Climate challenge

Albany & Great Southern Weekender
Thursday 12/7/2007 Page: 7

THE Albany Community Environment Centre (ACEC) has taken on the challenge of addressing climate change in Albany. It is hoping Albany will become a leader in cutting greenhouse gas emissions, without waiting for government to introduce changes. ACEC spokesperson Helen Knewstub said that apart from saving energy, residents could save money on their monthly bills. "We are already in a great position with the option of using natural power via the Albany Wind Farm," ACEC spokesperson Helen Knewstub said.

The group took its first step recently by hosting `Save Water and Power' speaker, Rob Gulley, from Environment House in Perth, who addressed community groups and undertook home energy audits. Ms Knewstub said he pointed out that one unit of electricity was equal to one kilogram of greenhouse gases (GHG). "The Save Water and Power talk empowers people to take charge of their energy consumption at home in a number of ways," she said. "People can save power on their bills by choosing efficient appliances, and keeping them running efficiently.

"By doing simple things such as insulating the hot water pipe from water heaters, people can keep water warmer for longer, reducing their overall power consumption" Ms Knewstub said that with Albany's population around 30,000, if all the work places and homes saved a few units of energy, a minimum of 10,000 kgs of GHGs could be saved, as well as money off power bills. "Businesses and government agencies could make substantial savings," she said. "I'd like to see equipment such as boiling urns and microwaves turned off at the switch overnight and weekends when they're not being used." For more information, Ms Knewstub can be contacted on 98425121.

Wind for WApower

Fremantle Herald
Saturday 14/7/2007 Page: 10

ROOFTOP wind energy could soon generate over four per cent of WA's electricity needs. That's the claim of Murdoch University boffins who are looking at ways to harness the Fremantle Doctor, the strong gusty breeze that comes scudding in over WA's coast just about every day. Murdoch's engineering department, in collaboration with Melville council, has been awarded $28,000 to research the best way to harness the wind. Sensors will be placed on council buildings and computers will work out cost-effective and environmentally-friendly ways of using the technology.

Dr Jonathan Whale, one of the researchers, says "rooftop wind systems have enormous potential [for] micro-generation. .. in urban environments." Premier and WA science minister Alan Carpenter said "It would be a fantastic outcome if these projects... allowed householders to use the wind to generate their own electricity. .. save money. .. and reduce emissions," he added. The WA government wants to lower greenhouse emissions 60 per cent by 2050.

Time to find out community views

Ballarat Courier
Saturday 14/7/2007 Page: 9

You can never meet everybody's concerns but we are hopeful of providing the best wind farm proposal if it goes ahead.

THE first of several meetings to gauge community attitudes towards a controversial wind farm proposal near Smeaton will be held next week. Members of a community reference group were selected earlier this month and will liaise with developer Wind Power about community attitudes towards the project. Wind Power is proposing to build 19 turbines in the Smeaton area.

The CRG will be an opportunity for an views to be heard about the proposal, Wind Power general manager Vaughan Hulme said. We have to provide feedback on the questions that came out of the information day and we hope to understand how the community concerns can be met and the most effective methods of communicating with members of the community," he said.

We can look to developing the proposal in ways that best address the community's concerns. You can never meet everybody's concerns but we are hopeful of providing the best wind farm proposal if it goes ahead." Of the several members selected for the panel about half are from the Spa Country Landscape Guardians Group who are strongly opposed to the development. SCLGG spokesman Will Elsworth is on the CRG, and said he was critical that the meetings have been closed to the public and media.

National Code for windfarms

Crookwell Gazette
Tuesday 10/7/2007 Page: 3

UPPER Lachlan Shire Council has received a reply to a letter asking the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull, to continue the push for a National Code for winfarms. In his letter Mr Turnbull has stated that after careful consideration he has decided to proceed in developing a national code through a ministerial working group and will announce details of its membership and the process to be followed after he has finished arrangements.

Mr Turnbull stated: "The code will seek to provide a better framework, including for consultation with communities by wind project developers, which will help individuals, communities and stakeholder groups contribute in a well informed and meaningful way to decisions about siting and development of windfarms across Australia."

Narelle Davis to chair August renewable energy meeting

Cooma Monaro Express
Tuesday 10/7/2007 Page: 3

NARELLE Davis will take her `councillor' hat off when she chairs a meeting on renewable energy targets and climate change next month. Clean Energy for Eternity approached Cr Davis after Cooma Monaro Shire Mayor Tony Kaltoum declined to chair the meeting when some councillors voiced their opposition. The basis of their opinion was that the community could think council supported renewable energy targets if Cr Kaltoum chaired the meeting.

"It's a shame the Cooma Monaro Shire refuses to take leadership on the matter, but not all councillors hold the collective view (that chairing this meeting means we support the renewable energy target)," said Mrs Davis. "I'm chairing this meeting because I believe we all have a responsibility for how much energy and emissions we put into our environment. "My opinions don't reflect council's collective view. The community has power and doesn't need council to show leadership in this area of change," she said.

Clean Energy for Eternity Founder Doctor Matthew Nott said it was a pity council decided not to support the targets. "I'm disappointed and surprised, but accept the council's decision, but it means this is now purely a community target," said Dr Nott. The meeting, which will focus on renewable energy targets and green energy investment opportunities in southeast NSW will be held at Monaro High School on the evening of Wednesday August 8.

More trouble with turbines

South Gippsland Sentinel Times
Tuesday 10/7/2007 Page: 9

WIND turbines have not had a happy time at South Gippsland Shire Council meetings in the past and so it turned out to be when the latest planning application, involving 'wind turbines' came before the council last week. On this occasion however, they were not 70 metre high towers but a maximum of 13 metres high and were to be used for domestic purposes. But they were still a sticking point for the council and in the end forced the deferral of a new home application at Toora North.

The applicant, Andrew Macaulay of Toora North, took the opportunity to attend the council meeting last Wednesday to boost his claims, promising to find a model of wind generator that didn't require the 100 metre setback being proposed by the shire. But despite a call by Cr Bob Newton not to hold up the home application any longer (first lodged back in December 2006), the council did defer it pending a review of the turbine designs and setbacks.

Two local objections have been received, raising concerns about the height of the turbines and possible noise but the shire report on the application did not support the concerns. "...it is considered that the domestic wind generators will not have a negative effect on the visual amenity of the area."

Mr Macaulay did score some points, though, when asked by Cr Nigel Hutchinson-Brooks why he needed two wind generators when the power lines ran right past the site. "It's going to be a sustainable development and both the State and Local Government supports sustainable development. "There's no transformer on the power pole and with the price for connecting power roughly equivalent, we thought why not go for the most sustainable outcome," Mr Macaulay said.

Green focus in retail revival

Business News
Thursday 12/7/2007 Page: 25

ROOFTOP water tanks, wind turbines, solar panels and even waterless woks in food courts are some of the initiatives shopping centre owners are implementing to reduce their environmental footprint. Launched in August 2006, the Green Building Council of Australia's `green star shopping centre design' pilot program has been providing rating tools for stakeholders to assess the environmental impact of new shopping centres, centre additions and major refurbishments.

Centres are awarded ratings from four-star `best practice' through to six-star `world leadership' based on performance across eight categories, from indoor environmental quality to energy, transport and emissions. Shopping Centre Council of Australia executive director Milton Cockburn said shopping centres were redeveloped on average every 10 years, which gave owners the opportunity to reassess water and energy usage and adopt green designs.

