where authorities had been expected to start loading fuel rods into the reactors. The next morning, they were confronted by police in riot gear. Scuffles broke out, and tear gas shells sent the protesters scurrying back to their villages.
A curfew-like atmosphere lingered when Reuters visited the villages two days later. Kudankulam's shops were shuttered, its streets deserted and primitive roadblocks of rocks and bushes set up to keep security forces away. Police, parked in groups of about a dozen in the roads surrounding the villages, were seen filming cars that entered and left the area. The clashes are yet another frustration to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's efforts to plug power shortages that have hobbled Asia's third-largest economy at a time of slowing growth and dwindling foreign investment.
Read More…
19 Sep 2012
(Reuters)-On a wind-whipped beach on India's southern tip, a small fishing community feels it is falling dangerously on the wrong side of history. While much of the world is turning its back on nuclear power, the villagers of Kudankulam, in a part of India hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, say their government is gambling with their lives by opening one of Asia's first new nuclear reactors since the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan.Unable to rely on a coal sector crippled by supply shortages and mired in scandals, India is pushing ahead with constructing nuclear reactors despite global jitters over safety. Hundreds of millions of Indians still live without power and factories suffer frequent blackouts-an embarrassment to India's aspirations as an emerging economic powerhouse. But that means little to 41 year-old Francisca, the wife of a fisherman. If the Japanese government was unable to prevent Fukushima, she asks, how can India guarantee their safety?
"After the Fukushima incident, we're really scared that the same will happen to us", she said, sitting in the shade of a canopy among about 1,000 protesters. "Our lives are being spoiled. "The government doesn't see us as human beings". Dogged by opposition for nearly a quarter of a century, the Russian-built Kudankulam Atomic Power Project is finally due to start within weeks, producing 2 GWs of electricity-enough to power about 20 million homes in Tamil Nadu state.
Protests against the plant have intensified as the deadline nears: villagers have been tear-gassed, beaten and one was shot dead this month as they launched hunger strikes and waded neck-deep in the Indian Ocean to form human chains in a last-gasp attempt to stop the plant from opening.
One Sunday earlier this month, thousands of fishermen marched along a strip of coastline among coconut trees and tiny churches towards the yellow-and-white domes of the Kudankulam plant. They camped out on the beach overnight, ate rice stew and planned to march on to the site, where authorities had been expected to start loading fuel rods into the reactors. The next morning, they were confronted by police in riot gear. Scuffles broke out, and tear gas shells sent the protesters scurrying back to their villages.
A curfew-like atmosphere lingered when Reuters visited the villages two days later. Kudankulam's shops were shuttered, its streets deserted and primitive roadblocks of rocks and bushes set up to keep security forces away. Police, parked in groups of about a dozen in the roads surrounding the villages, were seen filming cars that entered and left the area. The clashes are yet another frustration to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's efforts to plug power shortages that have hobbled Asia's third-largest economy at a time of slowing growth and dwindling foreign investment.
Read More…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Japan cabinet approves plan to exit nuclear energy
www.reuters.com
19 Sep 2012
(Reuters)-Japan's cabinet has approved a new energy plan to cut the country's reliance on nuclear power in the wake of last year's Fukushima disaster, but dropped a reference to meet a nuclear-free target by the 2030s, ministers said on Wednesday. Since the plan was announced on Friday, Japan's powerful industry lobbies have urged the government rethink the nuclear-free commitment, arguing it could damage the economy and would mean spending more on pricey fuel imports.
Trade Minister Yukio Edano, who also oversees the energy portfolio, said the cabinet had approved the new energy plan. "But whether we can become nuclear free by the 2030s is not something to be achieved only with a decision by policy makers. It also depends on the will of (electricity) users, technological innovation and the environment for energy internationally in the next decade or two", he said.
In abandoning atomic power, Japan aims to triple the share of renewable power to 30% of its energy mix by the 2030s, but will remain a top importer of oil, coal and gas for the foreseeable future. Finance Minister Jun Azumi told a separate news conference that there needed to be flexibility in the policy to avoid putting a burden on the public in a country where nuclear supplied 30% of electricity before Fukushima.
All but two of Japan's nuclear 50 reactors are idled for safety checks after an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 devastated the Fukushima Daiichi plant, causing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. Under the new energy plan, there should be strict implementation of a 40 year lifetime for reactors. It also said existing reactors shut after Fukushima should be restarted only if a new nuclear regulator confirms their safety and there should be no construction of new reactors.
The newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) will decide whether reactors currently under construction are safe enough to start commercial operations, Edano said. Asked if newly built reactors could run beyond the 2030s, Edano said a decision on this would be decided later. Reactors currently under construction include the 1,373 MW Shimane No.3 unit of Chugoku Electric Power Co's and the 1,383 MW Ohma unit of Electric Power Development Co's.
19 Sep 2012
(Reuters)-Japan's cabinet has approved a new energy plan to cut the country's reliance on nuclear power in the wake of last year's Fukushima disaster, but dropped a reference to meet a nuclear-free target by the 2030s, ministers said on Wednesday. Since the plan was announced on Friday, Japan's powerful industry lobbies have urged the government rethink the nuclear-free commitment, arguing it could damage the economy and would mean spending more on pricey fuel imports.
Trade Minister Yukio Edano, who also oversees the energy portfolio, said the cabinet had approved the new energy plan. "But whether we can become nuclear free by the 2030s is not something to be achieved only with a decision by policy makers. It also depends on the will of (electricity) users, technological innovation and the environment for energy internationally in the next decade or two", he said.
