Cooma Monaro Express
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 10
LAST Friday over 100 members of the Snowy River Shire community agreed unanimously to support the target of reducing energy use by 50 per cent and generating 50 per cent clean renewable energy by the year 2020, in order to tackle climate change.
Commenting after the event, Greens' candidate, Catherine Moore, said: "It's a really good example of grass roots action where governments can see communities responding even if they are not. ' The motion will be debated at the Snowy River Shire council meeting and already has the support of Mayor Richard Wallace but Ms Moore would also like to see Cooma Monaro council supporting the motion too.
She believes that it is a positive step for a local council to take and would ultimately provide a healthier lifestyle for local people. Ms Moore also believes that more sustainable agriculture would be better for local health too, while at the same time recognising that farming can be tough in the area.
"We need to support rural communities so that they can carry on the business of producing our food and fibre and we need to make sure that they can access the same health and educational facilities as people in the city."
Friday, 16 March 2007
Green Power: Warrnambool leads state on enviro-friendly choice
Warrnambool Standard
Friday 16/3/2007 Page: 1
ALMOST one in 10 Warrnambool residents are buying more expensive green power and preventing at least 587 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, according to Sustainability Victoria.
Nine per cent of Origin Energy consumers are opting to use the environmentally-friendly green power, which is more than the state average. Each year 537 Origin clients save 375 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, by choosing electricity from renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, biomass and hydro power.
TRU Energy green power users save about 212 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Sustainability Victoria program manager Kim Barnett said about eight per cent of the state's population had switched to green power. "Of the 5700 Origin customers in Warrnambool, 537 people and 12 businesses are using green power," Ms Barnett said.
Colac lags behind Warrnambool with only 6.7 per cent of users signing up to the renewable source. Colac is saving 121 tonnes per annum.
When choosing green power, customers allow the energy company to buy renewable energy from renewable sources rather than coal-fired power stations. Origin customers have the option of selecting 100 per cent wind or solar energy or a combination of 20 per cent wind and 80 per cent hydro power. For one dollar a week, Origin customers can opt to have 20 per cent of their energy supply come from renewable sources.
The south-west is home to two wind farms and 13 more have been proposed. Five of the 13 have received approval. State Government figures show twice as many Victorians are paying for the renewable source compared to all other states.
Minister for Energy and Resources Peter Batchelor said the number of Victorian users had doubled from 80,000 in December 2005 to more than 157,000 in December last year. In the past year, Victorians have cut greenhouse gas emissions by 188,489 tonnes, the equivalent of removing 43,520 cars from Victorian roads.
Friday 16/3/2007 Page: 1
ALMOST one in 10 Warrnambool residents are buying more expensive green power and preventing at least 587 tonnes of carbon emissions every year, according to Sustainability Victoria.
Nine per cent of Origin Energy consumers are opting to use the environmentally-friendly green power, which is more than the state average. Each year 537 Origin clients save 375 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, by choosing electricity from renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, biomass and hydro power.
TRU Energy green power users save about 212 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year. Sustainability Victoria program manager Kim Barnett said about eight per cent of the state's population had switched to green power. "Of the 5700 Origin customers in Warrnambool, 537 people and 12 businesses are using green power," Ms Barnett said.
Colac lags behind Warrnambool with only 6.7 per cent of users signing up to the renewable source. Colac is saving 121 tonnes per annum.
When choosing green power, customers allow the energy company to buy renewable energy from renewable sources rather than coal-fired power stations. Origin customers have the option of selecting 100 per cent wind or solar energy or a combination of 20 per cent wind and 80 per cent hydro power. For one dollar a week, Origin customers can opt to have 20 per cent of their energy supply come from renewable sources.
The south-west is home to two wind farms and 13 more have been proposed. Five of the 13 have received approval. State Government figures show twice as many Victorians are paying for the renewable source compared to all other states.
Minister for Energy and Resources Peter Batchelor said the number of Victorian users had doubled from 80,000 in December 2005 to more than 157,000 in December last year. In the past year, Victorians have cut greenhouse gas emissions by 188,489 tonnes, the equivalent of removing 43,520 cars from Victorian roads.
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Cutting carbon emissions easier said than done
Australian
Thursday 15/3/2007 Page: 10
Switching to clean coal is an enormous commitment that neither the Government nor the Opposition should underestimate
THE Howard Government this week announced its largest grant yet for projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save the planet: $100 million for a clean coal plant in Victoria's Latrobe Valley.
There's one in the eye for those who say the Government is too infested with climate change sceptics to take the issue seriously. Even the Opposition welcomed the announcement, while berating the Government for dragging the chain. We're all greenhouse warriors in an election year.
The money will go into a demonstration project to build a 400 megawatt power generation plant at the Loy Yang coalmine. Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it would produce power more efficiently, at lower cost, with 30 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions than conventional brown coal.
But let's get this into perspective. The new 400MW plant compares with the more than 30,000MW of capacity in coal-fired power stations in Australia. brown coal is the dirtiest coal, producing as much as twice the carbon dioxide of black coal. The aim of the demonstration project is to dry the brown coal to make it cleaner, but that would still leave it dirtier than black coal.
Moreover, generating electricity from black coal is itself a very dirty process when it comes to greenhouse gases. The grant does not cover developing the process to capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired plants, let alone transporting and storing it.
The Government has funded some projects for this purpose: $60 million for commercial scale demonstration of the capture and storage of carbon dioxide at Barrow Island in Western Australia and $50 million for a demonstration project of carbon capture on existing power stations. But these are very small and preliminary steps down the road of taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. From little things, big things grow: and they will need to, given the sheer scale of the challenge. The Barrow Island project aims to take up to 3.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere a year.
That sounds impressive until we learn the staggering overall quantities involved. Just one typical 1000MW coal-fired power station produces five to six million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That adds up to 150 to 180 million tonnes a year from burning coal in Australia, a figure that is continuing to grow and which in turn is about one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions.
Clean coal trips off the tongue easily enough, but what is involved in capturing hundreds of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide? Politicians anxious to defend the coal industry make it sound easy but seldom go into the detail. Labor's resources and energy spokesman Chris Evans says most of the technology for the capture and storage of carbon dioxide "has been proven". Up to a point.
A 2005 paper by the International Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says: "Proven cost effective means for removing and sequestering [that is, burying] most of the CO2 emissions from coal-based power plants do not currently exist." But it adds that the prospects over the next two decades are promising.
As for Australia, the development of technologies "would require a significantly greater level of commitment on the part of industry and government than in the past". Although this does not take into account the projects announced since, it remains a valid point.
The widely used term of carbon capture and storage is shorthand for a very complex process, even without considering the sheer volumes involved. First the carbon dioxide has to be captured in the power generation process. There are three main methods being worked on and at least two of them require large amounts of energy in themselves.
Britain's Department of Trade and Industry argues that one of them, post-combustion capture, involves a well-established technology but that the largest operating unit, in California, captures less than 10 per cent of the gas put out by a small, 500MW coal-fired power station.
After the carbon dioxide has been separated, it has to be compressed to a liquid or dense gas form another energy intensive process that makes it suitable for transport through pipelines. Moving the carbon dioxide is proven technology, with the US using pipelines to take it to wells to help extract oil.
But it also is not cheap. Existing pipelines such as those used for natural gas are not suitable, meaning dedicated pipelines have to be built at a cost which a University of California study estimates at $US1 million ($1.3 million) per kilometre to move large volumes.
Huge amounts of storage are required and in theory they are available, including in Australia, in the form of depleted oil and gas fields, coal seams that cannot be mined and saline aquifers. But they often are a long way from power plants and, as the study by the IAE and OECD says,"considerable research and development effort is still required to clarify and confirm these options". Once stored, the carbon dioxide has to be monitored to ensure against leakage.
Perhaps all these hurdles can be overcome in time. They require sticks and carrots in the term of a carbon tax or a trading scheme with a cap on emissions. The Government is moving gradually towards the second option, which also is the one the Opposition supports.
The inevitable result of the investment required to clean up coal is that the cost of producing electricity increase greatly. The CSIRO estimates it will double, which would make other options, such as wind, solar and nuclear more competitive.
If we take the Stern report on the economics of climate change literally, we cannot wait 20 years to clean up coal, an argument that has led the Greens to propose phasing out the coal industry, including exports. With coal our biggest export earner no major party leader is going to agree to that. It would be a futile gesture, in any case, in the absence of an international agreement to prevent importing countries simply switching to other sources of supply.
But we should not pretend that the path to clean coal will be easy, or that we can continue living forever off our bounty of cheap coal.
Labor has committed to reducing greenhouse gases by 60 per cent by 2050 without saying how it will get there beyond an unspecified increase in the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. Like the Government, it is in denial.
Thursday 15/3/2007 Page: 10
Switching to clean coal is an enormous commitment that neither the Government nor the Opposition should underestimate
THE Howard Government this week announced its largest grant yet for projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save the planet: $100 million for a clean coal plant in Victoria's Latrobe Valley.
There's one in the eye for those who say the Government is too infested with climate change sceptics to take the issue seriously. Even the Opposition welcomed the announcement, while berating the Government for dragging the chain. We're all greenhouse warriors in an election year.
The money will go into a demonstration project to build a 400 megawatt power generation plant at the Loy Yang coalmine. Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said it would produce power more efficiently, at lower cost, with 30 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions than conventional brown coal.
But let's get this into perspective. The new 400MW plant compares with the more than 30,000MW of capacity in coal-fired power stations in Australia. brown coal is the dirtiest coal, producing as much as twice the carbon dioxide of black coal. The aim of the demonstration project is to dry the brown coal to make it cleaner, but that would still leave it dirtier than black coal.
Moreover, generating electricity from black coal is itself a very dirty process when it comes to greenhouse gases. The grant does not cover developing the process to capture carbon dioxide from coal-fired plants, let alone transporting and storing it.
The Government has funded some projects for this purpose: $60 million for commercial scale demonstration of the capture and storage of carbon dioxide at Barrow Island in Western Australia and $50 million for a demonstration project of carbon capture on existing power stations. But these are very small and preliminary steps down the road of taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. From little things, big things grow: and they will need to, given the sheer scale of the challenge. The Barrow Island project aims to take up to 3.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere a year.
That sounds impressive until we learn the staggering overall quantities involved. Just one typical 1000MW coal-fired power station produces five to six million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. That adds up to 150 to 180 million tonnes a year from burning coal in Australia, a figure that is continuing to grow and which in turn is about one-third of total greenhouse gas emissions.
Clean coal trips off the tongue easily enough, but what is involved in capturing hundreds of millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide? Politicians anxious to defend the coal industry make it sound easy but seldom go into the detail. Labor's resources and energy spokesman Chris Evans says most of the technology for the capture and storage of carbon dioxide "has been proven". Up to a point.
A 2005 paper by the International Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says: "Proven cost effective means for removing and sequestering [that is, burying] most of the CO2 emissions from coal-based power plants do not currently exist." But it adds that the prospects over the next two decades are promising.
As for Australia, the development of technologies "would require a significantly greater level of commitment on the part of industry and government than in the past". Although this does not take into account the projects announced since, it remains a valid point.
The widely used term of carbon capture and storage is shorthand for a very complex process, even without considering the sheer volumes involved. First the carbon dioxide has to be captured in the power generation process. There are three main methods being worked on and at least two of them require large amounts of energy in themselves.
Britain's Department of Trade and Industry argues that one of them, post-combustion capture, involves a well-established technology but that the largest operating unit, in California, captures less than 10 per cent of the gas put out by a small, 500MW coal-fired power station.
After the carbon dioxide has been separated, it has to be compressed to a liquid or dense gas form another energy intensive process that makes it suitable for transport through pipelines. Moving the carbon dioxide is proven technology, with the US using pipelines to take it to wells to help extract oil.
But it also is not cheap. Existing pipelines such as those used for natural gas are not suitable, meaning dedicated pipelines have to be built at a cost which a University of California study estimates at $US1 million ($1.3 million) per kilometre to move large volumes.
Huge amounts of storage are required and in theory they are available, including in Australia, in the form of depleted oil and gas fields, coal seams that cannot be mined and saline aquifers. But they often are a long way from power plants and, as the study by the IAE and OECD says,"considerable research and development effort is still required to clarify and confirm these options". Once stored, the carbon dioxide has to be monitored to ensure against leakage.
Perhaps all these hurdles can be overcome in time. They require sticks and carrots in the term of a carbon tax or a trading scheme with a cap on emissions. The Government is moving gradually towards the second option, which also is the one the Opposition supports.
The inevitable result of the investment required to clean up coal is that the cost of producing electricity increase greatly. The CSIRO estimates it will double, which would make other options, such as wind, solar and nuclear more competitive.
If we take the Stern report on the economics of climate change literally, we cannot wait 20 years to clean up coal, an argument that has led the Greens to propose phasing out the coal industry, including exports. With coal our biggest export earner no major party leader is going to agree to that. It would be a futile gesture, in any case, in the absence of an international agreement to prevent importing countries simply switching to other sources of supply.
But we should not pretend that the path to clean coal will be easy, or that we can continue living forever off our bounty of cheap coal.
Labor has committed to reducing greenhouse gases by 60 per cent by 2050 without saying how it will get there beyond an unspecified increase in the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target. Like the Government, it is in denial.
Britain moves to cut carbon emissions
Canberra Times
Thursday 15/3/2007 Page: 17
Britain's Government has proposed bold new environmental legislation that would set legally binding, longterm limits on carbon emissions - a move it hopes will prompt the United States, China and India to follow suit.
The draft climate change Bill would be the first legislation in an industrialised country to set such long-range goals, including a carbon budget set every five years that would cap CO2 levels and create an independent body to report on progress. It also set binding targets as far ahead as 2050 for reducing carbon emissions.