"It's become so big now that new centres on greenfields sites can't be built without being five-star. Owners of existing centres are saying `we're big gas guzzlers and how can we change this?"' he told WA Business News. "I think corporate social image is driving it to a large extent, but owners are discovering that the sustainability measures will make commercial sense in many ways down the track."

In Western Australia, GE Capital is seeking one of the first six-star green ratings in the country for the redevelopment of its Beldon Shopping Centre on Marmion Avenue. The 20-year-old centre is undergoing a minor expansion, from 3,360 square metres to 4,107sq m net lettable area this year. Among its green credentials, the refurbished centre will have a 35- metre high wind turbine installed at its entrance and a small roof top turbine placed on its roof alongside photovoltaic solar panels.

It is anticipated the combined power of the free standing and roof top turbines and roof top solar cells will generate enough power to supply the shopping centre, with the exception of anchor tenant Woolworths, and supply power back to the grid. Designed by architects Cameron Chisholm Nicol, the centre will also comprise above- and below-ground water tanks, and an angled roof structures to capture rainwater.

Green Building Council of Australia spokesperson Emma Piper said a significant number of developers were trialling the pilot tools, and once feedback was collated, the council would formalise the tools in September and start accepting registrations. "A lot of the big players have come to us and we have created the tools to meet that demand. Given the huge uptake of our commercial office tools, we're expecting a significant number of registrations," Ms Piper said.

Mr Cockburn said he was not surprised that shopping centre owners such as GE Capital were taking the cause to a new level, with players including Mirvac, Westfield and The GPT Group already aiming for fivestar projects across Australia. "Owners are getting serious to the point of bringing tenants on board to cut their energy and water use, particularly food court tenants. The Chinese outlets use incredible amounts of water to keep their woks cool and owners are now pushing for them to use waterless woks instead," he said. Ms Piper said the council was considering developing a set of rating tools to address retail tenancy fitouts, however no commitment to introduce these had been made to date.

Solar bid stays in limbo

Bendigo Advertiser
Thursday 12/7/2007 Page: 7

CENTRAL Victoria's solar cities bid remained in limbo yesterday after the Prime Minister failed to commit to funding the project despite strong advocacy from local politicians and councils. The Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance bid for $17 million in Federal Government support - under its $75 million Solar Cities program - after 18 months of uncertainty was anticipated to be a strong contender for funding in an election year, but yesterday the Prime Minister would do no more than say a decision would be made before the election.

Advocates of renewable energy would have been disappointed the Prime Minister used his visit again to advocate the need for the inclusion of nuclear and coal to meet future power needs. Mount Alexander Shire mayor Jim Norris said the Prime Minister's visit to Bendigo was an opportunity missed. "We live in hope, but as a community I would have to say we are disappointed he didn't take this opportunity," Cr Norris said.

"Today was the ideal chance, with the focus of the national media and a proposal that will set the model for all the states, and at the end of the day this is a swinging seat." Liberal candidate for Bendigo Peter Kennedy said he and Senator Michael Ronaldson were strong advocates for the project and would continue to push for the funding. "A week doesn't go by when I am not in the ear of someone about the importance of this project," Mr Kennedy said.

"It is a fantastic model because it can be picked up and placed anywhere." Senator Ronaldson added: "It won't fail due to any lack of support and lobbying on our part." City of Greater Bendigo mayor Julie Rivendell, who also met the Prime Minister for a half-hour private meeting, said water education and sustainability were high on the agenda. "We think the solar cities initiative is really important for Bendigo and the region and is the major renewable project that will set the model for elsewhere," she said Mr Howard maintained his approach to future energy needs was based on a balanced economy.

"If we really want to have energy sources that do not pollute the atmosphere as much, we cannot realistically exclude uranium and nuclear power in that mix and as one of the sources of energy as we go forward," he said. "It is very important we have a balanced approach. "Yes, we deal with the greenhouse emissions and an emission trading system, we provide incentives for solar panels and the like, but we don't introduce measures that damage important export industries like the coal industry."

Links: Greenhouse regional partnerships

Benefits aplenty in building for energy efficiency

Australian Financial Review
Thursday 12/7/2007 Page: 3

Corporates are starting to understand that making a building environmentally friendly not only gives them a tick in current trend to get green-cred, but will also pay-off in the long run thanks to lower running costs generated by energy efficiency. The Green Building Council of Australia (GCBA) has so far only handed out two perfect 6-star ratings, although Australian and New Zealand Banking Group plan to reach that status with their new Collins Street building in Melbourne.

With new buildings, sustainability can be built in from inception, however, converting older buildings to become green friendly is a little more challenging according to John Goddard of building consultancy CB Richard Ellis. Two examples of refitting older buildings are 39 Hunter Street, Sydney, formerly home to Perpetual, and the Castlereagh Street home of property group Stockland.

Shooting for zero

Maroondah Leader
Tuesday 10/7/2007 Page: 72

GREATER use of airconditioning will cause blackouts by 2030, warns the latest report commissioned by the State Government from the CSIRO. If all Australian houses are built to zero emission standards-not requiring airconditioning - by 2016, this will lessen the effects of more severe weather forecast from human forced global warming.

Companies from Britain and elsewhere are already building houses compliant with the 2016 code, some with cost increases of only 2 per cent more than similar traditionally built houses. Now passed into law, the code sets minimum standards for both energy and water efficiency. In addition, the British government has agreed that any home achieving Level 6 sustainability rating will be exempt from stamp duty.

One type of zero emissions house is warmed and cooled with the help of Energain coated panels installed on interior walls and ceilings that absorb and release heat depending on the temperature. Another type contains a mechanical heat recovery system that removes moist, stale air from rooms and passes it over cool, fresh air from outside to regulate constant comfortable air temperatures.

With the addition of solar panels (pictured) and wind turbines, houses will soon be entirely self sufficient, generating electricity on-site, says Matthew Wright, spokesman for Beyond Zero Emissions, based in Brunswick St, Fitzroy.

Details: www.beyondzeroemissions.org.

Turbines for wind farm being secured

North Eastern Advertiser
Wednesday 4/7/2007 Page: 3

THE Minister for Energy, David Llewellyn has announced that the Musselroe Wind Farm is again heading in the right direction. Mr Llewellyn said all project rights, including the land agreement, for the project were secured last week. "Of course, the project would almost certainly be commission by now had the Federal Government accepted the findings of its own expert report and supported the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. "Nevertheless the project is proceeding well, with strong support from the local council and community. "Currently, preconstruction activities are progressing well, including environmental surveys and transmission line mapping," Mr Llewellyn said.

Roaring 40s is now presently in negotiations for the remaining two key elements of the project, including: securing the turbine supply contract for the project; and securing suitable off-take arrangements for the project under the proposed New South Wales Renewable Energy Target. It is hoped that construction will commence in late 2007. The State Opposition welcomed the news.

Shadow Minister for Energy, Peter Gutwein, said the project has strong support from the local community and council. "It is good to see the $230 million project proceeding, with construction set to commence later this year," Mr Gutwein said. "At a time when there is uncertainty surrounding other investments in the State this project will boost investor confidence and provide economic benefits to the region. "It will also further develop Tasmania's renewable energy output," he said.