In abandoning atomic power, Japan aims to triple the share of renewable power to 30% of its energy mix by the 2030s, but will remain a top importer of oil, coal and gas for the foreseeable future. Finance Minister Jun Azumi told a separate news conference that there needed to be flexibility in the policy to avoid putting a burden on the public in a country where nuclear supplied 30% of electricity before Fukushima.
All but two of Japan's nuclear 50 reactors are idled for safety checks after an earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 devastated the Fukushima Daiichi plant, causing the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. Under the new energy plan, there should be strict implementation of a 40 year lifetime for reactors. It also said existing reactors shut after Fukushima should be restarted only if a new nuclear regulator confirms their safety and there should be no construction of new reactors.
The newly established Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA) will decide whether reactors currently under construction are safe enough to start commercial operations, Edano said. Asked if newly built reactors could run beyond the 2030s, Edano said a decision on this would be decided later. Reactors currently under construction include the 1,373 MW Shimane No.3 unit of Chugoku Electric Power Co's and the 1,383 MW Ohma unit of Electric Power Development Co's.
Alberta’s largest wind project ready before winter
www.edmontonjournal.com
18 Sep 2012
EDMONTON-As Alberta's largest wind farm nears completion, Edmonton-based Capital Power Corp, is opening the site of the $357 million project to the public. "On Wednesday we'll have a blade signing in the village of Halkirk, where the public can sign a 44 metre blade that will be used on one of the 83 turbines, as well as tours of the site", said spokesman Michael Sheehan. Halkirk is about 120 km east of Red Deer.
Rising 124 metres from ground to blade tip--taller than the Epcor Tower in Edmonton--the turbines look a bit out of place on the gently rolling prairie of Paintearth County. Capital Power says all the foundations for the turbine towers have been completed. As well, reclamation of the wide access roads has begun. Currently needed to bring in heavy equipment, the roads will eventually be less than five-metres wide, winding through the 10,000 hectares of private land within a 60 square km area straddling Highway 12 between Halkirk and Castor.
So far, 34 turbines have been assembled completely and it is expected that all 83 will be up by the end of October as the 250 workers aim to have most work complete before winter arrives. Work on the project's power substation is also on target and is expected to be energized by Oct. 5 when power will be supplied to the site. After that, groups of turbines will be able to come online and feed power into the provincial grid.
The arrival of Capital Power offers an economic boost in the form of new tax revenue for the county and the village of Halkirk, as well as compensation and annual lease revenue to the 49 landowners. The company's 14 permanent staff will also invigorate a village that claims a population of 121. "There has been a lot of hustle and bustle throughout the area because of this project, and it means a lot to the local economy", Tarolyn Peach, chief administration officer for Paintearth, said in a recent interview.
Capital Power purchased the project design and all approvals from Greengate Power Corp, in 2011. Alberta's energy market does not pay extra for wind or solar power, so for Capital the deal-maker was a contract with a major California utility for the purchase of green-energy credits. While power from the Halkirk project will go directly into the Alberta grid, Capital expects that half of the project's revenue will come from these green credits, paid for by California consumers.
With 150 MW (MWs) of capacity, Halkirk will provide enough power to supply 50,000 homes while the wind blows--which should be at least 30 per¢ of the time. While Alberta is the only province with a fully deregulated electricity market--which means wind power does not earn a higher price than less expensive coal-fired generation--it has Canada's third largest system, with 891 MW currently in place, all in windy regions south of Calgary.
Ontario, by comparison, has 2,000 MW in operation with another 3,600 MW being built under its feed-in tariff program, including projects by Capital Power. The Edmonton firm is also building a wind power project in B.C., where BC Hydro pays a premium for renewable energy.
18 Sep 2012
EDMONTON-As Alberta's largest wind farm nears completion, Edmonton-based Capital Power Corp, is opening the site of the $357 million project to the public. "On Wednesday we'll have a blade signing in the village of Halkirk, where the public can sign a 44 metre blade that will be used on one of the 83 turbines, as well as tours of the site", said spokesman Michael Sheehan. Halkirk is about 120 km east of Red Deer.Rising 124 metres from ground to blade tip--taller than the Epcor Tower in Edmonton--the turbines look a bit out of place on the gently rolling prairie of Paintearth County. Capital Power says all the foundations for the turbine towers have been completed. As well, reclamation of the wide access roads has begun. Currently needed to bring in heavy equipment, the roads will eventually be less than five-metres wide, winding through the 10,000 hectares of private land within a 60 square km area straddling Highway 12 between Halkirk and Castor.
So far, 34 turbines have been assembled completely and it is expected that all 83 will be up by the end of October as the 250 workers aim to have most work complete before winter arrives. Work on the project's power substation is also on target and is expected to be energized by Oct. 5 when power will be supplied to the site. After that, groups of turbines will be able to come online and feed power into the provincial grid.
The arrival of Capital Power offers an economic boost in the form of new tax revenue for the county and the village of Halkirk, as well as compensation and annual lease revenue to the 49 landowners. The company's 14 permanent staff will also invigorate a village that claims a population of 121. "There has been a lot of hustle and bustle throughout the area because of this project, and it means a lot to the local economy", Tarolyn Peach, chief administration officer for Paintearth, said in a recent interview.
Capital Power purchased the project design and all approvals from Greengate Power Corp, in 2011. Alberta's energy market does not pay extra for wind or solar power, so for Capital the deal-maker was a contract with a major California utility for the purchase of green-energy credits. While power from the Halkirk project will go directly into the Alberta grid, Capital expects that half of the project's revenue will come from these green credits, paid for by California consumers.