"This is a revolutionary step in confronting the threat of climate change," Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters. "It sets an example to the rest of the world." Britain's political parties have jostled in recent weeks for the "green" vote, seeking to show their environmental credentials in hopes of securing a key battleground in the country's next national election.
Both Mr Blair's Labour Party and the opposition Conservatives have seized on the issue, devoting more media time to global warming than to British troops in Iraq. Stung by more bad news in Iraq, Mr Blair's camp has focused increasing attention on issues in which he can seize the initiative - such as the environment.
Mr Blair says he plans to step down by September, and success in brokering a global carbon pact could be seen as a significant closing achievement. He hopes Britain and Germany - which holds both the European Union and the Group of Eight presidencies - can lead work on a new global pact to curb emissions. The next step was getting the United States, China and India to make similar commitments, he said.
The Bill mast be approved by both houses of Parliament to become law. The Government hopes it will do so in the first half of next year. Under the plans, the Government would report annually to Parliament on work to meet the five-year carbon budget limits.
An independent advisory committee would check their progress and could compel government officials to appear before a judge to explain any failures. Judges would be able to issue public warnings to the Government, or force it to buy credits allowing greater emissions under international carbon trading schemes, Mr Blair's Downing Street office said. Governments would need to "count the carbon, just as they count the pennies", Treasury chief Gordon Brown, Mr Blair's likely successor, said.
EU leaders agreed last week that the bloc would produce 20 per cent of its power through renewable energy, as opposed to its current average of 6 per cent.
Thursday 15/3/2007 Page: 17
Britain's Government has proposed bold new environmental legislation that would set legally binding, longterm limits on carbon emissions - a move it hopes will prompt the United States, China and India to follow suit.
The draft climate change Bill would be the first legislation in an industrialised country to set such long-range goals, including a carbon budget set every five years that would cap CO2 levels and create an independent body to report on progress. It also set binding targets as far ahead as 2050 for reducing carbon emissions.
"This is a revolutionary step in confronting the threat of climate change," Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters. "It sets an example to the rest of the world." Britain's political parties have jostled in recent weeks for the "green" vote, seeking to show their environmental credentials in hopes of securing a key battleground in the country's next national election.
Both Mr Blair's Labour Party and the opposition Conservatives have seized on the issue, devoting more media time to global warming than to British troops in Iraq. Stung by more bad news in Iraq, Mr Blair's camp has focused increasing attention on issues in which he can seize the initiative - such as the environment.
Mr Blair says he plans to step down by September, and success in brokering a global carbon pact could be seen as a significant closing achievement. He hopes Britain and Germany - which holds both the European Union and the Group of Eight presidencies - can lead work on a new global pact to curb emissions. The next step was getting the United States, China and India to make similar commitments, he said.
The Bill mast be approved by both houses of Parliament to become law. The Government hopes it will do so in the first half of next year. Under the plans, the Government would report annually to Parliament on work to meet the five-year carbon budget limits.
An independent advisory committee would check their progress and could compel government officials to appear before a judge to explain any failures. Judges would be able to issue public warnings to the Government, or force it to buy credits allowing greater emissions under international carbon trading schemes, Mr Blair's Downing Street office said. Governments would need to "count the carbon, just as they count the pennies", Treasury chief Gordon Brown, Mr Blair's likely successor, said.
EU leaders agreed last week that the bloc would produce 20 per cent of its power through renewable energy, as opposed to its current average of 6 per cent.
Wednesday, 14 March 2007
Another Babcock and Brown project
South Eastern Times
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 6
IT WAS interesting to read in the daily press this week that Babcock and Brown plan to invest another $350 million in South Australia to build a new power station. The international bankers were responsible for the construction of the majority of the windfarms along the Woakwine Range overlooking Lake Bonney, and the project is now the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
Their local two stage project cost around $460 million and poured millions into the local economy through the of shoots during the construction stage, and the windfarms continue to assist the local farming community- There is also another two stages planned by Babcock and Brown, north of the present turbines - so there is more to come down the track for the local economy.
The Millicent area have a lot to thank Paul Hutchinson and the Babcock and Brown management for selecting the Woakwine Range for their project, and now it seems the Mallala region, just north of Adelaide, will benefit.
The company will later this month apply to the Development Assessment Commission (DAC) to build a 450MW gas-fired peaking power station. It has already been endorsed by the State Government as a "public infrastructure development" under section 49 of the Development Act.
If and when it is approved, along with another being planned for the Mid North, the two power stations will be the State's second and third biggest, behind the Torrens Island generator. When completed the Mallala site will be operated by Flinders Power - a subsidiary of B&B.
Babcock and Brown would have been happy to receive the government's quick endorsement of the project and having a direct line through to the DAC. Going back a number of years ago when the company first mooted the construction of the local windfarms to the government there were numerous holdups due to the bureaucrats "stalling" the venture. One would now hope it is pure sailing for B&B on their new venture, and the same occurs when the next stages of the Lake Bonney Windfarm begin.
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 6
IT WAS interesting to read in the daily press this week that Babcock and Brown plan to invest another $350 million in South Australia to build a new power station. The international bankers were responsible for the construction of the majority of the windfarms along the Woakwine Range overlooking Lake Bonney, and the project is now the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
Their local two stage project cost around $460 million and poured millions into the local economy through the of shoots during the construction stage, and the windfarms continue to assist the local farming community- There is also another two stages planned by Babcock and Brown, north of the present turbines - so there is more to come down the track for the local economy.
The Millicent area have a lot to thank Paul Hutchinson and the Babcock and Brown management for selecting the Woakwine Range for their project, and now it seems the Mallala region, just north of Adelaide, will benefit.
The company will later this month apply to the Development Assessment Commission (DAC) to build a 450MW gas-fired peaking power station. It has already been endorsed by the State Government as a "public infrastructure development" under section 49 of the Development Act.
If and when it is approved, along with another being planned for the Mid North, the two power stations will be the State's second and third biggest, behind the Torrens Island generator. When completed the Mallala site will be operated by Flinders Power - a subsidiary of B&B.
Babcock and Brown would have been happy to receive the government's quick endorsement of the project and having a direct line through to the DAC. Going back a number of years ago when the company first mooted the construction of the local windfarms to the government there were numerous holdups due to the bureaucrats "stalling" the venture. One would now hope it is pure sailing for B&B on their new venture, and the same occurs when the next stages of the Lake Bonney Windfarm begin.
Residents give strong support to Glenthompson wind farm plan
Hamilton Spectator
Saturday 10/3/2007 Page: 3
DEVELOPERS of a $180 million wind farm near Glenthompson are delighted with the strong support by Glenthompson and district residents for the project. More than 100 people attended a community open day regarding the proposed Oaklands Hill wind farm, a few kilometres south of Glenthompson.
Developers, Investec Bank and Windlab Systems, say most people who perused the displays and discussed the proposal in detail with the developers and the experts who had conducted many of the studies, were enthusiastic about the project, claiming it could be just the boost the town needs.
"From those that did attend, we generally received a very strong feeling of support for the project," the joint venture spokesman, Mark Headland, said. "Where concerns were raised these were discussed and a follow up action plan is being developed." The displays included an overall description of the planned wind farm, maps showing the location of the 43 turbines, flora, fauna, noise and shadow studies and photographs comparing the landscape as it is now and with the turbines installed.
Mr Headland was delighted that residents had learnt first-hand about the wind farm. "We were extremely grateful for the support of the Glenthompson Progress Association whose aid was instrumental in making the day a success." The wind farm, being proposed by Investec Bank (Australia) Limited and Windlab Systems Pty Ltd, will make a major contribution to Victoria's greenhouse gas reductions, cutting carbon dioxide by around 364,000 tonnes a year (the equivalent of planting around 540,000 trees) while producing enough power to service up to 52,000 homes.
Mr Headland said the farm would provide up to 60 jobs during the construction phase, with millions of dollars of potential opportunities for local employment and industry during the 12-18 month design and construction phase.
The developers plan to lodge a planning permit application with the Department of Sustainability and Environment by April with the hope that construction will start in 2008 and commissioning in the first quarter of 2009.
Saturday 10/3/2007 Page: 3
DEVELOPERS of a $180 million wind farm near Glenthompson are delighted with the strong support by Glenthompson and district residents for the project. More than 100 people attended a community open day regarding the proposed Oaklands Hill wind farm, a few kilometres south of Glenthompson.
Developers, Investec Bank and Windlab Systems, say most people who perused the displays and discussed the proposal in detail with the developers and the experts who had conducted many of the studies, were enthusiastic about the project, claiming it could be just the boost the town needs.
"From those that did attend, we generally received a very strong feeling of support for the project," the joint venture spokesman, Mark Headland, said. "Where concerns were raised these were discussed and a follow up action plan is being developed." The displays included an overall description of the planned wind farm, maps showing the location of the 43 turbines, flora, fauna, noise and shadow studies and photographs comparing the landscape as it is now and with the turbines installed.
Mr Headland was delighted that residents had learnt first-hand about the wind farm. "We were extremely grateful for the support of the Glenthompson Progress Association whose aid was instrumental in making the day a success." The wind farm, being proposed by Investec Bank (Australia) Limited and Windlab Systems Pty Ltd, will make a major contribution to Victoria's greenhouse gas reductions, cutting carbon dioxide by around 364,000 tonnes a year (the equivalent of planting around 540,000 trees) while producing enough power to service up to 52,000 homes.
Mr Headland said the farm would provide up to 60 jobs during the construction phase, with millions of dollars of potential opportunities for local employment and industry during the 12-18 month design and construction phase.
The developers plan to lodge a planning permit application with the Department of Sustainability and Environment by April with the hope that construction will start in 2008 and commissioning in the first quarter of 2009.
Wind farm revs up Port Fairy
Warrnambool Standard
Wednesday 14/3/2007 Page: 5
A 68-TURBINE wind farm proposed near Port Fairy will generate about one per cent of Victoria's power needs. Moyne Shire councillors were advised yesterday by developer TME Australia the 3600 ha wind farm at Ryans Corners would create between 12 and 16 jobs if approved along with the company's Hawkesdale project.
Project manager Adam Proctor said the company was investigating wind farms for Mortlake and Berrybank. He dismissed fears fire bombing aircraft would be unable to operate over the site. He said access roads across the 12 properties would be suitable for CFA trucks.
Mr Proctor said if the wind farm operated at 30 per cent capacity it would generate power for 67,000 homes or 1.1 per cent of the state's needs. The company expects to spend as much as $500 million on the project 12km north west of Port Fairy and estimates $2 million a year will be spent in the area to pay employees, landowner fees and rates.
Farmer Kieron Moore supported clean energy and no objections had been received from the Yambuk community. He said the proposed turbines were less visible than the 34 already in the area and it was important to reduce greenhouse gases to make a better planet for future generations.
The council will hold a special meeting at 4pm on March 20 to decide its position on the project before making a submission to Planning Minister Justin Madden who will decided the project's future.
Wednesday 14/3/2007 Page: 5
A 68-TURBINE wind farm proposed near Port Fairy will generate about one per cent of Victoria's power needs. Moyne Shire councillors were advised yesterday by developer TME Australia the 3600 ha wind farm at Ryans Corners would create between 12 and 16 jobs if approved along with the company's Hawkesdale project.
Project manager Adam Proctor said the company was investigating wind farms for Mortlake and Berrybank. He dismissed fears fire bombing aircraft would be unable to operate over the site. He said access roads across the 12 properties would be suitable for CFA trucks.
Mr Proctor said if the wind farm operated at 30 per cent capacity it would generate power for 67,000 homes or 1.1 per cent of the state's needs. The company expects to spend as much as $500 million on the project 12km north west of Port Fairy and estimates $2 million a year will be spent in the area to pay employees, landowner fees and rates.
Farmer Kieron Moore supported clean energy and no objections had been received from the Yambuk community. He said the proposed turbines were less visible than the 34 already in the area and it was important to reduce greenhouse gases to make a better planet for future generations.
The council will hold a special meeting at 4pm on March 20 to decide its position on the project before making a submission to Planning Minister Justin Madden who will decided the project's future.
Power project starts
Northern Guardian
Wednesday 14/3/2007 Page: 2
WORK has begun on the Coral Bay power project. Horizon Power, working with Verve Energy, has taken over responsibility for power supplies in the community and is creating a new underground distribution system, a new power station and a wind farm.
Installation of three wind turbines is scheduled for this month. Construction of the diesel generator power station will continue from March to May. The project is scheduled for completion in June this year.
Wednesday 14/3/2007 Page: 2
WORK has begun on the Coral Bay power project. Horizon Power, working with Verve Energy, has taken over responsibility for power supplies in the community and is creating a new underground distribution system, a new power station and a wind farm.
Installation of three wind turbines is scheduled for this month. Construction of the diesel generator power station will continue from March to May. The project is scheduled for completion in June this year.
A STAR is born
Waste Management & Environment
March, 2007 Page: 14
A new wind turbine blade, designed at the US Sandia National Laboratories, could significantly reduce the cost of wind power. Named 'STAR' for Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor, its most distinctive characteristic is a gently curved tip specially designed for low wind speed regions. With plenty of sites with average speeds of 5.8 metres/second in the US, it would increase by 20-fold the area that can be economically developed for wind energy.
Sized at 27.1 metres and made of fibreglass and epoxy resin, the curvature of the blade allows it to twist more and respond to turbulent gusts in a way that lowers fatigue loads. "This then allows us to grow the blade length for the same rotor, providing for increased energy capture of 5-10 per cent and yet retaining the same expected fatigue life," said Tom Ashwill.
March, 2007 Page: 14
A new wind turbine blade, designed at the US Sandia National Laboratories, could significantly reduce the cost of wind power. Named 'STAR' for Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor, its most distinctive characteristic is a gently curved tip specially designed for low wind speed regions. With plenty of sites with average speeds of 5.8 metres/second in the US, it would increase by 20-fold the area that can be economically developed for wind energy.