Tassie contract blowing in wind

Hobart Mercury
Wednesday 11/7/2007 Page: 9

A NEW contract for a Launceston-based firm was a taste of the opportunities a pulp mill could bring Tasmanian manufacturing, Premier Paul Lennon said yesterday. Haywards Engineering has secured a deal with Spanish company Acciona Energy to supply 31 wind turbine towers for the Waubra Wind Farm near Ballarat in Victoria.

Mr Lennon said the $13 million contract was another coup for the leading steel fabrication and construction firm. "Haywards is a great Tasmanian success story and another example of a company expanding and thriving in our growing, modern economy." Mr Lennon said. "It's innovative companies like this that stand to benefit from the increased business activity construction of the proposed Bell Bay pulp mill would create.

"Local firms will be in line for contracts that will enable them to expand, reinvest in their businesses, employ more people and upskill their workforces." The company could earn an additional $12 million though the deal by securing the supply of towers for the second stage of the wind farm.

Clean power get a second wind

Ethical Investor
July, 2007 Page: 24

In 2006, new wind farms generated over AUS$27 billion globally. In Asia, wind energy will treble between now and 2010 with China installing ten times the wind energy of Australia. By the same token, we are likely to more than double our capacity over the same 3 year period. Australia's stationary energy sector is responsible for half of all our dangerous greenhouse gas emissions. So the wind energy industry owes its kick start to the Federal Government's early climate change policy.

The MRET scheme (Mandatory Renewable Energy Target), required electricity retailers to buy up to 9500 Megawatt hours of new, zero emission electricity from 2001. It was a nice touch, announced just before Kyoto, but by 2004 the MRET was met and a thriving industry began to wane. Three years on, thanks to state governments introducing their own clean energy targets, large scale wind energy projects are back on the agenda coast to coast.

With clean energy targets to meet, investors get the signal they need to drive the capacity building in the sector. And together with energy efficiency measures, clean energy infrastructure will help our economy evolve for a carbon conscious future. A clean energy market is essential until there's a fair price on carbon emissions, otherwise fossil fuel power will always be cheaper than renewables, making significant investment unlikely.

Australia is the lucky country when it comes to clean power. Our wind resource is often four times the strength of Europe's leading wind energy nations. Along with the intensity of wind, the size of our continent means we can easily accommodate a thriving, clean, safe energy industry that saves over 11,600 megalitres of drinking water and around 8,000 tonnes of climate changing greenhouse gas for every single operating turbine. Last month, the Victorian Government announced its new water desalination plant's emissions would be offset by adding new wind farms to the state's grid.

Many of us are already indirect investors in green power. A few years ago a group of industry super funds purchased an international wind and hydro developer. Other super funds are also looking for clean energy investments as a way of securing long term returns and a healthy environment for members. For super funds, looking after millions of 'mum & dad' retirement earnings, the balance is tipping towards sustainable, clean energy investments, particularly with the impending price on carbon.

It may take decades for the carbon price alone to bring parity to the energy market, making clean energy projects more attractive. The Federal Government is promising an emissions trading scheme (ETS) in 2012, the Opposition in 2011, while the States will be ready to go in 2010. However an ETS alone will not provide the incentive investors need to choose zero-emission projects today. Only the combination of a clean energy market and an emissions market will change our investment and consumption behaviour now and into the future.

Council Gives Green Light for Wind Farm in Buloke

Sealake & Whycheproof Times Ensign
Thursday 5/7/2007 Page: 1

Buloke Shire Council unanimously agree to approve an application from Acciona Energy for a wind farm to be established in Buloke. Acciona Energy approached Council seeking planning approval to establish a $45 million wind farm consisting of 12 to 16 wind turbines, sub-station, access tracks and underground cabling connecting each turbine at Berrimal on private land, 19 kilometres south of Charlton.

The capacity of the project is about 24 megawatts and the wind farm is expected to contribute to the Victorian Government's Renewable Energy Target (VRET) through the generation of approximately 73.000 MWh of renewable electricity per year and displacement of an estimated 95.000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (greenhouse gasses) per year. This is enough power to provide green electricity to about 13.600 households.

Added to these benefits the project will contribute rates of over $61,000 per year to Council and Acciona Energy will also establish a Sustainable Community Fund to support local community initiatives in areas surrounding the wind farm and the towns of Charlton and Wedderburn. In the construction phase up to 40 jobs will be generated and one or two permanent jobs will be required during the operating life of the wind farm.

Community Consultation Acciona Energy has held discussions widely within the community as part of the community consultation process for the proposed Berrimal wind farm. This process involved a residential dwelling survey to identify all houses and people living within ten kilometres of the proposed wind farm site. Meetings have been held with many of these residents and the response to the proposal has been very positive.

At the June Council meeting it was resolved that the Council:

1. Approve the application for a wind energy facility (wind farm) consisting of 12 to 16 wind turbines at The Gap Road, Berrimal:
2. Approve the application for the associated removal or lopping of native vegetation along the road reserves to provide access to the proposed site: and
3. Grant permission for the issue of a planning permit subject to the 20 conditions listed.

Wind Power: No appeal despite initial objections

Hamilton Spectator
Saturday 7/7/2007 Page: 1

A WIND farm developer of 30 turbines at Woodhouse and Woorndoo has breathed a sigh of relief that objectors didn't take their fight to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). "It's a relief rather than a surprise not to go to VCAT - I don't think anyone who lodges a planning permit wants to go to VCAT," NewEn project manager, Grant Flynn, said on Tuesday.

The $50 million Woodhouse wind farm especially evoked strong passions with 10 families in the area opposing it when it was presented to Southern Grampians and Moyne Shire for a decision on a planning permit. Both councils agreed to approve a permit - but included 48 conditions. They have now issued planning permits for the Woodhouse development after the time allowed for a VCAT appeal expired. Southern Grampians and Moyne shires were both involved because Morton's Lane is the shire boundary.

Southern Grampians Shire's physical services director, Jim Nolan, said it had been a surprise there hadn't been an appeal, given the number of people previously opposed. However, he believed one mitigating factor against a VCAT appeal had been the extremely detailed report by consultant Chris Harty, which might have lessened some of the concern held by objectors. Mr Harty concluded the Woodhouse wind farm provided a net benefit. He said it helped address the threat of fundamental environmental changes to habitat and long-term species survival associated with climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions.

However, Mr Harty conceded there were problems with equity and fairness with large wind projects - the economic benefits went to some landowners but not others. It's likely to be close to two years before the first towers are erected on Yamba or North Gums properties in the Morton's Lane, Woodhouse. The wind farm will cover 1100 ha over both farms. The towers will be 103 metres tall and the blades 45 metres long. Mr Flynn said it would take until spring next year to comply with all the permit conditions.

"We will actually install the turbines in autumn (2009). Lifting such large things into the air when they are designed to catch the wind is not something crane drivers get excited by. They like it to be calm weather for the installation - and autumn is when the calm weather is." New En Australia is building another $50 million wind farm on the Woorndoo-Hexham Rd, 1.5 kms south of Woorndoo. Although there were three objections initially to Moyne Shire granting a planning permit, again there was no appeal to VCAT and a permit has been issued.

Mr Flynn said work would now concentrate on getting the finance arranged for the two projects, finding a customer for the energy and carrying out a detailed design. "While they (council) have issued a planning permit, there are 48 conditions that go with it. They are fairly substantial conditions that require further review by council - it requires the endorsement by council before we can start the development.