With 150 MW (MWs) of capacity, Halkirk will provide enough power to supply 50,000 homes while the wind blows--which should be at least 30 per¢ of the time. While Alberta is the only province with a fully deregulated electricity market--which means wind power does not earn a higher price than less expensive coal-fired generation--it has Canada's third largest system, with 891 MW currently in place, all in windy regions south of Calgary.
Ontario, by comparison, has 2,000 MW in operation with another 3,600 MW being built under its feed-in tariff program, including projects by Capital Power. The Edmonton firm is also building a wind power project in B.C., where BC Hydro pays a premium for renewable energy.
Energy market reform the cure for power price pain
Clean Energy Council
20 Sep 2012
Rising electricity prices are hitting Australian households hard and energy efficiency and energy market reform is the key to easing the power price pain, according to the Clean Energy Council (CEC). In a submission to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices, the CEC states the rules that underpin how the electricity industry delivers power to consumers do not adequately reflect the needs of consumers or the changing needs of our energy system.
"Australia, along with many other developed countries, is experiencing significant electricity price increases, with very real consequences for vulnerable households and businesses", said CEC Chief Executive David Green. "It's great news that the cost of moving to a more equitable and cleaner future for Australia is set to fall to less than 4% of bills by 2020. Getting the framework right to ensure network costs do not reach the forecast 55% of an Australian household energy bill is now essential", said Mr Green.
The submission also highlights that the National Electricity Objective, which is the basis of all decisions about our electricity market, does not currently consider the needs of electricity bill-payers, long-term economic factors or a clean environment. "Reform of the National Electricity Objective will allow the long-term interests of consumers to have far greater weight with regulatory decision makers", Mr Green said. "Now we need to get on with the job of making real changes to Australia's energy market that will deliver actual benefits to consumers in the form of more money in their pockets".
Mr Green said a smarter energy system will empower households to take control of their electricity use and reduce their bills. "Demand-reducing measures that would save people money-like smart technology that tells us how we use our energy-could be rolled out more widely to households, but for that to happen significant changes need to happen to the way our energy markets are regulated and managed", Mr Green said.
"For example, some energy providers in Victoria have launched web portals that allow customers to login and monitor their electricity use at different times of the day. In countries like Germany, you can already monitor your live home energy use from wherever you are using an iPhone app. "If our recommendations are adopted, the outcomes of the Select Committee's inquiry will unlock huge benefits to consumers in the shape of power bill savings and efficiency gains".
The CEC’s submission to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices is available online at cleanenergycouncil.org.au/policyadvocacy/Submissions/current
20 Sep 2012
Rising electricity prices are hitting Australian households hard and energy efficiency and energy market reform is the key to easing the power price pain, according to the Clean Energy Council (CEC). In a submission to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices, the CEC states the rules that underpin how the electricity industry delivers power to consumers do not adequately reflect the needs of consumers or the changing needs of our energy system."Australia, along with many other developed countries, is experiencing significant electricity price increases, with very real consequences for vulnerable households and businesses", said CEC Chief Executive David Green. "It's great news that the cost of moving to a more equitable and cleaner future for Australia is set to fall to less than 4% of bills by 2020. Getting the framework right to ensure network costs do not reach the forecast 55% of an Australian household energy bill is now essential", said Mr Green.
The submission also highlights that the National Electricity Objective, which is the basis of all decisions about our electricity market, does not currently consider the needs of electricity bill-payers, long-term economic factors or a clean environment. "Reform of the National Electricity Objective will allow the long-term interests of consumers to have far greater weight with regulatory decision makers", Mr Green said. "Now we need to get on with the job of making real changes to Australia's energy market that will deliver actual benefits to consumers in the form of more money in their pockets".
Mr Green said a smarter energy system will empower households to take control of their electricity use and reduce their bills. "Demand-reducing measures that would save people money-like smart technology that tells us how we use our energy-could be rolled out more widely to households, but for that to happen significant changes need to happen to the way our energy markets are regulated and managed", Mr Green said.
"For example, some energy providers in Victoria have launched web portals that allow customers to login and monitor their electricity use at different times of the day. In countries like Germany, you can already monitor your live home energy use from wherever you are using an iPhone app. "If our recommendations are adopted, the outcomes of the Select Committee's inquiry will unlock huge benefits to consumers in the shape of power bill savings and efficiency gains".
The CEC’s submission to the Senate Select Committee on Electricity Prices is available online at cleanenergycouncil.org.au/policyadvocacy/Submissions/current
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Energy efficiency minimum standards a win for consumers
Clean Energy Council
13 Sep 2012
The availability of low quality, energy-intensive appliances imported from overseas will be reduced under new legislation passed through the Federal Senate today, in a move applauded by the Clean Energy Council. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the Greenhouse Energy Minimum Standards legislation would help protect households from power price pain by increasing the energy efficiency levels of new appliances and streamlining the energy star rating labelling system across Australia.
"Today's decision to limit the use of poor quality appliances is good news for people who are struggling with rising electricity costs. Some of these devices have a low upfront cost that can seem appealing, but end up hurting you every time you open your power bill", he said. "Loopholes in the current system mean that in some states inferior imported products are able to slip through the net and be sold to unsuspecting customers".
Mr Green said the current energy rating labelling system-the Equipment Energy Efficiency program-would be streamlined and expanded to include more products such as insulation, window glass and gas-powered products. "At the moment there are different arrangements for placing standards and energy ratings on appliances in different states, which can be confusing for consumers. The changes introduced today will include moving to a single national regulator, cutting down on red tape for businesses and reducing fees for registering products", he said.