Sized at 27.1 metres and made of fibreglass and epoxy resin, the curvature of the blade allows it to twist more and respond to turbulent gusts in a way that lowers fatigue loads. "This then allows us to grow the blade length for the same rotor, providing for increased energy capture of 5-10 per cent and yet retaining the same expected fatigue life," said Tom Ashwill.
US waste specialist warns against nuclear energy
ABC Online
13/03/2007
An American anti-nuclear watchdog warns nuclear energy would be too expensive and take too long to establish to play a genuine role in reducing Australia's carbon emissions. US nuclear waste specialist Kevin Kamps began a national tour yesterday with a forum in Mackay, in north Queensland, warning of the health risks and waste disposal obligations associated with nuclear energy.
Mr Kamps says in the the US the nuclear energy industry is propped up by billion-dollar government subsidies and renewable energy industries such as wind power are growing quickly. "Wind is the fastest growing new source of electricity in the United States," he said.
"You can put up wind turbines in a matter of months, where it takes years and years [for a nuclear reactor], the last built reactor in the United States cost $7 billion and took 23 years to build and we need to act in the near term to address the climate crisis - we can't wait for nuclear power."
13/03/2007
An American anti-nuclear watchdog warns nuclear energy would be too expensive and take too long to establish to play a genuine role in reducing Australia's carbon emissions. US nuclear waste specialist Kevin Kamps began a national tour yesterday with a forum in Mackay, in north Queensland, warning of the health risks and waste disposal obligations associated with nuclear energy.
Mr Kamps says in the the US the nuclear energy industry is propped up by billion-dollar government subsidies and renewable energy industries such as wind power are growing quickly. "Wind is the fastest growing new source of electricity in the United States," he said.
"You can put up wind turbines in a matter of months, where it takes years and years [for a nuclear reactor], the last built reactor in the United States cost $7 billion and took 23 years to build and we need to act in the near term to address the climate crisis - we can't wait for nuclear power."
Tuesday, 13 March 2007
People power primed for Broulee
Bay Post
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 16
THE Clean Energy for Eternity movement has swept up the coast from Bega and will hit Broulee's South Beach dunes on March 17. Organisers aim to attract thousands on the day, where a human sign will be formed to create awareness and raise funds for a green future.
Bega surgeon Matthew Nott created the Clean Energy for Eternity action group and has since raised awareness on clean, green, renewable energy use from the Far South Coast to the Snowy Mountains.
The group has teamed up with Surf Life Saving NSW to convert each and every clubhouse to use a renewable energy source, such as solar and wind. It's a big call but Mr Nott believes there is a dire need for big changes.
"People don't realise we're seeing climate change before our eyes," Mr Nott said. "We know we are heading for trouble and it's our fault." Broulee's human sign event will herald the fundraising campaign for the Eurobodalla's four surf clubs' energy change, which Mr Nott said would save each club $1000 a year.
Organisers encourage all Eurobodalla residents to be in the human sign, which starts at 12.30pm, and will read LifeSaving Energy. The aerial shot will be taken at 1pm. Volunteers will guide participants to a position on the beach on the day and, once formed, the sign will be photographed.
"It is a great opportunity to mix and mingle with other interested people and will be a lot of fun," organiser Leslie Braman said. "We will also have music, [and there will] hopefully even be some award-winning musicians." Broulee Surf Lifesaving Club will hold a barbecue, and Zippos Cafe will be open.
For more information call Ms Braman on 4471 8850.
"Let's get excited and united about our climate change choices, and have a fun day out. If you are interested in finding out more about Clean Energy for Eternity, go to www.cleanenergyforeternity.net.au," Ms Braman said.
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 16
THE Clean Energy for Eternity movement has swept up the coast from Bega and will hit Broulee's South Beach dunes on March 17. Organisers aim to attract thousands on the day, where a human sign will be formed to create awareness and raise funds for a green future.
Bega surgeon Matthew Nott created the Clean Energy for Eternity action group and has since raised awareness on clean, green, renewable energy use from the Far South Coast to the Snowy Mountains.
The group has teamed up with Surf Life Saving NSW to convert each and every clubhouse to use a renewable energy source, such as solar and wind. It's a big call but Mr Nott believes there is a dire need for big changes.
"People don't realise we're seeing climate change before our eyes," Mr Nott said. "We know we are heading for trouble and it's our fault." Broulee's human sign event will herald the fundraising campaign for the Eurobodalla's four surf clubs' energy change, which Mr Nott said would save each club $1000 a year.
Organisers encourage all Eurobodalla residents to be in the human sign, which starts at 12.30pm, and will read LifeSaving Energy. The aerial shot will be taken at 1pm. Volunteers will guide participants to a position on the beach on the day and, once formed, the sign will be photographed.
"It is a great opportunity to mix and mingle with other interested people and will be a lot of fun," organiser Leslie Braman said. "We will also have music, [and there will] hopefully even be some award-winning musicians." Broulee Surf Lifesaving Club will hold a barbecue, and Zippos Cafe will be open.
For more information call Ms Braman on 4471 8850.
"Let's get excited and united about our climate change choices, and have a fun day out. If you are interested in finding out more about Clean Energy for Eternity, go to www.cleanenergyforeternity.net.au," Ms Braman said.
Record power output
Port Lincoln Times
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 3
GALE force winds have helped the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm reach a record power output this summer. Cathedral Rocks facilities manager John Fannin said record production was reached during several particularly windy days in January and February.
He said the windiest day was in January. "It was blowing a gale out here and we produced nearly maximum output all day," he said. Mr Fannin said currently wind turbines at the farm were generating "more than enough" clean green electricity to power Port Lincoln and the surrounding districts.
At maximum capacity, the wind farm generates 66 megawatts of energy - that's enough energy to power 50,000 homes, according to Mr Fannin. This clean energy was particularly important during this time of possible climate change and the onset of global warming.
`The Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm is displacing up to a quarter of a million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year by generating electricity without further contributing greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere," he said.
The Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm continues to undergo routine testing and servicing of the turbines, and there are often times when some turbines are out of service while they are tested.
Mr Fannin said currently one of the turbines was out of service but it should be operating again soon. He said the farm was supporting the district's economy by using local contractors where possible, and the eight full-time staff members currently working at the wind farm were all Port Lincoln locals.
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 3
GALE force winds have helped the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm reach a record power output this summer. Cathedral Rocks facilities manager John Fannin said record production was reached during several particularly windy days in January and February.
He said the windiest day was in January. "It was blowing a gale out here and we produced nearly maximum output all day," he said. Mr Fannin said currently wind turbines at the farm were generating "more than enough" clean green electricity to power Port Lincoln and the surrounding districts.
At maximum capacity, the wind farm generates 66 megawatts of energy - that's enough energy to power 50,000 homes, according to Mr Fannin. This clean energy was particularly important during this time of possible climate change and the onset of global warming.
`The Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm is displacing up to a quarter of a million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year by generating electricity without further contributing greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere," he said.
The Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm continues to undergo routine testing and servicing of the turbines, and there are often times when some turbines are out of service while they are tested.
Mr Fannin said currently one of the turbines was out of service but it should be operating again soon. He said the farm was supporting the district's economy by using local contractors where possible, and the eight full-time staff members currently working at the wind farm were all Port Lincoln locals.
Turbine demand moves finish line
Denmark Bulletin
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 12
Craig Chappelle, chairman
THE community's windfarm project remains on target, even though progress has been slow recently. The DCW committee continues to meet regularly and put in many voluntary hours, but the finish-line has been pushed further out. Our application for $1.2million federal edge of grid' funding, to take the project into its implementation phase has to go to Canberra for final approval.
With a new federal environment minister we expect the project to be freshly viewed for the benefits it offers, and the community support it is attracting (we now have nearly 300 members). However, it could be May before we know the result. Our planning application, which went to the State Government in January, could take up to 12 months to process.
Another unforeseen event was the revelation in December that there is not enough electricity available to supply the growing demand in Denmark and Walpole. Western Power will implement a series of network upgrades over the next five years, which could affect the size of the windfarm project, so we are keeping a close eye on progress. Meanwhile, we expect to have an access agreement with Western Power signed off within the next couple of months.
We anticipate that the blades will begin turning early in 2009 - a year later than everyone had hoped, and due in no small part to an 18-24 month waiting list for turbines, thanks to the worldwide demand for wind energy.
There is a website well worth visiting that demolishes the arguments commonly put by climate-change sceptics: http://gristmill.grist.org/skeptics
To join DCW, or learn more about the project, phone DCW secretary Cheryl Reid on 9840 9002 or visit our website, www.dcw.org.au
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 12
Craig Chappelle, chairman
THE community's windfarm project remains on target, even though progress has been slow recently. The DCW committee continues to meet regularly and put in many voluntary hours, but the finish-line has been pushed further out. Our application for $1.2million federal edge of grid' funding, to take the project into its implementation phase has to go to Canberra for final approval.
With a new federal environment minister we expect the project to be freshly viewed for the benefits it offers, and the community support it is attracting (we now have nearly 300 members). However, it could be May before we know the result. Our planning application, which went to the State Government in January, could take up to 12 months to process.
Another unforeseen event was the revelation in December that there is not enough electricity available to supply the growing demand in Denmark and Walpole. Western Power will implement a series of network upgrades over the next five years, which could affect the size of the windfarm project, so we are keeping a close eye on progress. Meanwhile, we expect to have an access agreement with Western Power signed off within the next couple of months.
We anticipate that the blades will begin turning early in 2009 - a year later than everyone had hoped, and due in no small part to an 18-24 month waiting list for turbines, thanks to the worldwide demand for wind energy.
There is a website well worth visiting that demolishes the arguments commonly put by climate-change sceptics: http://gristmill.grist.org/skeptics
To join DCW, or learn more about the project, phone DCW secretary Cheryl Reid on 9840 9002 or visit our website, www.dcw.org.au
EU drafts renewable energy target
Canberra Times
Saturday 10/3/2007 Page: 17
A draft final statement at a European Union summit set a binding target of 20 per cent of renewable sources in EU energy consumption by 2020 in an ambitious strategy to fight climate change. The compromise circulated by EU president Germany offered flexibility on how the 27 member states contribute to the common pan- European goal for renewables such as solar, wind and hydro-electric power.
The wording appeared aimed to win over states reliant on nuclear energy, led by France, or coal, such as Poland, or small countries with few energy resources, such as Cyprus and Malta, by adding references to the national energy mix.
"Differentiated national overall targets" for renewables should be set "with due regard to a fair and adequate allocation, taking account of different national starting points", it said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel hoped to clinch a deal on a long-term strategy integrating energy and climate change to pressure the United States and other nations to follow the EU lead in combating global warming. "This text is indeed a breakthrough as regards the environment and climate change policy of the European Union," she said.
"Once this is agreed this will indeed inject a truly new quality to this particular area of the EU and will establish our position in the vanguard of energy policy worldwide." The 27 leaders committed themselves to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for heating the planet, by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if other nations followed suit.
The draft statement also set a 10 per cent minimum target for biofuels in transport to be introduced by 2020 in a cost-efficient way. In an attempt to balance pro- and anti-nuclear power states, the draft added wording on the contribution of nuclear energy "in meeting growing concerns about safety of energy supply and CO2 emissions reductions while ensuring that nuclear safety and security are paramount in the decision-making process".
Leaders came close to a deal on renewables but several countries sought assurances their special circumstances and financial limits would be taken into account when sharing the burden of meeting an EU-wide target. Polish President Lech Kaczynski said,"Poland is ready to accept binding targets as long as they are the European average and specific conditions of various countries are taken into account".
French President Jacques Chirac accepted a binding target but said nuclear power must play a role in Europe's drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Ms Merkel said nuclear power was not a renewable energy form but could help to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions. Several EU states are opposed to using nuclear power or are in the process of phasing it out. The summit outcome will form the basis of the EU's position in talks to find a replacement to the UN Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
Saturday 10/3/2007 Page: 17
A draft final statement at a European Union summit set a binding target of 20 per cent of renewable sources in EU energy consumption by 2020 in an ambitious strategy to fight climate change. The compromise circulated by EU president Germany offered flexibility on how the 27 member states contribute to the common pan- European goal for renewables such as solar, wind and hydro-electric power.The wording appeared aimed to win over states reliant on nuclear energy, led by France, or coal, such as Poland, or small countries with few energy resources, such as Cyprus and Malta, by adding references to the national energy mix.
"Differentiated national overall targets" for renewables should be set "with due regard to a fair and adequate allocation, taking account of different national starting points", it said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel hoped to clinch a deal on a long-term strategy integrating energy and climate change to pressure the United States and other nations to follow the EU lead in combating global warming. "This text is indeed a breakthrough as regards the environment and climate change policy of the European Union," she said.
"Once this is agreed this will indeed inject a truly new quality to this particular area of the EU and will establish our position in the vanguard of energy policy worldwide." The 27 leaders committed themselves to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions, blamed for heating the planet, by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if other nations followed suit.
The draft statement also set a 10 per cent minimum target for biofuels in transport to be introduced by 2020 in a cost-efficient way. In an attempt to balance pro- and anti-nuclear power states, the draft added wording on the contribution of nuclear energy "in meeting growing concerns about safety of energy supply and CO2 emissions reductions while ensuring that nuclear safety and security are paramount in the decision-making process".
Leaders came close to a deal on renewables but several countries sought assurances their special circumstances and financial limits would be taken into account when sharing the burden of meeting an EU-wide target. Polish President Lech Kaczynski said,"Poland is ready to accept binding targets as long as they are the European average and specific conditions of various countries are taken into account".
French President Jacques Chirac accepted a binding target but said nuclear power must play a role in Europe's drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Ms Merkel said nuclear power was not a renewable energy form but could help to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions. Several EU states are opposed to using nuclear power or are in the process of phasing it out. The summit outcome will form the basis of the EU's position in talks to find a replacement to the UN Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.