"There's a fair bit of work in preparing an environmental management plan." Mr Flynn said there was still no final decision whether there would be 13 or 15 turbines at either the Woodhouse and Woorndoo sites - but both would generate less than 30 MW. "We have 15 dots on the map at the moment but if we end up building the larger-capacity machines, then two will disappear." The two wind farms are the first for the north German company in Australia.

Powerful results at forum

Manjimup Bridgetown Times
Wednesday 11/7/2007 Page: 6

WALPOLE'S power to the people forum has been declared a success with many positive outcomes reached at the meeting. More than 30 people attended the forum organised by the Walpole and Nornalup Districts Community Development Group. Attendees included members of Western Power, Manjmup shire councillor David Tapley and Stirling MLA Terry Redman.

Donna Selby from the development group said the meeting was an excellent starting point for discussing the town's options following several power outages, including one over the Easter long weekend, Walpole's busiest tourism period. "It definitely showed there is a high level of concern over the topic of power and it was great to see what's going to happen to hopefully improve the situation," Ms Selby said.

"Western Power is coordinating a working group on the matter and we were able to form a sub-committee that will feed into the Western Power group process." Ms Selby said the meeting reiterated the unique situation of Walpole in which it is landlocked by forest and water. "We are in a good place to seek alternative sources and we will definitely be looking at these options as a high priority," Ms Selby said.

"Wind power was discussed in detail, as was diesel - these are the first options that will be looked at." Representatives from the Denmark Community Wind Farm spoke at the meeting while options such as biomass, hydro and solar were also looked at. "The other option we looked at was people reducing the amounts of power being used," Ms Selby said.

"This will also have an impact in terms of how much power is available from the grid." Ms Selby said this meeting was just a starting point and a lot of work still needed to be done. "It's a burgeoning campaign, it is just commencing, but the feeling is the sooner this happens the better," Ms Selby said. "The people of Walpole are quite sick of living in the dark. "Just because we are a small isolated community we shouldn't have to live in the dark ages."

Geopark experts visit area

South Eastern Times
Thursday 5/7/2007 Page: 3

TWO geological experts have toured Millicent and districts as part of an application for the region to gain global status as a Geopark. The UNESCO Global Geopark experts were visiting as part of a larger regional tour to assess an application submitted by the cross border Volcanoes Discovery Trail Committee.

The application seeks Geopark status for a 26,910 square kilometre area spanning both South Australia and Victoria, covering the region from Millicent in the west, up to Hamilton in the north, across to Camperdown in the east and down to Warrnambool in the south. If successful, the region, known as Kanawinka which means `Land of Tomorrow' will become Australia's first Global Geopark and will join a network of thirty five other UNESCO endorsed Geoparks, mainly located in Europe and China.

The German inspectors, Dr Jutta Weber and Frau Dr Marie-Luise Frey toured the entire region for nine days.

During their two days in the Wattle Range region, the inspectors visited Lake Leake, Lake Edward, the Mount Burr Range, Mount McIntyre, Mount Muirhead, the Tantanoola Cave, KCA's limestone sculptures, Woakwine Range Windfarm, Penola and the Coonawarra. The inspectors will present their findings to UNESCO, in order to make a final decision on the application, which is expected to take several months.

Wattle Range Council Manager Libraries, Information and Tourism Services Janice Nitschke, said the application for Geopark status was vital to the development of tourism within the region. "It gives us an opportunity to showcae Lake Leake and Lake Edward, in the Glencoe area, which are not often highlighted," she said. "At Lake Edward, Forestry SA have made bird hides and bird walks, which are great. "It's also an opportunity to showcase the Tantanoola Cave, and the Windfarm toursit drive. "There is huge potential to build on tourists who are coming through from Melbourne. "Tourism numbers in Millicent have gone up 25 per cent from picking up the Melbourne to Adelaide tourist route, and a lot of them are going on the tourist drive, now that it is bitumenised."

Time And Energy: It's more than ticking the boxes

Braidwood Times
Wednesday 4/7/2007 Page: 7

Energy use in the global sense, the cause of our atmospheric woes, is the number one priority for remedial action by all developed and developing countries. The time we have available to find solutions is the subject of a debate which, like the planet, is also getting warmer. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the solutions on offer have been drawn up by the current suppliers of energy - the coal and oil industries.

We have, as a nation, been lulled into comfortably dozy state with a high standard of living and proud of, our freedom and democracy. The danger is that our democracy has become just an exercise in ticking the boxes when the options are presented.

But who is selecting the options from which we choose? What possibilities don't ever make on to the questionnaire? The energy options for Australia, as provided by the government go something like this:

• Do you enjoy having access to abundant cheap. electricity?
• Are you happy to use `filthy coal' until we figure out if 'clean coal' is just a figment of someone's imagination?
• Could we build a nuclear power station somewhere, not near you of course, and then can we carry on as usual?
• Do you agree that making any changes to our staggering energy consumption would be futile because those greedy bastards overseas will jump in and do our polluting for us?

And that's about it. Wind farms, geo-thermal, solar arrays and other `alternative' energy sources are rarely mentioned at all, unless it's a small grant somewhere for more research.

The decision by the State Government to approve the Anvil Hill coalmine was a decision, in the words of the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor,"not taken lightly''. Well he's got that right. It's a very heavy decision for the water supply in the Hunter Valley, local wine growers, everyone who lives there, the environment at large and the ever-warming planet.

If you look at Minister Sartor's rationale for giving the mine its green light, you will see that he's cut and pasted the whole lot from Federal Minister, Malcolm Turnbull's website. We're at risk of being caught between Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

There are windfarms working in Australia. There are hundreds of thousands of people who use solar hot water, many people who use only electricity made from the sun's energy, and many, many more who would do so if the governments would get off their backsides, get out from under the fossil lobby's thumb and get on with promoting a sustainable energy future.

All it takes is time and energy.

Bad boy goes green

Australia’s Mining Monthly
June, 2007 Page: 14

Rio Tinto Aluminium is looking to shed its greenhouse mafia tag and make an environmental difference.
Aluminium is seen as one of the bad guys of the greenhouse debate, a member of the so-called greenhouse mafia that has lobbied long and loud against aggressive action to combat global warming. Rio Tinto Aluminium (previously Comalco) is looking to radically alter that image.

In 2004, it opposed a national renewable energy target, telling a Senate committee that under the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 2% of 2001 demand levels (9500 gigawatt hours), its "direct liability... over the 20 years of operation is expected to be nearly $200 million". Three years later, Rio Tinto has just joined the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and in recent its aluminium business has been spruiking its climate change strategy.

Its first heresy: global warming is real and immediate. Its second: an emissions trading scheme in Australia is essential. Best of course would be an international cap-and-trade scheme roping in the US, Japan, China and the rest of the developing world, however, Rio Tinto Aluminium (RTA) has accepted the need for a domestic scheme in the short term.

RTA climate change manager Rick Humphries: "Seeking a carbon haven is not an intelligent view of the world because the price on carbon will catch up with you. We believe there will be a price everywhere in time." The company already puts an internal price on carbon, with all projects required to account for potential carbon-tax costs of their CO2 emissions as a part of financial forecasting. Humphries would not reveal this internal "guesstimate", but the BCSE annual conference in May heard a realistic trading figure was $7-8.50 per tonne of carbon. This will depend on the reduction target set next year by whoever is in power. Humphries shied away from naming a target, but told the BCSE audience it would have to balance the need for action with the economy's ability to absorb the cost and develop low emissions technology.