"With these improvements, people can be confident they are getting consistent information when purchasing large appliances like air-conditioners, washing machines and dryers". Mr Green stressed that sustained dialogue and engagement with both consumers and the industry was now important in order to ensure the program was able to deliver the maximum benefits.
13 Sep 2012
The availability of low quality, energy-intensive appliances imported from overseas will be reduced under new legislation passed through the Federal Senate today, in a move applauded by the Clean Energy Council. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the Greenhouse Energy Minimum Standards legislation would help protect households from power price pain by increasing the energy efficiency levels of new appliances and streamlining the energy star rating labelling system across Australia."Today's decision to limit the use of poor quality appliances is good news for people who are struggling with rising electricity costs. Some of these devices have a low upfront cost that can seem appealing, but end up hurting you every time you open your power bill", he said. "Loopholes in the current system mean that in some states inferior imported products are able to slip through the net and be sold to unsuspecting customers".
Mr Green said the current energy rating labelling system-the Equipment Energy Efficiency program-would be streamlined and expanded to include more products such as insulation, window glass and gas-powered products. "At the moment there are different arrangements for placing standards and energy ratings on appliances in different states, which can be confusing for consumers. The changes introduced today will include moving to a single national regulator, cutting down on red tape for businesses and reducing fees for registering products", he said.
"With these improvements, people can be confident they are getting consistent information when purchasing large appliances like air-conditioners, washing machines and dryers". Mr Green stressed that sustained dialogue and engagement with both consumers and the industry was now important in order to ensure the program was able to deliver the maximum benefits.
IGA Bright lighting idea cuts IGA energy bill by $40k overnight
www.theage.com.au
20 Sep 2012
Rather than rely on automatic timers, the Geraldton IGA teams played with different lighting combinations-like half-lighting during out-of-hours stocking and baking times. While the big supermarkets are caught in their own price wars, a group of independent grocery stores in Western Australia's Sinosteel-Midwest region claim to have shaved about $40,000 or 10%-off their annual energy costs with basic incentives.
The first of the changes did not cost anything to implement and dramatically reduced their carbon footprint overnight, driving overhead savings they've been able to pass on to their customers, according to Queens SUPA IGA manager Stuart Bain. With the introduction of a price on carbon looming about a year ago, Mr Bain and the managers of Rigters SUPA IGA and Wonthella SUPA IGA, got together with their semi-retired owner and set themselves a challenge. "We were just talking because the power bills kept going up and up and we wanted to see what we could focus on", Mr Bain said.
Geraldton's problem with "brown-outs" during the summer months was also a driver for change. All three IGAs agreed to participate in an energy monitoring program, which meant when the seaside city was nearing summer peaks they would reduce their usage for a period of time, usually about three hours. But through the program they were also for the first time able to see their energy usage in real time-even accessing the data remotely from their mobile phones-and the insight has proven invaluable, Mr Bain said.
Through summer his store, a 3,500m² flagship, was tipping up to 420 kWs at peak usage times. "It's a fair whack for a supermarket", he said. "But we could see what we were using at what times and that's what really pushed us to do some energy saving". The first and biggest contributor to the reduction in energy instantly cut the flagship store's power bill by about $3000 per month, Mr Bain said. "It was just lighting control", he explained.
Rather than rely on automatic timers, which saw full lighting come on at 4am and go off at 10pm, the Geraldton IGA teams played with different lighting combinations-such as half-lighting during out-of-hours stocking and baking times. "We just started a manual system instead of the automatic timers and it's just a matter of training staff to go and turn them on at certain times", Mr Bain said. "In summer we were looking at saving about $3000 in a month. "It was massive and that wasn't through changing lights or anything, that was just through putting 12 hours into breaking down our light times and then just staff training after that".
After the lights were under control the team turned to their heating and cooling systems to find further energy reductions. But the 10% reduction is only half way to their final energy goal and the IGAs have now turned to spending money to save money, investing in 160 solar panels and trialling new types of lights. The panels are a 30 kW system that is being pumped backed into their grid and have only become viable recently as the renewable space has become more affordable with greater competition.
"Staff have been awesome getting behind it once we explained that we were doing things to cut our carbon footprint it made them excited to get involved and having a target to reach really helped", he said. But there have been business incentives driving the cost reduction as well.
"The best way to stay ahead of the competition, which is Coles and Woolworths, is to cut costs in other ways and that gives us more money to put into promotions and to keep our prices down", Mr Bain said. As well as targeting 100% renewable energy, the IGAs are also considering retrofitting energy efficient door on open air fridges.
20 Sep 2012
Rather than rely on automatic timers, the Geraldton IGA teams played with different lighting combinations-like half-lighting during out-of-hours stocking and baking times. While the big supermarkets are caught in their own price wars, a group of independent grocery stores in Western Australia's Sinosteel-Midwest region claim to have shaved about $40,000 or 10%-off their annual energy costs with basic incentives.
The first of the changes did not cost anything to implement and dramatically reduced their carbon footprint overnight, driving overhead savings they've been able to pass on to their customers, according to Queens SUPA IGA manager Stuart Bain. With the introduction of a price on carbon looming about a year ago, Mr Bain and the managers of Rigters SUPA IGA and Wonthella SUPA IGA, got together with their semi-retired owner and set themselves a challenge. "We were just talking because the power bills kept going up and up and we wanted to see what we could focus on", Mr Bain said.
