Age
21 February 2011, Page: 12
THE article "Climate cash up in smoke" (The Age, 15/2), showing the high cost of government greenhouse abatement programs, presented a picture of waste and expense. Unfortunately, it focused on the direct costs to government, and ignored benefits such as savings on energy costs.
The government's major industry energy efficiency program has been authoritatively costed at less than minus $100 a tonne of CO₂ avoided, while the appliance efficiency program has been costed at under minus $20. This means the community actually makes money: businesses are saving a lot of money on their energy bills. The amount of money saved far exceeds the cost of running the program and the businesses making the required investment.
Some programs reviewed are expensive but are seen as having other worthwhile objectives., , The renewable energy target aims to build a renewable energy industry. Its cost should be compared with subsidies to the car industry, not just the cost of reducing emissions.
Alan Pears, RMIT University
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Energy prices set to climb
Age
21 February 2011, Page: 8
ELECTRICITY and gas prices are set to soar with or without a carbon price a study has found. The Australian Industry Group says by 2015 electricity will be more than double its 2008 price and that eastern states' gas prices will eventually climb to international levels after an initial drop. "One of the factors keeping Australian gas prices relatively low has been our isolation from world gas markets", the report says.
"However once the infrastructure is in place to liquefy gas for export, domestic wholesale prices will increasingly converge with global prices as has already happened in Western Australia". The report said there would be a large supply of gas on the domestic market while four large LNG export projects were being built in Queensland. "Thus while in the medium term LNG exports will raise domestic gas prices, in the short term prices may be depressed substantially".
The report finds coal fired power will become more expensive whether or not Australia gets a carbon price as international prices for Australian coal climb. Paradoxically, weak international climate change policies could push Australian coal prices still higher. An "investment drought" has made new investment in generators urgent, but without clarity about when or how Australia will get a carbon price, investors are likely to err on the short run, more expensive and less carbon efficient solutions.
In what it says is a "sobering" finding, the study reports that two thirds of Australian Industry Group (AI Group) members surveyed have made no improvements in their energy efficiency over the past five years. A further 7% have gone backwards. More than half expect to make no improvement in the two years ahead, a finding the group says suggests energy efficiency "is not currently a high priority". "This is a worrying result", said AI Group chief executive Heather Ridout.
21 February 2011, Page: 8
ELECTRICITY and gas prices are set to soar with or without a carbon price a study has found. The Australian Industry Group says by 2015 electricity will be more than double its 2008 price and that eastern states' gas prices will eventually climb to international levels after an initial drop. "One of the factors keeping Australian gas prices relatively low has been our isolation from world gas markets", the report says.
"However once the infrastructure is in place to liquefy gas for export, domestic wholesale prices will increasingly converge with global prices as has already happened in Western Australia". The report said there would be a large supply of gas on the domestic market while four large LNG export projects were being built in Queensland. "Thus while in the medium term LNG exports will raise domestic gas prices, in the short term prices may be depressed substantially".
The report finds coal fired power will become more expensive whether or not Australia gets a carbon price as international prices for Australian coal climb. Paradoxically, weak international climate change policies could push Australian coal prices still higher. An "investment drought" has made new investment in generators urgent, but without clarity about when or how Australia will get a carbon price, investors are likely to err on the short run, more expensive and less carbon efficient solutions.
In what it says is a "sobering" finding, the study reports that two thirds of Australian Industry Group (AI Group) members surveyed have made no improvements in their energy efficiency over the past five years. A further 7% have gone backwards. More than half expect to make no improvement in the two years ahead, a finding the group says suggests energy efficiency "is not currently a high priority". "This is a worrying result", said AI Group chief executive Heather Ridout.
Power plant plan stalls over design
www.theage.com.au
February 21, 2011
A PROPOSAL for a new coal fuelled power plant for the Latrobe Valley has stalled as the company behind the plan fails to answer Environment Protection Authority questions about its design. Melbourne coal technology company HRL last year submitted, withdrew and re submitted an application to build a plant at Morwell using new gasification technology said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired electricity.
In early December the EPA asked for more information about the $750 million proposal's gasification technology, emissions and noise levels. A final response was expected in January but had not been received by Friday. EPA chief executive John Merritt told The Age the authority was doing everything it could to make the right decision. ''We know this is a contentious decision,'' he said. ''We have progressively been seeking information to help us [decide] and some of that is still outstanding.''