An instructive way to look behind a firm's rhetoric to gauge its perspective on an issue is to check its company structure. Humphries, a former lobbyist, strategic director with the Wilderness Society and sustainability consultant, is in an unusual position. "You don't meet many [dedicated climate change managers] around," he told LTO. "I work under the chief financial officer, which is symptomatic of how we see this. It is core business, it is risk management. We don't see it as an environmental issue and so we sought very actively to bring it into the centre." RTA has the largest carbon footprint in the Rio Tinto Group, last year emitting 12 million tonnes of CO2 from its sites and purchased electricity in Queensland, Tasmania, New Zealand and Wales. To put that in perspective, total emissions from the Australian aluminium sector in 2006 were 48Mt, while the national account stood at 560Mt.

The company has adopted a portfolio approach to tackling carbon and Humphries' job is to operationalise this five-pronged climate change strategy, which consists of onsite efficiencies, input into public policy, developing zero and low emission technologies, engaging staff and carbon offsets. In fact, RTA has just unveiled Australia's largest purchase of certified carbon credits from avoided deforestation, a 1Mt deal with southeast Queensland farmers.

The technology pathway
Making primary aluminium is inherently resource- and energy-intensive, and mining, refining and smelting produce large quantities of greenhouse gases. Most are attributable to the final process, with electricity accounting for about 40% of the total smelting cost. Smelting technology has changed little over the past 100 years and Humphries said there was only perhaps 5% extra efficiency from fine-tuning. A step change is needed.

The company has just created a chief technologist position to coordinate research and development, with a particular focus on smelting and renewable energy. One of the most promising technologies under development at the RTA Technology unit in Melbourne is called drained cathode cell smelting. By reducing the distance between the anode and cathode in the electrolytic cell, it hopes to lower the electrical resistance of the electrolyte. A demonstration project is underway at the Bell Bay smelter in Tasmania "This could improve energy efficiency by 10-15%," said Humphries.

Another area of interest is in developing an inert anode rather than a carbon-based one, which could potentially knock 60-70% of carbon out of the cycle. At base, Humphries is "agnostic" about what technologies to pursue, but argues on a national scale any comprehensive response to climate change must including the development of a "technology pathway".

"[RTA supports] increased R&D for new technologies and a technology commercialisation and deployment strategy coupled with an emissions trading scheme or some other market mechanism that determines a price on carbon," he told the BCSE crowd.

Efficiency gains
RTA's climate change unit has one other full-time employee, who works directly with operations staff to improve energy and greenhouse performance at each of the company's sites. Energy audits were conducted on three facilities last year and climate change teams were in place at all operations, with the exception of the Yarwun refinery at Gladstone.

The teams develop and drive operational improvements and eliminate waste using the Lean Six Sigma business improvement program. For example, last year its Weipa bauxite mine identified opportunities to reduce energy consumption by 5%, which is expected to reduce the electrical output of the power station in 2007 and save 2,520 tonnes of CO2- Next year, it plans to commission a specialist to retrofit homes in the far north Queensland town to install renewable energy and demand management technologies.

It's also partnering New Zealand's Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority on a similar scheme in the town of Bluff, near its New Zealand Aluminium Smelters operation. Such efficiency gains since 2002 have seen the energy used in smelting a tonne of aluminium fall from 73.2 gigajoules to 72.4GJ, though net use has climbed 16% on the back of output almost doubling.

Commercial realities and the limits on energy efficiency opportunities mean CO2 cannot be fully eliminated and carbon offsets are required. This prompted RTA to pursue what it calls "Minding the Carbon Store", a project with offset specialist The Carbon Pool to pay Queensland landholders not to clear - and to protect - native vegetation on their properties for at least 120 years.

"Given that RTA's smelter at Boyne Island is the group's single largest point source of greenhouse gas emissions and Boyne is locked in to a longer term contract for power from the coal-fired Gladstone Power Station, offsets such as those offered by the Minding the Carbon Store project will be important in managing the emissions," Humphries said.

The scheme is based on Queensland law to control large scale land clearing by allocating a limited number of permits to clear. The Carbon Pool purchased a bundle of permits to aggregate into a single offset scheme and approached RTA. It had not been done before but the company bought in as a foundation member after detailed study and certification of the credits under the Australian Greenhouse Office's Greenhouse Friendly scheme.

"Other schemes fell down on two grounds: certainty and risk management," said Humphries, who hopes the project could set a precedent for other minerals industries. "We have an appetite for more of these sorts of things. We have to be innovative, we have to start building partnerships with other players, with all parts of society as we talk about reinventing the economy" LZO

Pipe's environmental cost causes concern

Shepparton News
Thursday 5/7/2007 Page: 4

Thirst for water savings should not distract from the environmental cost of a piped water system, says Goulburn Valley Environmental Group. Spokesman Terry Court said the current gravity irrigation system was relatively cheap in terms of carbon emissions, but the pumping of water savings to Melbourne would come at a cost to the environment.

Campaspe Shire Council Mayor John Elborough raised the issue of pollution from pumping earlier this week as a point that needed clarification from the Victorian Government. If diesel or electric pumps are going to be used to transport water to Melbourne, we want to know how the greenhouse gas is going to be dealt with," Cr Elborough said.

"Wind power could be used to power the pumps, like what they're talking about at the desalinisation plant." Mr Court said government needed to make sure a piped system could operate efficiently in the future. "I would think it would be appropriate to offset any carbon generated with renewable energy sources such as wind energy," he said. The council will be represented on the Foodbowl Modernisation Project steering committee by its chief executive Keith Baillie.

Virgin urges business to lead on warming

Australian
Friday 6/7/2007 Page: 40

AUSTRALIAN businesses have been urged to take advantage of technological breakthroughs arising from climate research. Virgin Blue chief executive Brett Godfrey said advances in technology to reduce greenhouse gasses could pay long-term dividends despite additional costs, in much the same way the costly space race between the US and the Soviet Union did.

Mr Godfrey this week challenged businesses to look beyond any short-term reductions in gross domestic product to the wider benefits. Recent figures in the The Economist showed global investment in renewable power generation, bio-fuels and low-carbon technologies rose to $US71 billion ($82.8 billion) in 2006, up 140 per cent in just two years, he said.

Mr Godfrey has become a vocal contributor to the environmental debate and has committed Virgin to a leadership role. He raised eyebrows last month by urging airlines to do more to address the issue, and warning that Australia's susceptibility to climate change meant that it could become unrecognisable if predictions of global warming were not addressed. Moves at Virgin to tackle the issue include the introduction of environmental programs aimed at reducing the airline's carbon footprint. In March it became the first airline to introduce what is believed to be the world's only government-certified airline carbon offset program.

Set up as part of an Australian Greenhouse Office initiative, it allows passengers to neutralise their emissions by donating money to approved greenhouse abatement projects such as reforestation, energy efficiency measures, recycling and renewable energy. It backed this with a board-approved financial commitment to address the greenhouse effect of crew, staff and other employees travelling on company business. It expects this to cost about $500,000 annually.

It last month introduced "waterless" aircraft cleaning by agreeing to coat its planes with a polymer that reduces drag and eliminates the need to wash the planes. Virgin has a fuel management group looking at strategies to further reduce fuel burn through more efficient flight planning and weight reduction and it is introducing waste, water and office recycling as well as green procurement. It has also joined 800 other businesses in the Greenhouse Challenge Plus program aimed at improving energy efficiencies, and will include its environmental impact in its statutory reporting from this year.