Geraldton's problem with "brown-outs" during the summer months was also a driver for change. All three IGAs agreed to participate in an energy monitoring program, which meant when the seaside city was nearing summer peaks they would reduce their usage for a period of time, usually about three hours. But through the program they were also for the first time able to see their energy usage in real time-even accessing the data remotely from their mobile phones-and the insight has proven invaluable, Mr Bain said.
Through summer his store, a 3,500m² flagship, was tipping up to 420 kWs at peak usage times. "It's a fair whack for a supermarket", he said. "But we could see what we were using at what times and that's what really pushed us to do some energy saving". The first and biggest contributor to the reduction in energy instantly cut the flagship store's power bill by about $3000 per month, Mr Bain said. "It was just lighting control", he explained.
Rather than rely on automatic timers, which saw full lighting come on at 4am and go off at 10pm, the Geraldton IGA teams played with different lighting combinations-such as half-lighting during out-of-hours stocking and baking times. "We just started a manual system instead of the automatic timers and it's just a matter of training staff to go and turn them on at certain times", Mr Bain said. "In summer we were looking at saving about $3000 in a month. "It was massive and that wasn't through changing lights or anything, that was just through putting 12 hours into breaking down our light times and then just staff training after that".
After the lights were under control the team turned to their heating and cooling systems to find further energy reductions. But the 10% reduction is only half way to their final energy goal and the IGAs have now turned to spending money to save money, investing in 160 solar panels and trialling new types of lights. The panels are a 30 kW system that is being pumped backed into their grid and have only become viable recently as the renewable space has become more affordable with greater competition.
"Staff have been awesome getting behind it once we explained that we were doing things to cut our carbon footprint it made them excited to get involved and having a target to reach really helped", he said. But there have been business incentives driving the cost reduction as well.
"The best way to stay ahead of the competition, which is Coles and Woolworths, is to cut costs in other ways and that gives us more money to put into promotions and to keep our prices down", Mr Bain said. As well as targeting 100% renewable energy, the IGAs are also considering retrofitting energy efficient door on open air fridges.
Call to ease regulations for small wind farms
www.abc.net.au
Thu, 20 Sep 2012
The Hepburn Shire Council will lobby the Victorian Government to exempt community-based wind farms from strict regulations. A planning amendment introduced by the State Government last year prohibits new wind farms in certain areas and within 2 km of houses. The council adopted a motion at this week's meeting to express its ongoing support for renewable energy developments.
Mayor Sebastian Klein says small wind farms should not be treated the same as large-scale wind farms. "It basically asks for the State Government to make different considerations for community owned wind farms than I guess large-scale, corporate wind farms", he said. "So I guess small-scale community owned wind farms that provide back to the community have a community dividend and also have a much smaller footprint and a much smaller impact on the landscape and on people's amenity".
Thu, 20 Sep 2012
The Hepburn Shire Council will lobby the Victorian Government to exempt community-based wind farms from strict regulations. A planning amendment introduced by the State Government last year prohibits new wind farms in certain areas and within 2 km of houses. The council adopted a motion at this week's meeting to express its ongoing support for renewable energy developments.
Mayor Sebastian Klein says small wind farms should not be treated the same as large-scale wind farms. "It basically asks for the State Government to make different considerations for community owned wind farms than I guess large-scale, corporate wind farms", he said. "So I guess small-scale community owned wind farms that provide back to the community have a community dividend and also have a much smaller footprint and a much smaller impact on the landscape and on people's amenity".
UK wind power output sets new record above 4GW
www.reuters.com
14 Sep 2012
(Reuters)-The volume of electricity produced by Britain's wind farms reached a new record on Friday, breaching the 4 GW mark for the first time as new wind farms open and benefit from stormy weather especially in Scotland. Britain's more than 4,000 wind turbines produced 4.13 GW on Friday morning, the national grid operator said, accounting for nearly 11% of the country's electricity at the time and breaching the previous record by 0.3 GW.
"As part of government targets for emissions reductions and sourcing more energy from renewable sources, it's expected that each autumn, a new record for wind power output will be set", said a National Grid spokesman, adding that thanks to precise wind forecasting systems, network managers could prepare for the boost in renewable energy output.
Britain plans to generate 15% of its annual energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020, up from 9% last year. More than 7 GW of onshore and offshore wind farms are currently installed in Britain, still a way off the government's target of 31 GW by 2020.
14 Sep 2012
(Reuters)-The volume of electricity produced by Britain's wind farms reached a new record on Friday, breaching the 4 GW mark for the first time as new wind farms open and benefit from stormy weather especially in Scotland. Britain's more than 4,000 wind turbines produced 4.13 GW on Friday morning, the national grid operator said, accounting for nearly 11% of the country's electricity at the time and breaching the previous record by 0.3 GW.
"As part of government targets for emissions reductions and sourcing more energy from renewable sources, it's expected that each autumn, a new record for wind power output will be set", said a National Grid spokesman, adding that thanks to precise wind forecasting systems, network managers could prepare for the boost in renewable energy output.
Britain plans to generate 15% of its annual energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2020, up from 9% last year. More than 7 GW of onshore and offshore wind farms are currently installed in Britain, still a way off the government's target of 31 GW by 2020.
Floating turbines research on track as new wind power study touts value of offshore power generation
www.power-eng.com
13 Sep 2012
PORTLAND, Maine--A consortium of environmental groups released a report Thursday touting the value of offshore wind power along the Atlantic seaboard and urges federal and state governments to act aggressively to support its development, even as Maine researchers are moving toward placing a scale model of a floating turbine in the Gulf of Maine next spring.