The proposal for the 600 MW demonstration plant sparked a debate over whether technology with emissions lower than brown coal but roughly equivalent to a modern black coal plant should be developed, given the state's target of a 20% emissions cut by 2020. The EPA received more than 4000 submissions on the proposal, most of them opposed to it.
If the plant is approved, green groups plan a legal challenge to test the EPA's interpretation of the emissions limit for new power plants 0.8 tonnes of CO₂ per MW of electricity generated introduced by the former Labor government. The challenge would also test whether the proposal qualifies as best practice.
Environment Victoria campaigns director Mark Wakeham said consideration of whether the project was best practice should compare it with all baseload power options, not just coal. ''The EPA is consistently talking about how it wants to be a regulator with muscle,'' he said. ''Here is an opportunity to demonstrate that it will only consider genuine best practice proposals.'' HRL spokeswoman Maria Brejcha said the company was going through the usual EPA process and directed questions about the application to the authority.
Announced in 2006, the HRL project won $100 million in federal funding and $50 million in state funding based on a 2009 start date. After several delays, it appeared to gain momentum in September with the announcement it had signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with a Chinese company. Energy Minister Michael O'Brien said the government would maintain Labor's support of the HRL project. He said it was committed to backing ''clean coal'' technologies as a way to help the environment and support jobs in the Latrobe Valley.
February 21, 2011
A PROPOSAL for a new coal fuelled power plant for the Latrobe Valley has stalled as the company behind the plan fails to answer Environment Protection Authority questions about its design. Melbourne coal technology company HRL last year submitted, withdrew and re submitted an application to build a plant at Morwell using new gasification technology said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from coal fired electricity.
In early December the EPA asked for more information about the $750 million proposal's gasification technology, emissions and noise levels. A final response was expected in January but had not been received by Friday. EPA chief executive John Merritt told The Age the authority was doing everything it could to make the right decision. ''We know this is a contentious decision,'' he said. ''We have progressively been seeking information to help us [decide] and some of that is still outstanding.''
The proposal for the 600 MW demonstration plant sparked a debate over whether technology with emissions lower than brown coal but roughly equivalent to a modern black coal plant should be developed, given the state's target of a 20% emissions cut by 2020. The EPA received more than 4000 submissions on the proposal, most of them opposed to it.
If the plant is approved, green groups plan a legal challenge to test the EPA's interpretation of the emissions limit for new power plants 0.8 tonnes of CO₂ per MW of electricity generated introduced by the former Labor government. The challenge would also test whether the proposal qualifies as best practice.
Environment Victoria campaigns director Mark Wakeham said consideration of whether the project was best practice should compare it with all baseload power options, not just coal. ''The EPA is consistently talking about how it wants to be a regulator with muscle,'' he said. ''Here is an opportunity to demonstrate that it will only consider genuine best practice proposals.'' HRL spokeswoman Maria Brejcha said the company was going through the usual EPA process and directed questions about the application to the authority.
Announced in 2006, the HRL project won $100 million in federal funding and $50 million in state funding based on a 2009 start date. After several delays, it appeared to gain momentum in September with the announcement it had signed an engineering, procurement and construction contract with a Chinese company. Energy Minister Michael O'Brien said the government would maintain Labor's support of the HRL project. He said it was committed to backing ''clean coal'' technologies as a way to help the environment and support jobs in the Latrobe Valley.
Sunny Coast warms to solar farm plan
Courier Mail
18 February 2011, Page: 16
THE Sunshine Coast has been earmarked for Queensland's biggest solar farm and a bright future as a green energy producer. A development application has been lodged for a 50,000 panel solar park on former caneland at Valdora. The local firm behind the bid, Energy Parks Australia, is planning a roll out of similar facilities across the region that eventually will help cut electricity bills.
Energy Parks Australia director Jason Hague said the $40 million Valdora park would feed enough power into the grid for 2500 homes. Mr Hague, also a town planner, said the clean energy could be sold to energy providers, or retailed to individual businesses or residents. He said three or four large solar farms being established by other companies were being developed in New South Wales, while another was under construction in Western Australia. "This is the future. We are planning several more on the Sunshine Coast and believe the model could be used in other regional areas such as Ipswich, Hervey Bay and Gympie", he said.