The Virgin chief likes to quote the Kermit the frog's famous it ain't easy being green" line when describing the transition. But, he says, the move is essential and soon, he believes, will be required of all businesses. Not surprisingly, he is opposed to suggestions that airlines should be subject to punitive taxes to offset environmental damage. He argues an across-the-board tax provides no incentive for people to innovate. But he strongly advocates carbon trading, even on a country-by-country basis. This puts him at odds with some of his international colleagues who argue carbon trading should not be introduced until there is a global system.

Godfrey believes business has been slow in acknowledging the sustainability issue but is now recognising that it is far better to be in the inner sanctum, participating in the design of future legislative change, than having it thrust upon them. This brings him back to his original point. "It is also likely that many companies are likely to be more inspired by the "carrot" of strategic and business opportunities than by the "stick" of regulation," he said.

The development of cleaner energy means new technology, and new technology to companies means money. "As crass as that sounds, nobody should be offended by it. In fact, it could be the profitability aims of business sector which become a key driver in rejuvenating our planet." To immediately address emissions in line with Kyoto expectations, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that a price of $25-$60 per tonne of carbon dioxide by 2020-30 should see CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere begin to stabilise at acceptable levels.

The Virgin boss called on all governments in Australia to take a lead on the issue. This included setting a long-term goal of reducing Australia's impact on the environment and, in conjunction with the world community, agreeing to safe and stable levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Business and the Australian government should also work together on a solution that offered tax credits and other fiscal incentives to unlock private enterprise in research and development.

Long wait for VCAT decision

Hepburn Shire Advocate
Wednesday 4/7/2007 Page: 7

A DECISION on the Leonards Hill wind farm proposal will not be released for at least a month. A Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal hearing began on June 19, but it is expected to be months before a decision is handed down. Hepburn Shire Council approved the proposal in February despite receiving 18 objections. Objectors then went to VCAT to appeal the council's decision.

Melbourne-based company Future Energy and the Hepburn Renewable Energy Association are developing the wind farm. If passed, it will become Australia's first community owned wind farm, modelled on similar projects across Europe and the United States. The proposal consists of two two-megawatt wind turbines to be built on farmland at 2040 Ballan-Daylesford Rd, Leonards Hill. Future Energy managing director David Shapero said he hoped the group was granted a permit. "The project is a magnificent initiative by the community to take responsibility for their own energy needs," Mr Shapero said.

City hosts power event: Renewable energy in spotlight

Bendigo Advertiser
Thursday 5/7/2007 Page: 5

INNOVATIONS in renewable energy will be showcased when a conference in Bendigo brings together experts in the field in September. La Trobe University and the City of Greater Bendigo are hosting the conference, which will examine business opportunities for renewable energy in regional Australia. Organising committee chairman, councillor Keith Reynard, said the council had partnered with La Trobe University to formulate a diverse program. "The conference will focus Bendigo as a place for future research and development in renewable energy options," he said.

Mr Reynard said the conference had something for everyone, with a range of speakers likely to appeal to policy makers, property developers, community groups and other business groups. La Trobe University Centre for Sustainable Regional Communities director, Professor John Martin, said businesses involved in the production of renewable energy sources were already visible in regional areas. "We have the solar tower at Mildura, wind farms, biofuel plants, such as the one at Barnawartha now in construction, and feeder businesses, such as wind turbine and renewable energy regulator manufacturers, and others emerging," he said.

With a diverse program planned, attendees will be treated to topics such as the Hepburn Community Wind Farm story, the solar cities project in Townsville, wave energy, and small scale biomass gasification. Keynote speakers will include Minister John Brumby, Grant McVicar, director of the Office of Energy Conservation in Canada, and Bendigo Bank's chief executive officer Rob Hunt, with Rob Gell the Master of Ceremonies. The price tag of $590 for the full program includes dinner at Bendigo Town Hall on Monday, September 17.

Mr Reynard said the full program may appeal principally to government organisations and businesses, with different pricing structures available for single day attendances, or the dinner. "This is a great opportunity for business developers, planners and regional leaders to hear about the opportunities, challenges and scenarios ahead, including how renewable energy will be created, distributed and regulated." The conference will be held at the The Capital, Bendigo's Performing Arts Centre, from September 17 to 18.

For details and registration go to www.renewableenergyconference.com.au or phone 5434 6001.

Power poles going up

Portland Observer
Friday 29/6/2007 Page: 3

Pacific Hydro's transmission line from the second stage of its Portland Wind Energy Project at Cape Bridgewater is nearly 50 per cent complete. Powercor and Alinta have been busy in the past few weeks putting up the power poles along various road easements in the district. The powerlines, their configuration and their routes across private land and on road easements were subject to controversy last year when several residents objected to them and the Pacific Hydro consultation process.

The wind energy company plans to have 43 kilometres of 66kv powerlines once the wind farms at capes Bridgewater, Grant and Nelson are completed. Work on the farms at capes Grant and Nelson will start once Cape Bridgewater is operating. Energy from the wind farms will link into the grid near the Portland Aluminium switchyard.

Clean energy plans

Bayside Bulletin
Tuesday 3/7/2007 Page: 3

CLEAN energy sources will hopefully supply at least half of Redland Shire's power needs in about five years, Mayor Don Seccombe has declared. He was speaking as Redland Shire Council unveiled a new green energy policy to encourage companies to invest locally in renewable energy technology such as solar, wind, wave and tidal power.

While specific projects were not spelt out in yesterday's Budget documents, the policy states the council will look at how it can support potential clean energy projects on a case-by-case basis. For example, financial grants and other support may be provided.

Cr Seccombe told the Bayside Bulletin he would like to get approvals in place for 50 per cent of the Shire's power to come from renewable sources by the end of the next council term in 3012. He said the Shire was blessed with numerous opportunities including North Stradbroke Island's strong winds, waves and tidal currents.

Cr Seccombe said the recently approved chicken-litter-fuelled biomass power plant at Mount Cotton would provide enough energy for up to 17 per cent of Redland Shire's needs. Ultimately, he wanted the see the Redlands become a "renewable energy shire" that was self-sufficient and could feed excess power into other areas. Cr Seccombe said he did not support nuclear power.

Winchelsea wind action

Colac Herald
Friday 29/6/2007 Page: 12

Plans to build a 14- turbine wind farm outside Winchelsea have cut through its first set of red tape. British company International Power plans to build the wind farm 10 kilometres north-east of Winchelsea.

The Department of Environment and Heritage has deemed the project is "not a controlled action", which means the wind farm does not breach federal environment laws. The decision this month followed a period for public submissions in May. International Power will need final approval from Surf Coast Shire Council before it can build the wind farm.

The project will not need the State Government's approval because it will produce only 28 megawatts of power. The State Government has planning control over wind farms which produce more than 30 megawatts of power. Winchelsea Wind Farm could produce enough electricity to power 14,000 homes.

Bioenergy preferred as `new' alternative

Lithgow Mercury
Tuesday 3/7/2007 Page: 12

Bioenergy is a greatly underutilised clean energy source that could help dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions, revive rural communities and strengthen energy security. The raw fuel for bioenergy comes from biological matter - `biomass' - such as the agricultural waste from wheat crops, cotton, rice, sugar cane and other crops; animal manure, wood and paper processing, and food scraps. Much of this biomass is in rural Australia.