Catherine Bowes and Justin Allegro of the National Wildlife Federation wrote the new report, titled "The Turning Point for Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy". Representatives from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Environment Maine, the Conservation Law Foundation and the Maine AFL-CIO attended a press conference to make the report public on Thursday morning.
"Congress is now debating whether to continue huge subsidies for big oil and gas, and whether to extend support for clean renewable energy sources like wind", Dylan Voorhees, clean energy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said in a release announcing the report. "In Maine, we are fortunate to have a large, untapped potential for clean, homegrown, offshore wind power. Maine people, businesses and workers agree that offshore wind power can help Maine people and our economy and environment as we cut our addiction to dirty, imported fossil fuels".
The report notes that the United States generates no power from offshore wind at present, but that "recent actions by the federal government, along with bipartisan leadership from coastal state officials, have put critical building blocks in place--a€" bringing us closer than ever before to finally tapping this massive domestic energy source". Progress reports on offshore wind development in 10 Atlantic Coast states and a discussion of how to develop offshore wind farms without threatening wildlife are included in the 54 page document.
Among the report's recommendations are to elevate the Department of Energy's scenario for achieving 54 GWs of cost-effective offshore wind power by 2030 as a national priority; codify goals for renewable energy generation; extend tax incentives including the federal Investment Tax Credit for offshore wind, the Production Tax Credit and Advanced Energy Project Credit; take direct action to secure buyers for offshore wind power; increase funding to the US Energy and Interior departments and relevant state agencies to support research and deployment of offshore wind power; enact strict pollution reduction policies related to all power sources; and coordinate offshore wind power development decisions with federal, state, tribal and regional coastal and marine spatial planning efforts "in a manner that is consistent with the goals of America's National Ocean Policy".
Read More…
13 Sep 2012
PORTLAND, Maine--A consortium of environmental groups released a report Thursday touting the value of offshore wind power along the Atlantic seaboard and urges federal and state governments to act aggressively to support its development, even as Maine researchers are moving toward placing a scale model of a floating turbine in the Gulf of Maine next spring.
Catherine Bowes and Justin Allegro of the National Wildlife Federation wrote the new report, titled "The Turning Point for Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy". Representatives from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, Environment Maine, the Conservation Law Foundation and the Maine AFL-CIO attended a press conference to make the report public on Thursday morning.
"Congress is now debating whether to continue huge subsidies for big oil and gas, and whether to extend support for clean renewable energy sources like wind", Dylan Voorhees, clean energy director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said in a release announcing the report. "In Maine, we are fortunate to have a large, untapped potential for clean, homegrown, offshore wind power. Maine people, businesses and workers agree that offshore wind power can help Maine people and our economy and environment as we cut our addiction to dirty, imported fossil fuels".
The report notes that the United States generates no power from offshore wind at present, but that "recent actions by the federal government, along with bipartisan leadership from coastal state officials, have put critical building blocks in place--a€" bringing us closer than ever before to finally tapping this massive domestic energy source". Progress reports on offshore wind development in 10 Atlantic Coast states and a discussion of how to develop offshore wind farms without threatening wildlife are included in the 54 page document.
Among the report's recommendations are to elevate the Department of Energy's scenario for achieving 54 GWs of cost-effective offshore wind power by 2030 as a national priority; codify goals for renewable energy generation; extend tax incentives including the federal Investment Tax Credit for offshore wind, the Production Tax Credit and Advanced Energy Project Credit; take direct action to secure buyers for offshore wind power; increase funding to the US Energy and Interior departments and relevant state agencies to support research and deployment of offshore wind power; enact strict pollution reduction policies related to all power sources; and coordinate offshore wind power development decisions with federal, state, tribal and regional coastal and marine spatial planning efforts "in a manner that is consistent with the goals of America's National Ocean Policy".
Read More…
Report backs greater role for wind energy
www.upi.com
13 Sep 2012
TANFORD, Calif., Sept. 13 (UPI)--Wind power can play a greater role than currently supported in meeting most or bulk of global energy demand, a report from Stanford and Delaware universities says. Scientists used a sophisticated climate model to argue that wind as an energy resource can satisfy "half to several times" the world's total energy needs within the next two decades.
wind farms have drawn criticism worldwide for being cost-inefficient, eyesores on pristine rural or seaside landscapes and noisy. Supporters of wind power's greater use contest most of those criticisms. "If the world is to shift to clean energy, electricity generated by the wind will play a major role and there is more than enough wind for that", Andrew Myers, a spokesman for the Stanford University School of Engineering said.
Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford and co-author of the report said, "The careful siting of wind farms will minimize costs and the overall impacts of a global wind infrastructure on the environment". The findings were published in the proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences by Jacobson and Cristina Archer, an associate professor of geography and physical ocean science and engineering at the University of Delaware.
The report contradicts two earlier studies that said each turbine steals too much wind power from other turbines and that turbines introduce harmful climate consequences that would negate some of the positive aspects of renewable wind power. The report calculated the number of wind turbines needed to meet half the world's power demand, about 5.75 TWs, in a 2030 clean-energy economy. They said that 4 million turbines would do the job.
The 4 million turbines producing 5 MWs each could supply as much as 7.5 TWs of power, or more than half the world's power demand, without significant negative effect on the climate. "To get there, however, we have a long way to go", Jacobson said. "Today, we have installed a little over 1% of the wind power needed".
Jacobson and Archer recommend siting half of the 4 million turbines over water. The remaining 2 million would require a little more than one-half of 1% of the Earth's land surface, about half the area of Alaska. High-wind sites including the Gobi Desert, the American plains and the Sahara Desert are prime candidates for the installations, they said. "As these results suggest, the saturation of wind power availability will not limit a clean-energy economy", Jacobson said.