Europe sets bold global warming targets
Sun Herald
Sunday 11/3/2007 Page: 45
EUROPEAN Union leaders have agreed on bold measures to fight global warming, pledging that, by 2020, a fifth of the bloc's energy will come from green-power sources such as wind turbines and solar panels and 10 per cent of European cars will run on biofuels.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel challenged other nations to follow suit, saying the world still had time to "avoid what could well be a human calamity" caused by climate change.
At French insistence, the deal noted the role atomic energy could play in replacing coal- or oil-fired power plants blamed for pumping out greenhouse gases. That caused unease for non-nuclear states such as Austria and Ireland and triggered complaints from environmental groups.
French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair both hailed the deal, which does not yet include an enforcement mechanism, as a turning point in the global warming fight. "This is part of the great moments of European history," Mr Chirac said.
The agreement makes three main promises to be fulfilled in the next 13 years.
Ms Merkel intends to present the plans to US President George Bush and other leaders at a summit of the Group of Eight industrialised nations she will host in June.
Lawyers still have to draw up rules on how the deal will be enforced, but European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the legislation "will be subject to all instruments of community law". That implies the EUs executive arm would be able to launch legal action and fine countries that violate targets.
Sunday 11/3/2007 Page: 45
EUROPEAN Union leaders have agreed on bold measures to fight global warming, pledging that, by 2020, a fifth of the bloc's energy will come from green-power sources such as wind turbines and solar panels and 10 per cent of European cars will run on biofuels.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel challenged other nations to follow suit, saying the world still had time to "avoid what could well be a human calamity" caused by climate change.
At French insistence, the deal noted the role atomic energy could play in replacing coal- or oil-fired power plants blamed for pumping out greenhouse gases. That caused unease for non-nuclear states such as Austria and Ireland and triggered complaints from environmental groups.
French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair both hailed the deal, which does not yet include an enforcement mechanism, as a turning point in the global warming fight. "This is part of the great moments of European history," Mr Chirac said.
The agreement makes three main promises to be fulfilled in the next 13 years.
- Greenhouse gas emissions will be cut by at least 20 per cent from 1990 levels;
- The EU will produce 20 per cent of its power through renewable energy, a massive increase from the current figure of about 6 per cent;
- One-tenth of all cars and trucks in the 27 EU nations should be running on biofuels made from plants.
Ms Merkel intends to present the plans to US President George Bush and other leaders at a summit of the Group of Eight industrialised nations she will host in June.
Lawyers still have to draw up rules on how the deal will be enforced, but European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the legislation "will be subject to all instruments of community law". That implies the EUs executive arm would be able to launch legal action and fine countries that violate targets.
Project on track
Warrnambool Standard
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 7
THE company that hopes to build a 15-turbine wind farm at Newfield has confirmed it will soon submit a planning application to Corangamite Shire Council A spokeswoman for Acciona Energy said the company planned to submit the application within the next three weeks. The proposed site for the wind farm is eight kilometres inland from Port Campbell on farming land.
Acciona claimed the wind farm would offset as much as 70,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and supply about 28,000 people with electricity. The company's project manager, Julien Gaschinard, said the State Government should not require an environmental effects statement for the project because it would not cause significant environmental problems.
The Federal Government agreed the project wouldn't impact on matters of national environmental significance. Ms Gaschinard said the company was consulting the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the shire to ensure all environmental issues were addressed within the projects environment and planning reports before the application was submitted to the council.
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 7
THE company that hopes to build a 15-turbine wind farm at Newfield has confirmed it will soon submit a planning application to Corangamite Shire Council A spokeswoman for Acciona Energy said the company planned to submit the application within the next three weeks. The proposed site for the wind farm is eight kilometres inland from Port Campbell on farming land.
Acciona claimed the wind farm would offset as much as 70,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and supply about 28,000 people with electricity. The company's project manager, Julien Gaschinard, said the State Government should not require an environmental effects statement for the project because it would not cause significant environmental problems.
The Federal Government agreed the project wouldn't impact on matters of national environmental significance. Ms Gaschinard said the company was consulting the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the shire to ensure all environmental issues were addressed within the projects environment and planning reports before the application was submitted to the council.
Council to go a la natural
The Capes Herald
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 7
THE Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council has taken another step towards environmental sustainability in deciding to use electricity sourced from wind power at its administration buildings. Power supplied to the council's' Margaret River and Augusta buildings will soon be delivered by Synergy's Natural Power program and, in the 2007-08 Budget, council will consider converting all its energy use across the shire.
Natural Power is energy generated across Australia through renewable sources such as wind or solar power. WA's Natural Power is generated through a wind farm in Albany and added to the main Synergy grid. Natural Power customers pay a higher premium for their electricity, but are guaranteed their power did not come at a cost to the environment.
Head of Synergy's stakeholder relations Andrew Gaspar said Natural Power customer numbers increased by 63.75 per cent in the last quarter of 2006, after the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth was screened. Mr Gaspar said Busselton, Margaret River and Dunsborough made up less than one per cent of all Natural Power customers. "There are not a lot of Natural Power customers from those three locations," he said.
In promoting the move to green power, Cr Brian Middleton said the conversion was "an opportunity to demonstrate community leadership in contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions". Cr Middleton has used Natural Power in his own business for many years. An average household linked to Natural Power was expected to pay an extra $3.15 a week.
Cr Middleton was also behind the push to create the Sustainability Advisory Committee of community members and council representatives, to guide the council to make decisions that gave equal weight to economic, social and environmental issues.
"Our council is in a position to lead the way in demonstrating how to conserve natural resources and reduce impacts on the environment while ensuring adequate facilities and employment for a fast-growing population," Cr Middleton said.
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 7
THE Augusta-Margaret River Shire Council has taken another step towards environmental sustainability in deciding to use electricity sourced from wind power at its administration buildings. Power supplied to the council's' Margaret River and Augusta buildings will soon be delivered by Synergy's Natural Power program and, in the 2007-08 Budget, council will consider converting all its energy use across the shire.
Natural Power is energy generated across Australia through renewable sources such as wind or solar power. WA's Natural Power is generated through a wind farm in Albany and added to the main Synergy grid. Natural Power customers pay a higher premium for their electricity, but are guaranteed their power did not come at a cost to the environment.
Head of Synergy's stakeholder relations Andrew Gaspar said Natural Power customer numbers increased by 63.75 per cent in the last quarter of 2006, after the Al Gore documentary An Inconvenient Truth was screened. Mr Gaspar said Busselton, Margaret River and Dunsborough made up less than one per cent of all Natural Power customers. "There are not a lot of Natural Power customers from those three locations," he said.
In promoting the move to green power, Cr Brian Middleton said the conversion was "an opportunity to demonstrate community leadership in contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions". Cr Middleton has used Natural Power in his own business for many years. An average household linked to Natural Power was expected to pay an extra $3.15 a week.
Cr Middleton was also behind the push to create the Sustainability Advisory Committee of community members and council representatives, to guide the council to make decisions that gave equal weight to economic, social and environmental issues.
"Our council is in a position to lead the way in demonstrating how to conserve natural resources and reduce impacts on the environment while ensuring adequate facilities and employment for a fast-growing population," Cr Middleton said.
Emissions panel funds fossil fuels over renewables: Members have mining backgrounds
Age
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 4
THE fossil-fuel industry has been the overwhelming beneficiary of the Federal Government's $500 million low-emission technology development fund, receiving $335 million of the $410 million already allocated.
The renewable-energy sector has received $75 million, with just one renewables project - a massive solar power station near Mildura - having its funding application approved by the panel appointed by the Government to distribute the $500 million fund, created in 2004. The majority of the panel members have links to the coal, mining and fossil-fuel industries.
Aside from two senior bureaucrats, the panel consists of Ken Humphreys, the technical support manager for a joint United States Government-private sector, clean-coal initiative called FutureGen; former National Australia Bank chief executive and Ashton Mining director Nobby Clark; and former CRA mining company chief executive, former BHP director and former Commonwealth Bank chairman John Ralph.
Mr Ralph made headlines last October when he questioned the link between human activity and climate change. Another panel member, Paul McClintock, was a former senior private secretary to Prime Minister John Howard and has served as chairman of Ashton Mining and Plutonic Resources and as a director of Homestake Mining.
Former Telstra chief executive Ziggy Switkowski is also on the panel. The Government last week appointed Dr Switkowski chairman of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, months after he headed a Government inquiry into the viability of nuclear power.
The Government yesterday announced $100 million from the low-emission fund for a new 400-megawatt coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley, which Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said would produce 30 per cent less greenhouse-gas emissions than conventional brown-coal generators.
But Australia Institute deputy director Andrew MacIntosh said the announcement was further evidence of a "one-sided process" for government funding that put coal projects far ahead of renewable energy initiatives. "The Government is being totally dictated to by the coal industry and is showing no regard for Australia's long-term interest," he said.
The low-emission technology fund also has provided $75 million to a project to extract methane from coal in Queensland, $60 million for a gas carbon storage project in Western Australia, $50 million for brown-coal drying and $50 million for a system that could be retro-fitted to Australian coal-fired power stations to make it cheaper to capture greenhouse gases.
The Age can also reveal that the Government has been receiving climate-change information from the same consultancy firm that produced a report for the Energy Supply Association of Australia in January that said cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 would cost Australia $75 billion.
Documents from the Government's contract database show the Coalition has paid CRA International more than $100,000 for advice on climate-change and energy, including $11,000 for a one-day review of the British Government's Stern report on global warming.
Former Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics executive director Brian Fisher joined CRA International last October as a climate-change specialist. During his time as ABARE head, the Commonwealth Ombudsman criticised it for allowing fossil-fuel companies to fund its climate-change research.
Tuesday 13/3/2007 Page: 4
THE fossil-fuel industry has been the overwhelming beneficiary of the Federal Government's $500 million low-emission technology development fund, receiving $335 million of the $410 million already allocated.
The renewable-energy sector has received $75 million, with just one renewables project - a massive solar power station near Mildura - having its funding application approved by the panel appointed by the Government to distribute the $500 million fund, created in 2004. The majority of the panel members have links to the coal, mining and fossil-fuel industries.
Aside from two senior bureaucrats, the panel consists of Ken Humphreys, the technical support manager for a joint United States Government-private sector, clean-coal initiative called FutureGen; former National Australia Bank chief executive and Ashton Mining director Nobby Clark; and former CRA mining company chief executive, former BHP director and former Commonwealth Bank chairman John Ralph.
Mr Ralph made headlines last October when he questioned the link between human activity and climate change. Another panel member, Paul McClintock, was a former senior private secretary to Prime Minister John Howard and has served as chairman of Ashton Mining and Plutonic Resources and as a director of Homestake Mining.
Former Telstra chief executive Ziggy Switkowski is also on the panel. The Government last week appointed Dr Switkowski chairman of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, months after he headed a Government inquiry into the viability of nuclear power.
The Government yesterday announced $100 million from the low-emission fund for a new 400-megawatt coal-fired power station in the Latrobe Valley, which Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane said would produce 30 per cent less greenhouse-gas emissions than conventional brown-coal generators.
But Australia Institute deputy director Andrew MacIntosh said the announcement was further evidence of a "one-sided process" for government funding that put coal projects far ahead of renewable energy initiatives. "The Government is being totally dictated to by the coal industry and is showing no regard for Australia's long-term interest," he said.
The low-emission technology fund also has provided $75 million to a project to extract methane from coal in Queensland, $60 million for a gas carbon storage project in Western Australia, $50 million for brown-coal drying and $50 million for a system that could be retro-fitted to Australian coal-fired power stations to make it cheaper to capture greenhouse gases.
The Age can also reveal that the Government has been receiving climate-change information from the same consultancy firm that produced a report for the Energy Supply Association of Australia in January that said cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 would cost Australia $75 billion.
Documents from the Government's contract database show the Coalition has paid CRA International more than $100,000 for advice on climate-change and energy, including $11,000 for a one-day review of the British Government's Stern report on global warming.
Former Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics executive director Brian Fisher joined CRA International last October as a climate-change specialist. During his time as ABARE head, the Commonwealth Ombudsman criticised it for allowing fossil-fuel companies to fund its climate-change research.
EU sets carbon trade-off targets
The Australian
March 10, 2007
David Charter and Rory Watson, Brussels
EUROPEAN Union leaders last night agreed on a package of measures aimed at making the bloc the world leader in tackling climate change, including a binding 20 per cent target on the use of renewable fuels.
The landmark agreement - reached after two days of negotiations - commits Europe to taking the lead in fighting global warming by setting targets to cut greenhouse gases and ensures that a fifth of the bloc's energy comes from green power sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels.
"'It has been possible to, as it were, open the door to a new dimension of European co-operation for years to come in the area of energy and combating climate change," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as she announced the plan, which also requires greenhouse gas emissions to be cut by at least 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.
The 20 per cent target for use of renewable energy is a massive hike from the current figure of just over 6 per cent. Ms Merkel said there was still time to reduce the overall increase in global temperatures to below 2C. "We could avoid what could well be human calamity," Ms Merkel said.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the agreement showed that Europe was able to take important and firm steps on global warming. "We can say to the rest of the world: Europe is taking the lead - you should join us in fighting climate change," he said.
Ms Merkel, a former environment minister and the holder of the EU's revolving presidency, had implored her fellow European leaders to give her a strong hand at the next G8 meeting in June in Germany, when she will ask world leaders to join a post-Kyoto framework. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that, in addition to the EU move, a G8 deal on a framework for a global agreement would create "the best chance" of getting the US, China and India to tackle climate change. "These are a set of groundbreaking, bold, ambitious targets for the European Union," Mr Blair said. "It gives Europe a clear leadership position on this crucial issue facing the world."
The deal is a compromise between nations that had demanded mandatory targets on clean energy, and eastern European nations led by Poland and Slovakia, which had said they did not have the money to meet such high targets for developing costly alternatives. Those nations said they preferred to stay with cheaper but more polluting options such as coal and oil.