Bioenergy offers the prospect of considerable employment and investment and a supplemental income stream to farming, while providing a clean, renewable and reliable source of baseload electricity. In contrast to some other energy technologies, bioenergy electricity plants are flexible as well as reliable: they can be turned on and off on demand, and can generate electricity all year round, 24 hours a day.

Together with natural gas and a mix of other renewable energy technologies like wind energy and solar power, bioenergy could form a large slice of Australia's clean energy pie, as part of the necessary transition away from polluting coal-fired electricity generation. "Analysis suggests that by the year 2030, bioenergy could account for 20 per cent of Australia's electricity generation capacity, potentially making it the largest renewable energy source," the Executive Director of the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Ric Brazzale said.

"Bioenergy is a tried, true and tested technology. "There are already many plants successfully operating, in Australia and the rest of the world. "If implemented on the scale necessitated by the threat of global warming, the construction of bioenergy plants would create considerable employment and major investment stimulus in rural and regional areas in Australia," Mr Brazzale said.

Many rural communities in Australia have suffered economic hardship over the past 20 years. High unemployment, falling agricultural incomes, population decline and withdrawal of essential services like banks and schools have all impacted. If Australia were to fully develop the bioenergy sector and develop one-fifth of electricity from this source by 2030, it could lead to the creation of 50,000 job years in construction and manufacturing, and 7000 ongoing jobs in operation and maintenance, many of these jobs in rural and regional areas.

The generation of bioenergy creates many more jobs per unit of energy generation than fossil fuels. Jobs are diverse, ranging from extensions to existing agricultural and forestry activities, through to specialised engineering and electronic functions. It also offers rural communities a practical way to get active in the fight against climate change by making significant cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.

Bioenergy currently supplies electricity to the needs of about 400,000 Australian households. But it could supply much more. "bioenergy is not a technology of the future; it is ready here and now and we can employ it to rapidly respond to the challenge created by climate change," Mr Brazzale said.

Benefits Of Bioenergy

• Tried and tested.
• Readily available fuel source
• A stimulus for our farmers
• Eases the unemployment rate
• Reduces greenhouse emissions
• Boost for investment

Future built on sustainable energy

Newcastle Herald
Wednesday 4/7/2007 Page: 18

Newcastle is perfectly positioned to be a world leader in renewable energy, the city's business leaders were told yesterday. CSIRO energy systems manager James McGregor said the city's links to "energy-hungry" sectors through coal export, as well as its research resources and skilled work force, made it ideal. "We have all of the right conditions to set Newcastle up as the next Silicon Valley of the sustainable energy industry," Mr McGregor told Newcastle Business Club.

Newcastle's CSIRO Energy Centre is researching and trialling a device that allows communication between homes and can predict peak power demand, possibly averting the kind of chaos experienced in the Hunter during the Queen's Birthday storms. Called smart agents, the devices can predict a spike in the electricity price that coincides with the network being under pressure.

"If in the storm the other week we'd had agents distributing power generation so everyone had solar power in the home and wind turbines or little fuel-cells in the backyard, we had agents controlling our airconditioning systems and they were all talking together on a network, these agents could actually make decisions on getting the grid up and running automatically based on little nodes that were still interconnected [after the storm]," Mr McGregor said.

He said that, in the age of climate change, the future lay in developing a mix of energy sources, including clean coal, solar and wind energy and technology not yet dreamt up. "Networks are at full capacity so we need to be bringing technologies to fill the gap that can also reduce our carbon footprints," Mr McGregor said.

Energy target a breeze at Crows Nest

Toowoomba Chronicle
Wednesday 4/7/2007 Page: 5

Crows Nest chief executive officer David McEvoy said recent changes to Queensland's renewable energy targets will help the Crows Nest wind farm take the next step. Over six months ago, the $270-million Crows Nest wind farm was approved by the Planning and Environment Court.

Mr McEvoy said the owner of the wind farm, Allco Wind Energy, has been negotiating a number of power supplies over the past couple of months. "All approvals are in place except for a Power Purchase Agreement," Mr McEvoy said. "Recently, the Government proposed setting a target for renewable energy of 6% by 2015 and 10% by 2020. "Now it will be much easier for Allco to get a Power Purchase Agreement with an electricity retailer in Queensland.

"The farm will provide 1% of the State total (renewable energy) effect requirement. The State so far only has 2% of renewable energy, so another 1% is a big step." The site, north-west of Crows Nest township, will have 72 turbines worth $2.75 million each and the project total will be $270 million.

"It is a big project and $100 million of that will be spent locally," Mr McEvoy said. "It will also bring workers to the area and another big plus is the considerable tourism. "When other wind farms were built, they created a lot of tourism." The 124-megawatt project will potentially avoid the emission of 265,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually and the electricity will supply the equivalent of 47,000 homes' annual energy requirements.

It is expected the Crows Nest wind farm will create 460 manufacturing and construction jobs and a further 15 full-time maintenance jobs.

Water shortage has windy solution

North Eastern Advertiser
Wednesday 27/6/2007 Page: 4

A spokesman for Beyond Zero Emissions believes the current water shortage crisis, especially in Victoria, can be solved with a transition of electricity generation to zero emission renewable energy. Matthew Wright said that wind energy fully backed up by gas would use 91 per cent less water than the coal-fired power generators, and would be much more cost effective in an era of rising water and carbon costs. "The Victorian Government has conveniently ignored the cause of our water shortage: climate change induced drought," Mr Wright said.

He said the Danish government has announced it aims to generate 75 per cent of its electricity through wind energy by 2025. By 2010 Germany will have 30,000 Megawatts (MW) of wind energy potential installed into their grid, enough to generate 40 per cent of Australia's electricity needs. Recently Texan billionaire T. Boone Pickens announced he is going to build a 4000 MW wind farm; three of these would provide most of Victoria's energy needs. In comparison, Victoria's biggest, dirtiest coal power plant is a tiny 2000MW.

The output from the proposed Roaring 40s Musselroe Wind Farm will be sufficient to supply electricity to approximately 50,000 households in Tasmania. Roaring 40s spokesman Josh Bradshaw said it was only a matter of time before someone started to make the water/power generation link "The Government's push for nuclear energy also doesn't recognise that this type of generation requires massive amounts of water for cooling, and clean coal or carbon capture and storage, while cleaning up emissions, won't address the fact that these types of generation also require large amounts of water. "And all this on the driest continent on Earth," Mr Bradshaw said.

Committee selected

Ballarat Courier
Tuesday 3/7/2007 Page: 4

THE company behind a proposed wind farm development near Smeaton has selected the members of its Community Reference Group. Announced Sunday, the group of about 10 people will meet and and liaise with Wind Power about community attitudes towards the project. Wind Power is proposing to build 19 turbines near Smeaton and said the CRG would play an important part in its consultation process.

Company director Andrew Newbold said half of the people selected on the panel were members of the Spa Country Landscape Guardians Group. The SCLGG has been strongly opposed to the wind farm proposal. "What we are looking for them to do is give us feedback on our project... and what the issues of concern are to them and see if we can seek to compromise," Mr Newbold said.

We are approaching this with an open mind and as we have said in the past if the overwhelming majority are against it (the development) we won't proceed, but we don't believe that's the case. They (the CRG) will decide things like how often they should meet and we will be listening and responding." Mr Newbold said it was hoped the first meeting would be held on July 19 and that public relations company Socom had been employed to independently sit and control the meetings.