The Environmental Technology Center at the University of Nottingham, England, has published 15 "myths" about wind power to debunk each with a "fact". "Many people make many claims about wind turbines and the effects that they allegedly have. We've collated our favorites and given the answers", the university said on its website. Nottingham runs international campuses in Ningbo, China; and Semenyih, Malaysia.
13 Sep 2012
TANFORD, Calif., Sept. 13 (UPI)--Wind power can play a greater role than currently supported in meeting most or bulk of global energy demand, a report from Stanford and Delaware universities says. Scientists used a sophisticated climate model to argue that wind as an energy resource can satisfy "half to several times" the world's total energy needs within the next two decades.
wind farms have drawn criticism worldwide for being cost-inefficient, eyesores on pristine rural or seaside landscapes and noisy. Supporters of wind power's greater use contest most of those criticisms. "If the world is to shift to clean energy, electricity generated by the wind will play a major role and there is more than enough wind for that", Andrew Myers, a spokesman for the Stanford University School of Engineering said.
Mark Z. Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford and co-author of the report said, "The careful siting of wind farms will minimize costs and the overall impacts of a global wind infrastructure on the environment". The findings were published in the proceedings of the US National Academy of Sciences by Jacobson and Cristina Archer, an associate professor of geography and physical ocean science and engineering at the University of Delaware.
The report contradicts two earlier studies that said each turbine steals too much wind power from other turbines and that turbines introduce harmful climate consequences that would negate some of the positive aspects of renewable wind power. The report calculated the number of wind turbines needed to meet half the world's power demand, about 5.75 TWs, in a 2030 clean-energy economy. They said that 4 million turbines would do the job.
The 4 million turbines producing 5 MWs each could supply as much as 7.5 TWs of power, or more than half the world's power demand, without significant negative effect on the climate. "To get there, however, we have a long way to go", Jacobson said. "Today, we have installed a little over 1% of the wind power needed".
Jacobson and Archer recommend siting half of the 4 million turbines over water. The remaining 2 million would require a little more than one-half of 1% of the Earth's land surface, about half the area of Alaska. High-wind sites including the Gobi Desert, the American plains and the Sahara Desert are prime candidates for the installations, they said. "As these results suggest, the saturation of wind power availability will not limit a clean-energy economy", Jacobson said.
The Environmental Technology Center at the University of Nottingham, England, has published 15 "myths" about wind power to debunk each with a "fact". "Many people make many claims about wind turbines and the effects that they allegedly have. We've collated our favorites and given the answers", the university said on its website. Nottingham runs international campuses in Ningbo, China; and Semenyih, Malaysia.
Energy efficiency minimum standards a win for consumers
Clean Energy Council
13 Sep 2012
The availability of low quality, energy-intensive appliances imported from overseas will be reduced under new legislation passed through the Federal Senate today, in a move applauded by the Clean Energy Council. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the Greenhouse Energy Minimum Standards legislation would help protect households from power price pain by increasing the energy efficiency levels of new appliances and streamlining the energy star rating labelling system across Australia.
"Today's decision to limit the use of poor quality appliances is good news for people who are struggling with rising electricity costs. Some of these devices have a low upfront cost that can seem appealing, but end up hurting you every time you open your power bill", he said. "Loopholes in the current system mean that in some states inferior imported products are able to slip through the net and be sold to unsuspecting customers".
Mr Green said the current energy rating labelling system-the Equipment Energy Efficiency program-would be streamlined and expanded to include more products such as insulation, window glass and gas-powered products. "At the moment there are different arrangements for placing standards and energy ratings on appliances in different states, which can be confusing for consumers. The changes introduced today will include moving to a single national regulator, cutting down on red tape for businesses and reducing fees for registering products", he said.
"With these improvements, people can be confident they are getting consistent information when purchasing large appliances like air-conditioners, washing machines and dryers". Mr Green stressed that sustained dialogue and engagement with both consumers and the industry was now important in order to ensure the program was able to deliver the maximum benefits.
13 Sep 2012
The availability of low quality, energy-intensive appliances imported from overseas will be reduced under new legislation passed through the Federal Senate today, in a move applauded by the Clean Energy Council. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said the Greenhouse Energy Minimum Standards legislation would help protect households from power price pain by increasing the energy efficiency levels of new appliances and streamlining the energy star rating labelling system across Australia."Today's decision to limit the use of poor quality appliances is good news for people who are struggling with rising electricity costs. Some of these devices have a low upfront cost that can seem appealing, but end up hurting you every time you open your power bill", he said. "Loopholes in the current system mean that in some states inferior imported products are able to slip through the net and be sold to unsuspecting customers".
Mr Green said the current energy rating labelling system-the Equipment Energy Efficiency program-would be streamlined and expanded to include more products such as insulation, window glass and gas-powered products. "At the moment there are different arrangements for placing standards and energy ratings on appliances in different states, which can be confusing for consumers. The changes introduced today will include moving to a single national regulator, cutting down on red tape for businesses and reducing fees for registering products", he said.
"With these improvements, people can be confident they are getting consistent information when purchasing large appliances like air-conditioners, washing machines and dryers". Mr Green stressed that sustained dialogue and engagement with both consumers and the industry was now important in order to ensure the program was able to deliver the maximum benefits.