While setting an overall 20per cent target for the bloc's use of renewable energy, the agreement also says individual targets will be allowed for each of the 27 EU members. Business leaders expressed disquiet at the new regulations and have warned that unilateral goals will hasten the international decline of European industry. Ernest-Antoine Seilliere, the head of the BusinessEurope employers' group, said: "In terms of binding obligations on renewables, nobody has the foggiest idea what the costs can be."
March 10, 2007
David Charter and Rory Watson, Brussels
EUROPEAN Union leaders last night agreed on a package of measures aimed at making the bloc the world leader in tackling climate change, including a binding 20 per cent target on the use of renewable fuels.
The landmark agreement - reached after two days of negotiations - commits Europe to taking the lead in fighting global warming by setting targets to cut greenhouse gases and ensures that a fifth of the bloc's energy comes from green power sources, such as wind turbines and solar panels.
"'It has been possible to, as it were, open the door to a new dimension of European co-operation for years to come in the area of energy and combating climate change," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said as she announced the plan, which also requires greenhouse gas emissions to be cut by at least 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2020.
The 20 per cent target for use of renewable energy is a massive hike from the current figure of just over 6 per cent. Ms Merkel said there was still time to reduce the overall increase in global temperatures to below 2C. "We could avoid what could well be human calamity," Ms Merkel said.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the agreement showed that Europe was able to take important and firm steps on global warming. "We can say to the rest of the world: Europe is taking the lead - you should join us in fighting climate change," he said.
Ms Merkel, a former environment minister and the holder of the EU's revolving presidency, had implored her fellow European leaders to give her a strong hand at the next G8 meeting in June in Germany, when she will ask world leaders to join a post-Kyoto framework. British Prime Minister Tony Blair said that, in addition to the EU move, a G8 deal on a framework for a global agreement would create "the best chance" of getting the US, China and India to tackle climate change. "These are a set of groundbreaking, bold, ambitious targets for the European Union," Mr Blair said. "It gives Europe a clear leadership position on this crucial issue facing the world."
The deal is a compromise between nations that had demanded mandatory targets on clean energy, and eastern European nations led by Poland and Slovakia, which had said they did not have the money to meet such high targets for developing costly alternatives. Those nations said they preferred to stay with cheaper but more polluting options such as coal and oil.
While setting an overall 20per cent target for the bloc's use of renewable energy, the agreement also says individual targets will be allowed for each of the 27 EU members. Business leaders expressed disquiet at the new regulations and have warned that unilateral goals will hasten the international decline of European industry. Ernest-Antoine Seilliere, the head of the BusinessEurope employers' group, said: "In terms of binding obligations on renewables, nobody has the foggiest idea what the costs can be."
Friday, 9 March 2007
Giant turbines reducing greenhouse gases
Yorke Peninsula Country Times - Kadina
Tuesday 6/3/2007 Page: 5
Located about 20 kilometres along the Birdseye Highway between Cowell and Cleve is Tarong Energy's $130 million Mount Millar Wind Farm. The 35 turbines stand along the range that runs parallel to the highway and can be seen from many kilometres away. A viewing area and information board is available to travellers at the site, which can be accessed by a number of roads off the Birdseye highway.
Construction began at the wind farm in early 2006 and it was completed late last year, with commissioning taking place since. The wind turbines are designed and built by German company Enercon, are spread out for about seven kilometres along the range and are capable of producing enough energy to power about 35,000 homes.
Over the expected 25-year life of the wind farm, the turbines are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emission by up to 4.2 million tonnes. The overall height to the blade tip of each of the turbines is 120 metres and they will operate at wind speeds between 10 and 122km/h.
More information, www.mtmillar.com.au
Tuesday 6/3/2007 Page: 5
Located about 20 kilometres along the Birdseye Highway between Cowell and Cleve is Tarong Energy's $130 million Mount Millar Wind Farm. The 35 turbines stand along the range that runs parallel to the highway and can be seen from many kilometres away. A viewing area and information board is available to travellers at the site, which can be accessed by a number of roads off the Birdseye highway.
Construction began at the wind farm in early 2006 and it was completed late last year, with commissioning taking place since. The wind turbines are designed and built by German company Enercon, are spread out for about seven kilometres along the range and are capable of producing enough energy to power about 35,000 homes.
Over the expected 25-year life of the wind farm, the turbines are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emission by up to 4.2 million tonnes. The overall height to the blade tip of each of the turbines is 120 metres and they will operate at wind speeds between 10 and 122km/h.
More information, www.mtmillar.com.au
Willmott wants wind farm
Yarram Standard News
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 5
WHILE opponents to the Devon North wind farm prepare submissions to a VCAT hearing regarding the proposal, so too is one man who is in favour of the nine turbine project. Terry Willmott will argue the wind farm will meet Australian noise standards and the proposal is in a suitable location. The Devon North resident will not appear at the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal hearing due to family reasons but will lodge a submission.
Mr Willmott believes the local couple who agreed to have the wind industry developed on their Devon North property has every right to host the proposed wind farm, as the land is zoned rural. He sees this as equivalent to an industrial zone in a city.
He said the Wellington Shire Council "was totally wrong in knocking this back" "It comes back to my point that these opponents should not be living there because it's a rural zone. They should be in a rural residential area so how can they complain when a farmer is doing this? "A wind farm is farming a natural resource and that is what a rural area is all about." `The council should know the planning regulations up there. Council should be leaders on the issue and be saying, 'These are the regulations and people should not be living there," Mr Willmott said.
Further to claims by opponents that erecting more wind farms in South Gippsland would transform the region into an industrial wasteland, Mr Willmott believes the region already is. "The second highest polluter in Australia behind the coal fired power stations is dairy cattle and South Gippsland has the highest intensity of dairy cattle in Australia," he said.
"Imagine the methane these cattle are producing. You can't see it but imagine the mess. You've got the whole of the Latrobe Valley, which is the biggest polluter in Australia and then the dairy cattle, and you realise Gippsland is in a hell of a mess:"
He went on to say,"Then you've got all of these people screaming about a wind farm that is trying to take away from all of the pollution." In addressing claims by opponents they will lose money if the wind farm goes ahead while the landholder wishing to host the wind farm profits, Mr Willmott gave his slant.
"People on wages would make nearly the same amount of money over 20 years anyway," referring to the mooted 20 year life span of the wind farm. "If you are going to have money, you are going out there to make money out of it.
The VCAT hearing will be held at council's Sale offices from March 28 to 30.
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 5
WHILE opponents to the Devon North wind farm prepare submissions to a VCAT hearing regarding the proposal, so too is one man who is in favour of the nine turbine project. Terry Willmott will argue the wind farm will meet Australian noise standards and the proposal is in a suitable location. The Devon North resident will not appear at the Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal hearing due to family reasons but will lodge a submission.Mr Willmott believes the local couple who agreed to have the wind industry developed on their Devon North property has every right to host the proposed wind farm, as the land is zoned rural. He sees this as equivalent to an industrial zone in a city.
He said the Wellington Shire Council "was totally wrong in knocking this back" "It comes back to my point that these opponents should not be living there because it's a rural zone. They should be in a rural residential area so how can they complain when a farmer is doing this? "A wind farm is farming a natural resource and that is what a rural area is all about." `The council should know the planning regulations up there. Council should be leaders on the issue and be saying, 'These are the regulations and people should not be living there," Mr Willmott said.
Further to claims by opponents that erecting more wind farms in South Gippsland would transform the region into an industrial wasteland, Mr Willmott believes the region already is. "The second highest polluter in Australia behind the coal fired power stations is dairy cattle and South Gippsland has the highest intensity of dairy cattle in Australia," he said.
"Imagine the methane these cattle are producing. You can't see it but imagine the mess. You've got the whole of the Latrobe Valley, which is the biggest polluter in Australia and then the dairy cattle, and you realise Gippsland is in a hell of a mess:"
He went on to say,"Then you've got all of these people screaming about a wind farm that is trying to take away from all of the pollution." In addressing claims by opponents they will lose money if the wind farm goes ahead while the landholder wishing to host the wind farm profits, Mr Willmott gave his slant.
"People on wages would make nearly the same amount of money over 20 years anyway," referring to the mooted 20 year life span of the wind farm. "If you are going to have money, you are going out there to make money out of it.
The VCAT hearing will be held at council's Sale offices from March 28 to 30.
Power to Hallett
Northern Argus
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 1
Prototype turbine expected to start on Friday
Hallett Wind Farm will hit a major milestone this week when a prototype turbine prototype tower at the AGL project is connected into the electricity grid. The giant blades may start turning by Friday to begin a three-month testing program to demonstrate the turbine's capabilities.
The project, Australia's largest windfarm, is being built by Suzlon EnergyAustralia and will feature 45 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 94.5 megawatts. This is enough "green" energy to supply 60,000 average Australian households.
The massive turbines will stand like futuristic sculptures along the Brown Hill ridge overlooking the Hallett rower station. Suzlon Energy project manager Peter Reed said construction of the windfarm had provided a real boost for the local economy, which had been timely with this season's drought. Up to 90 people have been involved in the construction of the wind farm, including 30 local people.
When the wind farm is fully operational, it will require six permanent staff to service and maintain the site. The project is due to be completed in March 2008. Mr Reed said there had been a huge amount of local interest in the project and the company had been well accepted by the local community. "We are having a ball and everything is running smoothly, we have been extremely lucky with favourable weather conditions and the civil and electrical contractors are ahead of schedule at this point in time," he said.
Suzlon Energy has also been awarded the contract to build a similar facility on the Barunga Ranges, near Snowtown, which has already commenced with geotechnical investigations and road construction will start in two weeks time.
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 1
Prototype turbine expected to start on Friday
Hallett Wind Farm will hit a major milestone this week when a prototype turbine prototype tower at the AGL project is connected into the electricity grid. The giant blades may start turning by Friday to begin a three-month testing program to demonstrate the turbine's capabilities.
The project, Australia's largest windfarm, is being built by Suzlon EnergyAustralia and will feature 45 wind turbines with a total installed capacity of 94.5 megawatts. This is enough "green" energy to supply 60,000 average Australian households.
The massive turbines will stand like futuristic sculptures along the Brown Hill ridge overlooking the Hallett rower station. Suzlon Energy project manager Peter Reed said construction of the windfarm had provided a real boost for the local economy, which had been timely with this season's drought. Up to 90 people have been involved in the construction of the wind farm, including 30 local people.
When the wind farm is fully operational, it will require six permanent staff to service and maintain the site. The project is due to be completed in March 2008. Mr Reed said there had been a huge amount of local interest in the project and the company had been well accepted by the local community. "We are having a ball and everything is running smoothly, we have been extremely lucky with favourable weather conditions and the civil and electrical contractors are ahead of schedule at this point in time," he said.
Suzlon Energy has also been awarded the contract to build a similar facility on the Barunga Ranges, near Snowtown, which has already commenced with geotechnical investigations and road construction will start in two weeks time.
Wind queue gets longer
The Land
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 28
NSW Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, has approved a 15-turbine wind farm on the Cullerin range south-west of Goulburn, but the project could join the queue of approved wind farms that have been abandoned or whose start has suffered lengthy delays.
The developer, the global alternative energy company, Epuron Pty Ltd, wants to see the detail of the NSW Government's proposed legislation for mandating renewable energy targets before committing itself.
The Government last year announced renewable energy targets of 10 per cent of NSW end use consumption by 2010 and 15pc by 2020, but went into caretaker mode on Monday in the lead up to the March 24 State election.
Delta Energy, which gained approval about two years ago for a 31-tower project on the property "Walwa" near Gunning, has since backed out. There has also been no start on the 50-turbine Crookwell 2 wind farm which was approved several months ago, though work could start later this year. Projects have been on hold because the Federal Government's national Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 9500 gigawatt hours (about two per cent of national electricity use) by 2010 is well on the way to being met.
The NSW Government's new targets could start wheels turning again, but developers say there is also a long time lag on delivery of wind turbines because of big demand in the US and China. Owner of "Walwa", Alan McCormack, said he now held the development approval for the former Delta project and was negotiating with several interested companies.
All the wind farms referred to are in Upper Lachlan Shire and all have met vocal opposition from some local landholders. The Land and Environment Court in early February dismissed an appeal by local landholders against a 62-tower wind farm at Taralga, though Justice Brian Preston conceded their objections had resulted in a better project and greater environmental protection.
Mr Sartor in approving the Cullerin range wind farm said that based on community feedback he had imposed about 100 conditions on the proposal. These included a requirement for the developer to negotiate individual landscaping for residents within four kilometres of the wind farm to help minimise visual impact and for the project to comply with noise limits.
Australian executive director of Epuron (which acquired a majority shareholder in the original proponent, Taurus Energy, in 2005), Martin Poole, said the company would continue planning the project but would not order turbines until it saw the detail of the proposed NSW legislation. "We have to know we are going ahead before we order them," Mr Poole said.
The latest wind farm proposal to emerge is a seven turbine scheme on top of the flat-topped Mt Oxley which rises 300 metres above the plains about 30 kilometres south of Bourke. However, the council's economic development officer, Phil Johnston, said the council had been holding behind the scenes talks with the developer, Babcock and Brown, for about five years. He said Telstra already had an 80-metre communications tower on Mt Oxley and the council had needed to resolve whether a wind farm would interfere with that.
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 28
NSW Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, has approved a 15-turbine wind farm on the Cullerin range south-west of Goulburn, but the project could join the queue of approved wind farms that have been abandoned or whose start has suffered lengthy delays.
The developer, the global alternative energy company, Epuron Pty Ltd, wants to see the detail of the NSW Government's proposed legislation for mandating renewable energy targets before committing itself.
The Government last year announced renewable energy targets of 10 per cent of NSW end use consumption by 2010 and 15pc by 2020, but went into caretaker mode on Monday in the lead up to the March 24 State election.