Spa Country Landscape Guardians Group spokesman Jim Elsworth said the selected members would play a constructive role in the process. Our people are always open and will make sure they are completely honest and forthright in representing our interests," he said. We all want the committee to look at the affects this proposal will have on the district and compensation for those who we know will be adversely affected." Mr Newbold said he anticipated the CRG to make final judgements after six months of meetings, and members would be notified by mail this week.

Schools spell out need for action

Canberra Times
Saturday 30/6/2007 Page: 9

Mother Nature wasn't her usual extreme-weather self yesterday. Students from seven primary and secondary schools across the ACT left their wet-weather gear at home before taking part in the construction of several human signs to spell out their thoughts on climate change.

Clean Energy for Eternity local coordinator Jo Dodd said,"Young people don't get a say. .. it's mainly the adults talking about the calamities. .. we wanted to give the students a voice so their concerns could be heard." Stromlo and Melrose high schools both took part, with Maribyrnong, St Michael's, St Joseph's, Mt Rogers and Canberra Girls' Grammar primary schools. "Our Future" was the theme of the messages that centred on maintaining and sustaining the environment for future generations.

Stromlo High built an 80m-long human wind turbine to represent an alternative energy solution. A symbol for water was illustrated by Melrose High students in the home language of Canberra's sister city, Nara in Japan. Other schools constructed the words "reduce", "save" and "hope" to ask Australia to do more about the degradation of the environment.

Five schools from south-east NSW took part in the first human sign on Wednesday. Donning raincoats and positioning themselves on flooded ovals, the students spelt out a powerful message in 4m x 10m human letters: SCHOOLS 4 CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION NOW! The campaign will move to schools in Jindabyne, Berridale and Cooma before going north to the Eurobodalla region. Messages will include "SOS (Save Our Snow) " and "save our planet please".

www.cleanenergyforeternity.net.au

Harnessing the wind

Newcastle Herald
Saturday 30/6/2007 Page: 27

ALLEN Dunlop sat on a hill on his Vacy property five years ago and toyed with the idea of having a wind turbine run his water pump. That moment of reflection has led him to commit more than $500,000 for two turbines that will generate enough electricity to power 185 average Australian homes.

Dungog Shire Council has approved an application by Mr Dunlop's company Green Power to erect twin turbines on his Lennoxton Road property, to supply 1100 megawatt hours of power to the national grid. By providing renewable energy, instead of coal-fired electricity, the turbines will reduce climate changing greenhouse gas pollution by 1160 tonnes at year.

When explaining the plan to The Herald this week, Mr Dunlop said he did not do it because he was a "greenie", the project was a straight forward business proposition. He will sell electricity to Country Energy and expects the turbines to pay for themselves within five years. The turbines will also be used to promote his Green Power business to provide turbines.

Mr Dunlop said he hoped to complete a power purchase agreement with Country Energy by the end of July, and have his turbines producing electricity before Christmas. The turbines, with a 45-metre blade tip height, will have the same output as EnergyAustralia's Kooragang turbine. Mr Dunlop said he had already spent about $380,000 on the project to buy secondhand towers and rotors from Holland, have then inspected, overhauled and shipped to Australia.

Dungog Shire Council environmental services manager Terry Kavanagh said approval required the turbines to comply with a multitude of guidelines, including visual and noise limits, shadow flicker, blade glint, bird strike and electromagnetic interference.

Plovers wing desal plant

Herald Sun
Saturday 30/6/2007 Page: 17

VICTORIA's $3.1 billion desalination plant may be subject to a rigourous federal environment assessment over its potential impact on the endangered hooded plovers. Birds Australia says it will push for a full assessment of the plant, to be built in the middle of nesting grounds on the coast between Kilcunda and Cape Paterson. Only 450 of the endangered birds are left in Victoria.

Government spokesman Geoff Fraser said a decision on such a study had not yet been made. The extremely rare orange-bellied parrot is unlikely to be at risk: none have been seen in the area, near Powlett River, for more than a decade. But the Department of Sustainability and Environment said it was possible they visited during annual migrations.

Last year, former federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell caused a scandal when he halted a wind farm proposal at Bald Hills over an almost non-existent risk to the rare orange-bellied parrot. This was overturned, but led to better state and federal processes dealing with big developments that could damage rare or endangered flora and fauna.

Birds Australia CEO Graeme Hamilton said hooded plovers' nests were very vulnerable to disturbance and the site's relatively pristine state made it unsuitable. "It's not a particularly sensible place to have it and it's bound to have some impact," he said.

Melbourne Water's feasibility study notes that there are records of sightings of significant species, including the growling grass frog, swamp skink and giant Gippsland earthworm. It says it should be possible to select a site that is not located in areas of suitable habitat for the orange-bellied parrot, one of Australia's rarest creatures. The study says a parrot management plan will be drawn up to ensure there is no risk to the bird.

Dungog joins windfarm club

Scone Advocate
Thursday 28/6/2007 Page: 3

Dungog Shire has joined the Upper Hunter on the green energy revolution, with their shire council approving the construction of two wind towers near Vacy. The decision of Dungog Shire is similar to a small wind farm development in Murrurundi where six turbines were approved for construction. Scone has also been earmarked as the site for wind farms with Pamada applying to construct the Kyoto Energy Park at two sites around the town.

Powers that be

Perth Voice
Saturday 30/6/2007 Page: 2

ONE quarter of the power to run all Vincent council's facilities is to come from renewable energy, the recent town budget revealed.

"Committing to clean, renewable energy is one of the strongest steps Vincent can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment for this and future generations," North Ward councillor Simon Chester, who in November 2006 asked that the costs and benefits of the move be assessed, said in a release. "A 25 per cent commitment by Vincent is the equivalent of taking 324 cars off the road and prevents 1,019 tonnes of carbon dioxide entering the earth's atmosphere".

Vincent will pay 6.75 per cent more to have a quarter of its energy supplied from renewable sources. Most of WA's renewable energy is produced by wind farms near Albany.

WIndfarm green light

Wimmera Mail Times
Friday 29/6/2007 Page: 12

A NORTHERN Wimmera mayor said his council would welcome any alternative energy projects. Buloke Shire Mayor Reid Mather said he was excited about a council-backed proposal to build 16 wind turbines at Berrimal, in the shire's east.

Cr Mather said it was the first type of proposal put before Buloke Shire and he would support a range of alternative energy projects, such as wind farming and solar power. "It was a unanimous decision. It generated some discussion, but everyone spoke in favour of it," he said. "We would be keen to look at more renewable energy projects, including wind and solar into the future." Cr Mather said the project was put forward for public continent with no objections.

"The public has been very receptive to the project. Probably because it will be situated in a area that is not densely populated," he said. "We are all for it. It will shore up our power supply into the future." Hindmarsh Shire chief executive John Hicks also threw his support behind using alternative energy sources. "We have not received any proposals at the moment, but we will have to look at everything case by case. We are for renewable energy projects, unless someone wanted to build wind turbines in the middle of Lake Hindmarsh," he said.

Horsham Rural City Council chief executive Kerryn Shade said his council had not received any requests for renewable energy projects, but would welcome anyone wanting to establish a project in the municipality. "We had someone look at wind farming 10 years ago, but Horsham was found to be too flat. We are definitely happy to talk to anyone about renewable energy projects," he said.