Clean energy industry calls for investment stability
Clean Energy Council
12 Sep 2012
Australia's clean energy industry today called for the Federal Government to ensure the 20% Renewable Energy Target remains unchanged in order to retain its investment-grade stability and drive job creation along with lower costs for consumers.
The Federal Government's Climate Change Authority is currently undertaking a review of the target, to source 20% of Australia's energy from renewable sources by 2020. "The Renewable Energy Target is the single most important policy measure for the entire Australian renewables sector", Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said.
The Renewable Energy Target was introduced by Liberal Prime Minister John Howard in 2001 and increased by Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2009 with the support of the Coalition. "Since its introduction, it has generated some $18.5 billion of investment and thousands of jobs-many of them in regional and rural areas where most of Australia's abundant clean energy resources are found", Mr Green said. "It has seen more than 1.7 million Australian households moving to protect themselves from fossil fuel-driven price rises by installing small-scale systems such as solar panels and solar hot water.
"In addition, the equivalent of more than 2.1 million households is now powered by large-scale renewables such as hydroelectric and wind. "To date, it has also been the single largest carbon abatement scheme in Australia and without it Australia would not have achieved its emissions reductions target under the Kyoto Protocol".
Mr Green said the Renewable Energy Target in its current form stood to generate up to $30 billion more in investment and a total reduction of 380 million tonnes in carbon emissions over the life of the scheme. But the Renewable Energy Target's ability to deliver more investment, jobs, carbon abatement and energy security would be severely undermined if fundamental changes are made to it or the legislative and economic mechanisms underpinning it, Mr Green said.
"Of overriding importance is the need for policy stability and investment security to secure the funds that will deliver clean energy for Australia. "Any changes to the Renewable Energy Target will shatter this stability and remove investor confidence in clean energy, negating the industry's ability to support Australia's shift to clean energy sources and to reduce energy costs for consumers in the long-term. The fact a review is even being held is already contributing to uncertainty in the market. "Further, any change would likely damage the returns on billions of dollars of renewable energy investment already made under the current policy settings and in turn damage Australia's reputation as a safe place to invest in energy infrastructure".
Mr Green said acting on recent suggestions from some quarters that the target in total GWs should be reduced to match forecasts of lower energy demand would only serve to decrease investor confidence. "Future electricity demand is inherently difficult to predict, particularly at a time when the Australian energy market and the production and consumption of electricity are undergoing quite substantial reforms and change. "But investing in a 15 year-plus energy project requires long-term clarity about policy settings that will affect revenue sources. This security is provided by the current fixed GW target".
Mr Green said the cost of renewable energy was small compared to other considerations such as poles and wires-and it was dropping all the time. "The cost of the Renewable Energy Target contributes just 7% to the average Australian electricity bill, and this is forecast to drop to just 4% by 2020 with even greater potential savings as we all become smarter about how we use our energy".
12 Sep 2012
Australia's clean energy industry today called for the Federal Government to ensure the 20% Renewable Energy Target remains unchanged in order to retain its investment-grade stability and drive job creation along with lower costs for consumers.The Federal Government's Climate Change Authority is currently undertaking a review of the target, to source 20% of Australia's energy from renewable sources by 2020. "The Renewable Energy Target is the single most important policy measure for the entire Australian renewables sector", Clean Energy Council Chief Executive David Green said.
The Renewable Energy Target was introduced by Liberal Prime Minister John Howard in 2001 and increased by Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in 2009 with the support of the Coalition. "Since its introduction, it has generated some $18.5 billion of investment and thousands of jobs-many of them in regional and rural areas where most of Australia's abundant clean energy resources are found", Mr Green said. "It has seen more than 1.7 million Australian households moving to protect themselves from fossil fuel-driven price rises by installing small-scale systems such as solar panels and solar hot water.
"In addition, the equivalent of more than 2.1 million households is now powered by large-scale renewables such as hydroelectric and wind. "To date, it has also been the single largest carbon abatement scheme in Australia and without it Australia would not have achieved its emissions reductions target under the Kyoto Protocol".
Mr Green said the Renewable Energy Target in its current form stood to generate up to $30 billion more in investment and a total reduction of 380 million tonnes in carbon emissions over the life of the scheme. But the Renewable Energy Target's ability to deliver more investment, jobs, carbon abatement and energy security would be severely undermined if fundamental changes are made to it or the legislative and economic mechanisms underpinning it, Mr Green said.
"Of overriding importance is the need for policy stability and investment security to secure the funds that will deliver clean energy for Australia. "Any changes to the Renewable Energy Target will shatter this stability and remove investor confidence in clean energy, negating the industry's ability to support Australia's shift to clean energy sources and to reduce energy costs for consumers in the long-term. The fact a review is even being held is already contributing to uncertainty in the market. "Further, any change would likely damage the returns on billions of dollars of renewable energy investment already made under the current policy settings and in turn damage Australia's reputation as a safe place to invest in energy infrastructure".
Mr Green said acting on recent suggestions from some quarters that the target in total GWs should be reduced to match forecasts of lower energy demand would only serve to decrease investor confidence. "Future electricity demand is inherently difficult to predict, particularly at a time when the Australian energy market and the production and consumption of electricity are undergoing quite substantial reforms and change. "But investing in a 15 year-plus energy project requires long-term clarity about policy settings that will affect revenue sources. This security is provided by the current fixed GW target".
Mr Green said the cost of renewable energy was small compared to other considerations such as poles and wires-and it was dropping all the time. "The cost of the Renewable Energy Target contributes just 7% to the average Australian electricity bill, and this is forecast to drop to just 4% by 2020 with even greater potential savings as we all become smarter about how we use our energy".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)