Mr Hague said projections showed that in three or four years, green power would be the same price as "black power". From that point on, however, it would plateau while power from burning coal continued to soar. "If we want to change the way we operate and live up to the vision of being Australia's most sustainable region, we need to embrace the technology available and do so on a scale that has real impact", he said. The solar panels at Valdora will span 20ha of caneland with the surrounding 30ha rehabilitated as green space.
Sunshine Coast Council's manager of planning assessment, Michael Bismire, said the council had met with Energy Parks Australia to discuss the project and help ensure its submission was of a high quality. In another green investment coup, the State Government yesterday revealed it had attracted a leading solar manufacturing company to build a cutting edge facility on the Gold Coast.
Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development Andrew Fraser said that with the support of the Queensland Investment Incentive Scheme, Eco Kinetics would build a new plant to assemble photovoltaic modules and manufactured mounting kits at Stapylton. He said the facility, possibly the first of its kind in Australia, was set to create hundreds of jobs.
18 February 2011, Page: 16
THE Sunshine Coast has been earmarked for Queensland's biggest solar farm and a bright future as a green energy producer. A development application has been lodged for a 50,000 panel solar park on former caneland at Valdora. The local firm behind the bid, Energy Parks Australia, is planning a roll out of similar facilities across the region that eventually will help cut electricity bills.
Energy Parks Australia director Jason Hague said the $40 million Valdora park would feed enough power into the grid for 2500 homes. Mr Hague, also a town planner, said the clean energy could be sold to energy providers, or retailed to individual businesses or residents. He said three or four large solar farms being established by other companies were being developed in New South Wales, while another was under construction in Western Australia. "This is the future. We are planning several more on the Sunshine Coast and believe the model could be used in other regional areas such as Ipswich, Hervey Bay and Gympie", he said.
Mr Hague said projections showed that in three or four years, green power would be the same price as "black power". From that point on, however, it would plateau while power from burning coal continued to soar. "If we want to change the way we operate and live up to the vision of being Australia's most sustainable region, we need to embrace the technology available and do so on a scale that has real impact", he said. The solar panels at Valdora will span 20ha of caneland with the surrounding 30ha rehabilitated as green space.
Sunshine Coast Council's manager of planning assessment, Michael Bismire, said the council had met with Energy Parks Australia to discuss the project and help ensure its submission was of a high quality. In another green investment coup, the State Government yesterday revealed it had attracted a leading solar manufacturing company to build a cutting edge facility on the Gold Coast.
Treasurer and Minister for Employment and Economic Development Andrew Fraser said that with the support of the Queensland Investment Incentive Scheme, Eco Kinetics would build a new plant to assemble photovoltaic modules and manufactured mounting kits at Stapylton. He said the facility, possibly the first of its kind in Australia, was set to create hundreds of jobs.
Solar and wind power crucial for climate future
Canberra Times
18 February 2011, Page: 19
A carbon price alone can't solve all the big energy needs, Mike Sandiford writes
Today at Parliament House, the Gillard Government's Multi Party Climate Change Committee will meet to continue its work developing a national carbon pricing policy. Given that Australia's carbon emissions are heading in the wrong direction, these efforts are of increased importance. Recently released analysis from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency estimates that in 2020, our economy will emit 24% more carbon than in 2000.
Australia needs a coherent climate and energy policy to arrest its ballooning carbon emissions. It was encouraging to see the Gillard Government quickly assemble the Multi Party Climate Change Committee. Achieving a price on carbon is an important tool in the policy toolbox and should be implemented. But a carbon price alone can't solve the enormous challenge of decarbonising Australia.
Geology provides awesome testament to the scale of the globe's climate and energy challenges. Plate tectonics, the process that pushes continents around over geological timescales making mountains and earthquakes, releases a vast amount of energy 44 trillion Watts is the best estimate. While that figure is vast, it is only a few times the 16 trillion Watts humans use to power civilisation. With human energy use doubling every 34 years, our power consumption is on course to overtake the earth's by about 2060.
To decarbonise, Australia must shift from fossil fuel energy sources, such as coal, gas and oil, and move towards renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. With this in mind, the speed at which our energy system is transformed might be considered the key metric for assessing the effectiveness of national climate change and energy policies.