Delta Energy, which gained approval about two years ago for a 31-tower project on the property "Walwa" near Gunning, has since backed out. There has also been no start on the 50-turbine Crookwell 2 wind farm which was approved several months ago, though work could start later this year. Projects have been on hold because the Federal Government's national Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 9500 gigawatt hours (about two per cent of national electricity use) by 2010 is well on the way to being met.
The NSW Government's new targets could start wheels turning again, but developers say there is also a long time lag on delivery of wind turbines because of big demand in the US and China. Owner of "Walwa", Alan McCormack, said he now held the development approval for the former Delta project and was negotiating with several interested companies.
All the wind farms referred to are in Upper Lachlan Shire and all have met vocal opposition from some local landholders. The Land and Environment Court in early February dismissed an appeal by local landholders against a 62-tower wind farm at Taralga, though Justice Brian Preston conceded their objections had resulted in a better project and greater environmental protection.
Mr Sartor in approving the Cullerin range wind farm said that based on community feedback he had imposed about 100 conditions on the proposal. These included a requirement for the developer to negotiate individual landscaping for residents within four kilometres of the wind farm to help minimise visual impact and for the project to comply with noise limits.
Australian executive director of Epuron (which acquired a majority shareholder in the original proponent, Taurus Energy, in 2005), Martin Poole, said the company would continue planning the project but would not order turbines until it saw the detail of the proposed NSW legislation. "We have to know we are going ahead before we order them," Mr Poole said.
The latest wind farm proposal to emerge is a seven turbine scheme on top of the flat-topped Mt Oxley which rises 300 metres above the plains about 30 kilometres south of Bourke. However, the council's economic development officer, Phil Johnston, said the council had been holding behind the scenes talks with the developer, Babcock and Brown, for about five years. He said Telstra already had an 80-metre communications tower on Mt Oxley and the council had needed to resolve whether a wind farm would interfere with that.
Renewable energy hope
Launceston Examiner
Friday 9/3/2007 Page: 20
Solar energy scientists have put the case for greater emphasis on emerging renewable technologies, saying their rapid expansion in the world means they could become serious contributors to electricity needs. The Australian National University College of Engineering and Computer Science's Keith Lovegrove and Klaus Weber shared the stage with nuclear energy figure Ziggy Switkowski at a forum yesterday on a sustainable energy future.
Dr Lovegrove works on solar systems, developing mirror panels and other components for mass production and thermochemical storage of solar energy using ammonia. Dr Weber is coinventor of sliver solar cell technology. Dr Lovegrove said wind energy was already the biggest player in the renewable technology field in some parts of the world and had the potential to greatly contribute to future energy requirements.
"We've had two decades of 30 per cent per annum growth and it's reached the point now where wind turbines are getting installed at about 10 or more coalfired peak power stations worth of wind turbines a year," he said. "As a global player, that still makes it very small, but if you keep adding 30 per cent per annum's growth on something that is already that big, actually you can roll things out pretty fast."
Friday 9/3/2007 Page: 20
Solar energy scientists have put the case for greater emphasis on emerging renewable technologies, saying their rapid expansion in the world means they could become serious contributors to electricity needs. The Australian National University College of Engineering and Computer Science's Keith Lovegrove and Klaus Weber shared the stage with nuclear energy figure Ziggy Switkowski at a forum yesterday on a sustainable energy future.
Dr Lovegrove works on solar systems, developing mirror panels and other components for mass production and thermochemical storage of solar energy using ammonia. Dr Weber is coinventor of sliver solar cell technology. Dr Lovegrove said wind energy was already the biggest player in the renewable technology field in some parts of the world and had the potential to greatly contribute to future energy requirements.
"We've had two decades of 30 per cent per annum growth and it's reached the point now where wind turbines are getting installed at about 10 or more coalfired peak power stations worth of wind turbines a year," he said. "As a global player, that still makes it very small, but if you keep adding 30 per cent per annum's growth on something that is already that big, actually you can roll things out pretty fast."
Blackouts on way as power plants dry up
The Australian
March 09, 2007
SOUTHEAST Queensland's 2.5 million residents are facing power blackouts and level-five water restrictions as the region's two main power stations are forced to cut production because of the worsening drought.
As unions warned of possible job losses in the power sector, the Queensland Water Commission announced yesterday that water supplies for cooling the Tarong and Swanbank stations would be slashed from April 10 as part of the level-five restrictions.
Supplies of electricity from the two stations to NSW under national power grid arrangements were boosted this year as dam levels fell.
Swanbank and Tarong took 2450 megalitres of drinking water from the Wivenhoe Dam - Brisbane's main water source - during January and February. The stations have been allowed to continue using Wivenhoe water despite warnings from experts that the dam could run dry within 18 months. Tarong's water will be cut by almost half to 12 megalitres a day. Swanbank's supply will be cut by 25 per cent to 15 megalitres.
Explaining why the move had not been made earlier, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh said generation could be cut because winter was approaching. Power supplies would be secure, she insisted. "I am pleased to confirm that these water savings will be achieved without threat to the security of electricity supply to the region," she said.
Queensland Electrical Trades Union assistant secretary Peter Simpson said several generating units would have to be mothballed. "You can't shut down that capacity without affecting something," Mr Simpson said. "If there is a breakdown now at Stanwell or somewhere else, the whole system will be under great strain. The security we had in the system is gone."
Mr Simpson said power workers had been protected against redundancy in state-certified work agreements, but the federal Work Choices laws made them vulnerable. "The protections they had are not there any more."
Former Queensland Department of Energy director-general Scott Flavell said reducing output at the two stations, especially Swanbank, could have serious implications for power supply. "Swanbank is a big load centre and a key part of the transmission infrastructure. It needs to be handled very carefully."
The National Electricity Market Management Company, which runs Australia's power grid, has previously rejected assurances by the Beattie Government that power supplies would be secure if output at the two stations was reduced.
CS Energy chief executive Mark Chatfield said the 480-megawatt Swanbank B generator, which uses most water at the Swanbank complex, would operate at reduced capacity. "Staff have been preparing for the likelihood of level-five restrictions in recent months and have made substantial cuts to water use," Mr Chatfield said.
Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said both stations should be shut down immediately. "Every step should be taken to safeguard the rapidly shrinking water supply and if that means selling less power to NSW, so be it," Mr Seeney said.
Southeast Queensland residents will today learn more details of the level-five water restrictions.
March 09, 2007
SOUTHEAST Queensland's 2.5 million residents are facing power blackouts and level-five water restrictions as the region's two main power stations are forced to cut production because of the worsening drought.
As unions warned of possible job losses in the power sector, the Queensland Water Commission announced yesterday that water supplies for cooling the Tarong and Swanbank stations would be slashed from April 10 as part of the level-five restrictions.
Supplies of electricity from the two stations to NSW under national power grid arrangements were boosted this year as dam levels fell.
Swanbank and Tarong took 2450 megalitres of drinking water from the Wivenhoe Dam - Brisbane's main water source - during January and February. The stations have been allowed to continue using Wivenhoe water despite warnings from experts that the dam could run dry within 18 months. Tarong's water will be cut by almost half to 12 megalitres a day. Swanbank's supply will be cut by 25 per cent to 15 megalitres.
Explaining why the move had not been made earlier, Deputy Premier Anna Bligh said generation could be cut because winter was approaching. Power supplies would be secure, she insisted. "I am pleased to confirm that these water savings will be achieved without threat to the security of electricity supply to the region," she said.
Queensland Electrical Trades Union assistant secretary Peter Simpson said several generating units would have to be mothballed. "You can't shut down that capacity without affecting something," Mr Simpson said. "If there is a breakdown now at Stanwell or somewhere else, the whole system will be under great strain. The security we had in the system is gone."
Mr Simpson said power workers had been protected against redundancy in state-certified work agreements, but the federal Work Choices laws made them vulnerable. "The protections they had are not there any more."
Former Queensland Department of Energy director-general Scott Flavell said reducing output at the two stations, especially Swanbank, could have serious implications for power supply. "Swanbank is a big load centre and a key part of the transmission infrastructure. It needs to be handled very carefully."
The National Electricity Market Management Company, which runs Australia's power grid, has previously rejected assurances by the Beattie Government that power supplies would be secure if output at the two stations was reduced.
CS Energy chief executive Mark Chatfield said the 480-megawatt Swanbank B generator, which uses most water at the Swanbank complex, would operate at reduced capacity. "Staff have been preparing for the likelihood of level-five restrictions in recent months and have made substantial cuts to water use," Mr Chatfield said.
Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney said both stations should be shut down immediately. "Every step should be taken to safeguard the rapidly shrinking water supply and if that means selling less power to NSW, so be it," Mr Seeney said.
Southeast Queensland residents will today learn more details of the level-five water restrictions.
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Donation for CFS
Port Lincoln Times
Tuesday 6/3/2007 Page: 28
THE Lincoln Country Fire Service brigade received $500 from the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm earlier this year. Lincoln Captain Greg Napier gratefully accepted the cheque on behalf of the brigade from Wind Farm manager John Fannin.
"The CFS, in particular the Lincoln brigade, has worked closely with us in developing a fire plan for the wind farm," Mr Fannin said.
Mr Fannin takes all contractors and visitors through an induction process as part of the fire plan. This induction briefs them on safe work practices to prevent fires, and what to do in the event of a fire, including making the decision to stay or go.
"It is far easier to invest in methods to prevent fires, but we have also made significant investment- in resources to control a fire should it eventuate."
Tuesday 6/3/2007 Page: 28
THE Lincoln Country Fire Service brigade received $500 from the Cathedral Rocks Wind Farm earlier this year. Lincoln Captain Greg Napier gratefully accepted the cheque on behalf of the brigade from Wind Farm manager John Fannin."The CFS, in particular the Lincoln brigade, has worked closely with us in developing a fire plan for the wind farm," Mr Fannin said.
Mr Fannin takes all contractors and visitors through an induction process as part of the fire plan. This induction briefs them on safe work practices to prevent fires, and what to do in the event of a fire, including making the decision to stay or go.
"It is far easier to invest in methods to prevent fires, but we have also made significant investment- in resources to control a fire should it eventuate."
Windfarm plans go on display
Warrnambool Standard
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 9
PLANS for a 20-turbine windfarm at Woolsthorpe go on display on Saturday for the community to view. The development proposed by Wind Farm Developments is to erect 20 turbines on one 750ha farm about two kilometres from Woolsthorpe.
Company development manager Jonathan Upson said the public could view the planning application for the project at the Woolsthorpe General Store, Warnambool's DSE office and Moyne Shire's Mortlake office. He said some turbines had been shifted slightly since maps were unveiled for an open day in 2005 due to native vegetation concerns.
Mr Upson said people could write to Planning Minister Justin Madden to support or object to the plans. Mr Madden will decide the project's future until April 2. "We feel it is in a prime situation, located on largely cleared farm land with relatively few neighbours," Mr Upson said.
"The location has good wind resources for an inland site." He said the turbines would be able to power 23,000 Victorian homes each year and reduce carbon emissions by 132,000 tonnes, which was the equivalent of taking 30.000 cars off the road.
Thursday 8/3/2007 Page: 9
PLANS for a 20-turbine windfarm at Woolsthorpe go on display on Saturday for the community to view. The development proposed by Wind Farm Developments is to erect 20 turbines on one 750ha farm about two kilometres from Woolsthorpe.
Company development manager Jonathan Upson said the public could view the planning application for the project at the Woolsthorpe General Store, Warnambool's DSE office and Moyne Shire's Mortlake office. He said some turbines had been shifted slightly since maps were unveiled for an open day in 2005 due to native vegetation concerns.
Mr Upson said people could write to Planning Minister Justin Madden to support or object to the plans. Mr Madden will decide the project's future until April 2. "We feel it is in a prime situation, located on largely cleared farm land with relatively few neighbours," Mr Upson said.
"The location has good wind resources for an inland site." He said the turbines would be able to power 23,000 Victorian homes each year and reduce carbon emissions by 132,000 tonnes, which was the equivalent of taking 30.000 cars off the road.
Alta Wind Energy Center Moving Forward
LCG Consulting
LCG, March 7, 2007--Alite Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Allco Wind Energy, has ordered 24 MW of the V90-3.0 MW wind turbine from Vestas for installation at the Alta Wind Energy Center, a planned wind farm in Southern California. The turbines are part of the initial phase of a 1,500 MW project and are scheduled to be shipped by Vestas in the third quarter. The initial phase is expected to commence operations in October 2007.
In December 2006, Southern California Edison, signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the electric output from the planned, 1,500 MW wind farm to be built on a 50-square mile area in the Tehachapi area of Southern California. The PPA is with Allco Wind Energy, a division of Allco Finance Group Limited (AFG).
The project is being developed by Alta Innovative Power Co. LLC, a joint venture between Allco Wind Energy and Oak Creek Energy Systems. The project includes 750 turbines and has an estimated cost of $3 billion.
California's renewable energy goals and global warming legislation create a positive regulatory environment for wind developers. However, the PPA will need to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Furthermore, the Commission will need to approve plans to construct a series of new and upgraded high-voltage transmission lines to deliver the power from a remote area to load centers.
LCG, March 7, 2007--Alite Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Allco Wind Energy, has ordered 24 MW of the V90-3.0 MW wind turbine from Vestas for installation at the Alta Wind Energy Center, a planned wind farm in Southern California. The turbines are part of the initial phase of a 1,500 MW project and are scheduled to be shipped by Vestas in the third quarter. The initial phase is expected to commence operations in October 2007.
In December 2006, Southern California Edison, signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) for the electric output from the planned, 1,500 MW wind farm to be built on a 50-square mile area in the Tehachapi area of Southern California. The PPA is with Allco Wind Energy, a division of Allco Finance Group Limited (AFG).
The project is being developed by Alta Innovative Power Co. LLC, a joint venture between Allco Wind Energy and Oak Creek Energy Systems. The project includes 750 turbines and has an estimated cost of $3 billion.
California's renewable energy goals and global warming legislation create a positive regulatory environment for wind developers. However, the PPA will need to be approved by the California Public Utilities Commission. Furthermore, the Commission will need to approve plans to construct a series of new and upgraded high-voltage transmission lines to deliver the power from a remote area to load centers.
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
Wind power rules at Camden High
District Reporter Camden
Friday 23/2/2007 Page: 5
Camden High's commitment and enthusiasm about protecting the environment and adopting a sustainable energy, has seen a wind generator developed and installed at the school - the first of its type anywhere in the world.
The NSW Department of Education and Training's Director- General, Andrew Cappie-Wood today officially opened the new wind generator at the school this week. Mr Cappie-Wood said the wind generator, the first of its type anywhere in the world, would be used by students to gain a better understanding of sustainable energy.
"The NSW Department of Education and Training is committed to providing students with opportunities to understand environmental issues affecting our planet, including green house gases, recycling and pollution," he said. "Camden High School students and teachers are passionate about improving their understanding of sustainable energy in all its forms including solar and wind.
"This wind generator is just one of several sustainable energy projects at the school which is one of the most environmentally conscious in the state." Mr Cappie-Wood said the wind generator, which is 23 metres tall, is located 300 metres west of school buildings, and developed and installed by local company, Dynamic Systems Australia.
"Camden High School students worked closely with Dynamic Systems Australia throughout the research and development process collecting data from their fully computerised weather station," he said. "While improving the students' knowledge of environmental issues, the wind generator is also environmentally friendly.
"Specially designed blades mean the generator turns at speeds unlikely to injure local wildlife. "It has also been specially modified to ensure the turbine is almost silent to limit noise pollution. "The ability to raise or lower the generator means there is little visual impact on the local skyline as well." The director-general acknowledged the support of the Dynamic Systems Australia for working so closely with the students, who he said are "better global citizens".
Year 10 student Kristy McGregor, gave a very impressive speech which began with a grim weather forecast for the future - of temperatures soaring to 48 degrees, relentless bush fires, 56 years of drought, severe level 25 water restrictions, UV levels so high that venturing outdoors between 9am and 5pm would be a health hazard and an ice-free Arctic. The speech made the older generation present take note and understand that the issue of climate change among the younger students is a very real and a serious threat and they are addressing it through many different environmental initiatives at the school.
These projects includes: collection and storage of water; passive means to cool school buildings; using solar energy to reduce the cost of electricity; a well established tree planting and propagation program; and recycling programs.
"There is only one negative outcome of the turbine - and that is when there is a blackout we'll have to stay at school, because it will keep the power on - whereas before we were sent home," Kristy said. "Camden High interest in renewable energy and being green may inspire students to do many great things... This is the beginning of understanding global warming, and us all deciding to take an active role in creating out future."
Friday 23/2/2007 Page: 5
Camden High's commitment and enthusiasm about protecting the environment and adopting a sustainable energy, has seen a wind generator developed and installed at the school - the first of its type anywhere in the world.The NSW Department of Education and Training's Director- General, Andrew Cappie-Wood today officially opened the new wind generator at the school this week. Mr Cappie-Wood said the wind generator, the first of its type anywhere in the world, would be used by students to gain a better understanding of sustainable energy.
"The NSW Department of Education and Training is committed to providing students with opportunities to understand environmental issues affecting our planet, including green house gases, recycling and pollution," he said. "Camden High School students and teachers are passionate about improving their understanding of sustainable energy in all its forms including solar and wind.
"This wind generator is just one of several sustainable energy projects at the school which is one of the most environmentally conscious in the state." Mr Cappie-Wood said the wind generator, which is 23 metres tall, is located 300 metres west of school buildings, and developed and installed by local company, Dynamic Systems Australia.
"Camden High School students worked closely with Dynamic Systems Australia throughout the research and development process collecting data from their fully computerised weather station," he said. "While improving the students' knowledge of environmental issues, the wind generator is also environmentally friendly.
"Specially designed blades mean the generator turns at speeds unlikely to injure local wildlife. "It has also been specially modified to ensure the turbine is almost silent to limit noise pollution. "The ability to raise or lower the generator means there is little visual impact on the local skyline as well." The director-general acknowledged the support of the Dynamic Systems Australia for working so closely with the students, who he said are "better global citizens".
Year 10 student Kristy McGregor, gave a very impressive speech which began with a grim weather forecast for the future - of temperatures soaring to 48 degrees, relentless bush fires, 56 years of drought, severe level 25 water restrictions, UV levels so high that venturing outdoors between 9am and 5pm would be a health hazard and an ice-free Arctic. The speech made the older generation present take note and understand that the issue of climate change among the younger students is a very real and a serious threat and they are addressing it through many different environmental initiatives at the school.
These projects includes: collection and storage of water; passive means to cool school buildings; using solar energy to reduce the cost of electricity; a well established tree planting and propagation program; and recycling programs.
"There is only one negative outcome of the turbine - and that is when there is a blackout we'll have to stay at school, because it will keep the power on - whereas before we were sent home," Kristy said. "Camden High interest in renewable energy and being green may inspire students to do many great things... This is the beginning of understanding global warming, and us all deciding to take an active role in creating out future."
A challenging climate
Cooma Monaro Express
Thursday 1/3/2007 Page: 9
CLIMATE change and renewable energy has constantly been a hot topic on the Monaro and is this week's focus in our 2007 NSW state election coverage.
Wind turbines have been the subject of debate and REAL Monaro Chairman, Jim Litchfield, said he had serious concerns about them in the Snowy-Monaro and wanted to urge each level of government to strongly examine the negative impacts they'd have in the region.
Friends of Renewable Energy spokesperson Rashida Nuridin however, said all forms of renewable energy needed to be considered, including wind, because the Snowy-Monaro had a good wind resource and needed to be utilised.
The Cooma Monaro Shire is also on level three water restrictions following the Tantangara damn reaching as low as 6 per cent capacity in December.
Global warming, in particular, has been a hot topic in the alpine regions, with some worried increased temperatures would destroy the snow season. A CSIRO report released last year predicted the snowline elevation at Mount Kosciuszko - on September 1- could rise each year from its current average of 1460m to 1625m by 2020.
Furthermore, alpine areas experiencing 60 or more days of snow cover per year would decline by 38-96 per cent by 2050 and even a modest level of warming might lead to the extinction of the region's 200 alpine plant species.
Thursday 1/3/2007 Page: 9
CLIMATE change and renewable energy has constantly been a hot topic on the Monaro and is this week's focus in our 2007 NSW state election coverage.
Wind turbines have been the subject of debate and REAL Monaro Chairman, Jim Litchfield, said he had serious concerns about them in the Snowy-Monaro and wanted to urge each level of government to strongly examine the negative impacts they'd have in the region.
Friends of Renewable Energy spokesperson Rashida Nuridin however, said all forms of renewable energy needed to be considered, including wind, because the Snowy-Monaro had a good wind resource and needed to be utilised.
The Cooma Monaro Shire is also on level three water restrictions following the Tantangara damn reaching as low as 6 per cent capacity in December.
Global warming, in particular, has been a hot topic in the alpine regions, with some worried increased temperatures would destroy the snow season. A CSIRO report released last year predicted the snowline elevation at Mount Kosciuszko - on September 1- could rise each year from its current average of 1460m to 1625m by 2020.
Furthermore, alpine areas experiencing 60 or more days of snow cover per year would decline by 38-96 per cent by 2050 and even a modest level of warming might lead to the extinction of the region's 200 alpine plant species.
Clean Energy action plan released
Bega District News
Friday 2/3/2007 Page: 2
THE community targets of 50 per cent reduction in energy consumption and 50 per cent adoption of renewable energy by 2020 have moved a step closer to reality in the Bega Valley Shire with the release of the Clean Energy Action Plan.
The report was commissioned by the community meeting in Bega last August at which more than 300 people voted unanimously to adopt the community targets of 50/50 by 2020 and called for a working group to be established.
The members are Bill Caldicott, David Hede, Sue Norman, Derek Povel, Philippa Rowland and Rodger Ubrihien. The Bega Clean Energy Working Group has now released its report to the community for feedback and endorsement.
The report makes 12 urgent recommendations to the community that range from practical suggestions for action on energy efficiency and renewable energy generation, through to opportunities for pilot projects in agriculture, education and other sectors.. Energy efficiency gains in the home or business are potentially the greatest single contribution a family or individual can make towards mitigating global warming.
These include simple changes such as switching off appliances, buying compact fluorescent light globes and using common sense to retrofit existing houses, saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.
The report says Bega Valley Shire has a history of leading the way in energy supply - being the first in the colony to have a municipal gasworks as early as 1885 and with the construction of the Brown Mountain Hydro station in 1943, and can be innovative again.
"Recent media attention has highlighted the need for urgent action to mitigate climate change and this report does not avoid the potentially disastrous effects of global warming. "The Bega Valley Shire cannot on its own turn climate change around. However with some support from our community, Bega Valley Shire can take a leading role in proving that ordinary citizens can tackle climate change and provide a national model of collective commitment and hope for other regional areas and the rest of the nation.
"The renewable energy industry is going to experience massive-growth, as recognition of the implications of climate change take hold. With commitment and ingenuity, 50/50 by 2020 has the potential to help rejuvenate our regional economy through renewable energy and energy efficiency projects." The Clean Energy Working Group hope the action plant will inspire and stimulate the community, business and government into action on climate change and help the shire meet these targets. "We hope this report motivates you to participate in 50/51J by 2020," they said.
For more information about the working group and copies of the report go to www.cleanenergyforeternity.net.au or collect one from your nearest Bega Valley Shire Council office or library.
Public meetings will be held to seek feedback and gather the community support needed for the next steps. The Bega meeting will be held at 6.30pm on Thursday, March 15, at the Bega RSL Club.
Friday 2/3/2007 Page: 2
THE community targets of 50 per cent reduction in energy consumption and 50 per cent adoption of renewable energy by 2020 have moved a step closer to reality in the Bega Valley Shire with the release of the Clean Energy Action Plan.
The report was commissioned by the community meeting in Bega last August at which more than 300 people voted unanimously to adopt the community targets of 50/50 by 2020 and called for a working group to be established.
The members are Bill Caldicott, David Hede, Sue Norman, Derek Povel, Philippa Rowland and Rodger Ubrihien. The Bega Clean Energy Working Group has now released its report to the community for feedback and endorsement.
The report makes 12 urgent recommendations to the community that range from practical suggestions for action on energy efficiency and renewable energy generation, through to opportunities for pilot projects in agriculture, education and other sectors.. Energy efficiency gains in the home or business are potentially the greatest single contribution a family or individual can make towards mitigating global warming.
These include simple changes such as switching off appliances, buying compact fluorescent light globes and using common sense to retrofit existing houses, saving money and reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.
The report says Bega Valley Shire has a history of leading the way in energy supply - being the first in the colony to have a municipal gasworks as early as 1885 and with the construction of the Brown Mountain Hydro station in 1943, and can be innovative again.
"Recent media attention has highlighted the need for urgent action to mitigate climate change and this report does not avoid the potentially disastrous effects of global warming. "The Bega Valley Shire cannot on its own turn climate change around. However with some support from our community, Bega Valley Shire can take a leading role in proving that ordinary citizens can tackle climate change and provide a national model of collective commitment and hope for other regional areas and the rest of the nation.
"The renewable energy industry is going to experience massive-growth, as recognition of the implications of climate change take hold. With commitment and ingenuity, 50/50 by 2020 has the potential to help rejuvenate our regional economy through renewable energy and energy efficiency projects." The Clean Energy Working Group hope the action plant will inspire and stimulate the community, business and government into action on climate change and help the shire meet these targets. "We hope this report motivates you to participate in 50/51J by 2020," they said.
For more information about the working group and copies of the report go to www.cleanenergyforeternity.net.au or collect one from your nearest Bega Valley Shire Council office or library.
Public meetings will be held to seek feedback and gather the community support needed for the next steps. The Bega meeting will be held at 6.30pm on Thursday, March 15, at the Bega RSL Club.
Green energy target eludes EU
Age
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 15
Europe splits on 20% renewables goal
EUROPEAN Union foreign ministers have failed to agree on whether to set binding targets for use of renewable energy sources, setting up a potential clash when European Union leaders meet this week. Diplomats said almost half the 27 member states opposed a drive by the EU's president, Germany, to fix a mandatory goal for solar, wind and hydro-electric power to back Europe's ambition to lead the world in fighting climate change.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said ministers had narrowed differences on other points but "the central point of difference is on the binding nature of the target for renewables. "This point remained open and will be decided at the summit on (Thursday and) Friday," he said.
Only Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Britain, Spain and Italy voiced strong support for a binding target of 20 per cent of energy consumption from renewables by 2020, diplomats said. France, heavily dependent on nuclear power, proposed setting a binding objective for "noncarbon and low-carbon energy", of which the renewables target would be just a part.
Dr Steinmeier said there was no agreement on that idea. Spanish European Affairs Minister Alberto Navarro said: "We think these are two different issues." Ministers endorsed an EU commitment to a 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions, rising to 30 per cent if other major industrialised and emerging powers join in. France and some other states are wary of binding renewables targets that would impinge on national strategies.
Some EU diplomats believe French President Jacques Chirac may yield in exchange for some recognition that France's nuclear power program helps cut carbon dioxide emissions. But endorsement of nuclear energy is hugely sensitive in countries such as Germany, which plans to phase it out, and Austria, which is nuclear-free.
A possible compromise, diplomats said, could be to make the 20 per cent renewables target binding on the EU as a whole but not on individual states and negotiate burden-sharing later. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said the EU should aim for something stronger than vague guidelines. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said binding targets would be a sign that the EU was serious. "Europe has to become greener and credibly so. So benchmarking and setting ourselves goals and ambitions explicitly is a reasonable instrument," Dr Plassnik said.
Underlining the difficulties, an independent audit of British climate change policies said Britain will fall short of a 30 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2020, not reaching that level till 2050, The Guardian reported. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett played down the differences on renewables and stressed the significance of the overall EU energy strategy. "It will be a huge turning point for the European Union if we get an agreement and a huge turning point for the world community," she said.
Wednesday 7/3/2007 Page: 15
Europe splits on 20% renewables goal
EUROPEAN Union foreign ministers have failed to agree on whether to set binding targets for use of renewable energy sources, setting up a potential clash when European Union leaders meet this week. Diplomats said almost half the 27 member states opposed a drive by the EU's president, Germany, to fix a mandatory goal for solar, wind and hydro-electric power to back Europe's ambition to lead the world in fighting climate change.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said ministers had narrowed differences on other points but "the central point of difference is on the binding nature of the target for renewables. "This point remained open and will be decided at the summit on (Thursday and) Friday," he said.
Only Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Britain, Spain and Italy voiced strong support for a binding target of 20 per cent of energy consumption from renewables by 2020, diplomats said. France, heavily dependent on nuclear power, proposed setting a binding objective for "noncarbon and low-carbon energy", of which the renewables target would be just a part.
Dr Steinmeier said there was no agreement on that idea. Spanish European Affairs Minister Alberto Navarro said: "We think these are two different issues." Ministers endorsed an EU commitment to a 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions, rising to 30 per cent if other major industrialised and emerging powers join in. France and some other states are wary of binding renewables targets that would impinge on national strategies.
Some EU diplomats believe French President Jacques Chirac may yield in exchange for some recognition that France's nuclear power program helps cut carbon dioxide emissions. But endorsement of nuclear energy is hugely sensitive in countries such as Germany, which plans to phase it out, and Austria, which is nuclear-free.
A possible compromise, diplomats said, could be to make the 20 per cent renewables target binding on the EU as a whole but not on individual states and negotiate burden-sharing later. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said the EU should aim for something stronger than vague guidelines. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said binding targets would be a sign that the EU was serious. "Europe has to become greener and credibly so. So benchmarking and setting ourselves goals and ambitions explicitly is a reasonable instrument," Dr Plassnik said.
Underlining the difficulties, an independent audit of British climate change policies said Britain will fall short of a 30 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2020, not reaching that level till 2050, The Guardian reported. British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett played down the differences on renewables and stressed the significance of the overall EU energy strategy. "It will be a huge turning point for the European Union if we get an agreement and a huge turning point for the world community," she said.
Austin Named #1 Cleantech City in U.S.
Source: GreenBiz.com
San Francisco, Calif., March 1, 2007
With the current instability in energy prices and growing concern about global warming, the field of clean technology - everything from biofuels to green chemistry to renewable energy - is quickly becoming a hot investment topic.
SustainLane Government, an online resource center that offers sustainability tips to state and local government, has ranked the five U.S. cities that are hotbeds for the influx of cleantech capital, deep R&D, and real-world opportunities for field-testing and prototyping.
Austin, Texas, home to seven start-ups developing technologies like internet-controlled irrigation and wind and geothermal energy technologies, stands out as the leading city for cleantech investments. Austin features the Clean Energy Incubator, a university- and government-funded project to help clean energy companies grow, and the city also leads the field with combined venture capital, an R&D partnership through the University of Texas, and active incubator collaboration with city-owned Austin Energy for testing new Cleantech technologies.
The other cities in SustainLane's top-five rankings are:
2. San Jose, Calif. Draws upon strong existing Silicon Valley semiconductor engineering base and IT venture networks. Focus is on solar energy and nanotechnology.
3. Berkeley, Calif. With a new $500 million biofuels research center funded by British Petroleum at the University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley also hosts the federal Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
4. Pasadena, Calif. The home of California Institute of Technology also features NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and an active network of angel investors backing a broad range of renewable energy start-ups.
5. Greater Boston, Mass. With state-funded renewable technology grants and dozens of regionally based start-ups, Cambridge's Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) appears to be the epicenter of a potent metro-area cluster.
Runners-up cities included San Francisco, New York, Seattle, San Diego and Houston.
"These regions promise to be new economic power centers for the rest of the century," said SustainLane CEO James Elsen. "It all starts with cities attracting the money, brains and the means for Cleantech innovation on a massive scale."
SustainLane defines Cleantech by the following criteria:
The ideal model for a Cleantech incubation cluster integrates venture capital and investor network access, including mentoring, with academic or federal research lab collaboration and active local government participation (field testing, prototyping and incentives).
Cleantech is gaining rapid acceptance as a defined investment category amongst venture capital firms. In 2006, Cleantech companies received a record $2.9 billion in the United States out of $25.5 billion investments, according to CleanTech Ventures.
San Francisco, Calif., March 1, 2007
With the current instability in energy prices and growing concern about global warming, the field of clean technology - everything from biofuels to green chemistry to renewable energy - is quickly becoming a hot investment topic.
SustainLane Government, an online resource center that offers sustainability tips to state and local government, has ranked the five U.S. cities that are hotbeds for the influx of cleantech capital, deep R&D, and real-world opportunities for field-testing and prototyping.
Austin, Texas, home to seven start-ups developing technologies like internet-controlled irrigation and wind and geothermal energy technologies, stands out as the leading city for cleantech investments. Austin features the Clean Energy Incubator, a university- and government-funded project to help clean energy companies grow, and the city also leads the field with combined venture capital, an R&D partnership through the University of Texas, and active incubator collaboration with city-owned Austin Energy for testing new Cleantech technologies.
The other cities in SustainLane's top-five rankings are:
2. San Jose, Calif. Draws upon strong existing Silicon Valley semiconductor engineering base and IT venture networks. Focus is on solar energy and nanotechnology.
3. Berkeley, Calif. With a new $500 million biofuels research center funded by British Petroleum at the University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley also hosts the federal Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
4. Pasadena, Calif. The home of California Institute of Technology also features NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and an active network of angel investors backing a broad range of renewable energy start-ups.
5. Greater Boston, Mass. With state-funded renewable technology grants and dozens of regionally based start-ups, Cambridge's Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) appears to be the epicenter of a potent metro-area cluster.
Runners-up cities included San Francisco, New York, Seattle, San Diego and Houston.
"These regions promise to be new economic power centers for the rest of the century," said SustainLane CEO James Elsen. "It all starts with cities attracting the money, brains and the means for Cleantech innovation on a massive scale."
SustainLane defines Cleantech by the following criteria:
- Energy generation, management, storage, and energy efficiency, including solar, wind, geothermal, fuel cells and hydrogen.
- Advanced transportation technologies and biofuels.
- Materials and Green Building, including advanced materials and engineering approaches, materials recovery.
- Water and air-related technologies.
The ideal model for a Cleantech incubation cluster integrates venture capital and investor network access, including mentoring, with academic or federal research lab collaboration and active local government participation (field testing, prototyping and incentives).
Cleantech is gaining rapid acceptance as a defined investment category amongst venture capital firms. In 2006, Cleantech companies received a record $2.9 billion in the United States out of $25.5 billion investments, according to CleanTech Ventures.
Tuesday, 6 March 2007
Australia's largest windfarm working
Circular Head Chronicle
Wednesday 28/2/2007 Page: 5
THE ALMOST completed Studland Bay windfarm at Woolnorth began generating electricity on Monday.
"We've got 20 of the 25 turbines fully erected and we are now commissioning the 20 that we've got erected," said Roaring 40s senior project manager Michael Gilmore. At the moment we have three that are fully operational." A fourth turbine will be commissioned today, with the aim have one more turbine operational each day.
"We are actually producing clean, green electricity for the Tasmanian grid from this new windfarm. We're targeting for the end of March to have them all fully operational," Mr Gilmore said.
"That will be 75 megawatts, which is in rough terms is enough to do somewhere around 40,000 houses." After the work is completed the farm enters its operational and maintenance phase. Four people will be permanently employed on the site to maintain the facility. "The turbines themselves are all state of the art, we have to do a number maintenance runs a year," Mr Gilmore said.
Workers walked onto the site on January 9, 2006, so the project has taken just over a year to complete. Mr Gilmore said this was making good time, considering strong winds over the past few months halted construction at times.
"That's just over a year from a greenfield paddock to a completed windfarm," he said. "That's quite good time. When you consider the weather, the wind has a major effect." Mr Gilmore said overall, the company and the workforce has enjoyed working in Circular Head. Visiting workers have made friends locally and local businesses have been supportive.
"It's always a pleasure to work in rural Australia. We obviously do all of our work in rural areas. The people are terrific. "We've been working in Smithton now since 2000 and we've built up great relationships with the local community," he said.
When added to the stage one development of Woolnorth, Bluff Point, Roaring 40s' wind energy installation in Circular Head will be the largest wind farm in Australia, at 140 megawatts in total. In addition to this, the 3MW wind turbine generators being utilised at Studland Bay are the largest in the southern hemisphere.
Wednesday 28/2/2007 Page: 5
THE ALMOST completed Studland Bay windfarm at Woolnorth began generating electricity on Monday.
"We've got 20 of the 25 turbines fully erected and we are now commissioning the 20 that we've got erected," said Roaring 40s senior project manager Michael Gilmore. At the moment we have three that are fully operational." A fourth turbine will be commissioned today, with the aim have one more turbine operational each day.
"We are actually producing clean, green electricity for the Tasmanian grid from this new windfarm. We're targeting for the end of March to have them all fully operational," Mr Gilmore said.
"That will be 75 megawatts, which is in rough terms is enough to do somewhere around 40,000 houses." After the work is completed the farm enters its operational and maintenance phase. Four people will be permanently employed on the site to maintain the facility. "The turbines themselves are all state of the art, we have to do a number maintenance runs a year," Mr Gilmore said.
Workers walked onto the site on January 9, 2006, so the project has taken just over a year to complete. Mr Gilmore said this was making good time, considering strong winds over the past few months halted construction at times.
"That's just over a year from a greenfield paddock to a completed windfarm," he said. "That's quite good time. When you consider the weather, the wind has a major effect." Mr Gilmore said overall, the company and the workforce has enjoyed working in Circular Head. Visiting workers have made friends locally and local businesses have been supportive.
"It's always a pleasure to work in rural Australia. We obviously do all of our work in rural areas. The people are terrific. "We've been working in Smithton now since 2000 and we've built up great relationships with the local community," he said.
When added to the stage one development of Woolnorth, Bluff Point, Roaring 40s' wind energy installation in Circular Head will be the largest wind farm in Australia, at 140 megawatts in total. In addition to this, the 3MW wind turbine generators being utilised at Studland Bay are the largest in the southern hemisphere.
Chinese visitors settle in to Smithton
Circular Head Chronicle
Wednesday 28/2/2007 Page: 4
FOUR representatives of one of the biggest power generating companies in China are enjoying an extended stay in Smithton, as part of a trip to learn about the Studland Bay windfarm. Rui Jianwei, Zhu Xiaosong, Zhang Weiqi and Zhang Zhongyuan are representatives of Guohau (Tongliao) Wind Power Co Ltd, and are being hosted by Roaring 40s, who hope to do business with their company.
"It's a really big market in China. The renewable energy sector is growing enormously," said Roaring 40s senior project manager Michael Gilmore. "They've come over to Studland Bay to see how we operate and we send people over to China to see how they operate.
"We hope to do lots of business with these people." China has massive energy needs, and the country is keen to embrace all kinds of power generation to meet them, including renewables. China has a number of renewable energy sources, including wind, hydro, solar and bio-mass.
The men have been in Smithton for three weeks and will stay until March 10. Mr Gilmore said the local community has been welcoming especially Billy Liang, owner of the Jade Dragon Chinese restaurant.
Saturday January 17 was Chinese new year, a very important day in the Chinese calendar. Mr Liang invited the men to a special dinner at the Jade Dragon to celebrate. It was the first time any of the visitors had been away from friends and family for Chinese new year. "It was nice that Billy put on a banquet for them," Mr Gilmore said.
The men said they loved Tasmania and its natural beauty, and described it as "very beautiful and peaceful". So far they have visited Cradle Mountain, Stanley and Hobart and will travel to Launceston. Staying in a small town has been a shock for the men, three of whom are from Beijing, a city of 15 million.
Wednesday 28/2/2007 Page: 4
FOUR representatives of one of the biggest power generating companies in China are enjoying an extended stay in Smithton, as part of a trip to learn about the Studland Bay windfarm. Rui Jianwei, Zhu Xiaosong, Zhang Weiqi and Zhang Zhongyuan are representatives of Guohau (Tongliao) Wind Power Co Ltd, and are being hosted by Roaring 40s, who hope to do business with their company.
"It's a really big market in China. The renewable energy sector is growing enormously," said Roaring 40s senior project manager Michael Gilmore. "They've come over to Studland Bay to see how we operate and we send people over to China to see how they operate.
"We hope to do lots of business with these people." China has massive energy needs, and the country is keen to embrace all kinds of power generation to meet them, including renewables. China has a number of renewable energy sources, including wind, hydro, solar and bio-mass.
The men have been in Smithton for three weeks and will stay until March 10. Mr Gilmore said the local community has been welcoming especially Billy Liang, owner of the Jade Dragon Chinese restaurant.
Saturday January 17 was Chinese new year, a very important day in the Chinese calendar. Mr Liang invited the men to a special dinner at the Jade Dragon to celebrate. It was the first time any of the visitors had been away from friends and family for Chinese new year. "It was nice that Billy put on a banquet for them," Mr Gilmore said.
The men said they loved Tasmania and its natural beauty, and described it as "very beautiful and peaceful". So far they have visited Cradle Mountain, Stanley and Hobart and will travel to Launceston. Staying in a small town has been a shock for the men, three of whom are from Beijing, a city of 15 million.
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