There is, in fact, no shortage of potential renewable energy sources. Effectively converting about 0.06% of the solar power that hits the global land surface would meet the entire global energy demand. Australia's geography and arid climate mean we would need to capture only a tenth of that. Wind is in shorter supply, but the land based resource still exceeds global energy demand by a factor of almost 10.
The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan, jointly published by the Melbourne Energy Institute and climate solutions think tank Beyond Zero Emissions, demonstrates the technical feasibility of powering Australia with 100% renewable energy. This study shows how off the shelf technologies could deliver a national renewable energy system, and that such a system could be built on a time scale of as little as 10 years. Newly appointed Climate Change Commissioner Tim Flannery said the work was "an ambitious, technically feasible plan that should be looked at seriously".
Concentrating solar thermal power with molten salt storage forms the backbone of this renewable energy system. Baseload electricity producing solar towers and wind farms would be built throughout Australia, using our nation's vast renewable resources to power homes and businesses. Geographically dispersed production spreading out renewable energy farms so as not to rely on weather conditions in one area can improve energy stability and security. And our nation continent, stretching across climate and time zones, appears ready made for such a system.
Currently, advanced solar thermal power with storage capable of providing a smooth supply over day and night is about four times more expensive than the cheapest coal fired power. But the cost for new technologies always reduces as the scale increases. A 2003 report by United States based power company Sargent & Lundy anticipated that solar costs would achieve parity with fossil fuels, assuming modest incentives to stimulate market expansion.
A price on carbon will narrow the price gap between fossil fuels and renewables, but any likely carbon price will not yet make large scale solar competitive. In the interim, additional incentives will be needed to achieve anticipated cost curve reductions (such as feed in tariffs). It is not clear that Prime Minister Julia Gillard is open to these measures given her latest policy shifts on green technology investments.
Australia has the potential to be the hub of a renewable energy export industry powering the homes, industry and electric car fleets of our region. Technologies already exist to move electricity thousands of kilometres over high voltage, direct current grids. An integrated southern Asian renewable energy system could secure an Australian energy export industry for centuries to come, much longer than the decades left in our export coal reserves. And then there are the potential benefits of exporting clean tech components and intellectual property.
With burgeoning electricity demand across southern Asia, there is growing interest from our neighbours in the renewable energy potential of our deserts. The Zero Carbon Australia plan provides a big vision for Australia as a renewable energy superpower. But a big vision is precisely what is needed. I hope today's discussions on climate policy start the conversation about how to make this vision a reality.
Professor Sandiford is director of the University of Melbourne's Energy Research Institute.
18 February 2011, Page: 19
A carbon price alone can't solve all the big energy needs, Mike Sandiford writes
Today at Parliament House, the Gillard Government's Multi Party Climate Change Committee will meet to continue its work developing a national carbon pricing policy. Given that Australia's carbon emissions are heading in the wrong direction, these efforts are of increased importance. Recently released analysis from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency estimates that in 2020, our economy will emit 24% more carbon than in 2000.
Australia needs a coherent climate and energy policy to arrest its ballooning carbon emissions. It was encouraging to see the Gillard Government quickly assemble the Multi Party Climate Change Committee. Achieving a price on carbon is an important tool in the policy toolbox and should be implemented. But a carbon price alone can't solve the enormous challenge of decarbonising Australia.
Geology provides awesome testament to the scale of the globe's climate and energy challenges. Plate tectonics, the process that pushes continents around over geological timescales making mountains and earthquakes, releases a vast amount of energy 44 trillion Watts is the best estimate. While that figure is vast, it is only a few times the 16 trillion Watts humans use to power civilisation. With human energy use doubling every 34 years, our power consumption is on course to overtake the earth's by about 2060.
To decarbonise, Australia must shift from fossil fuel energy sources, such as coal, gas and oil, and move towards renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. With this in mind, the speed at which our energy system is transformed might be considered the key metric for assessing the effectiveness of national climate change and energy policies.
There is, in fact, no shortage of potential renewable energy sources. Effectively converting about 0.06% of the solar power that hits the global land surface would meet the entire global energy demand. Australia's geography and arid climate mean we would need to capture only a tenth of that. Wind is in shorter supply, but the land based resource still exceeds global energy demand by a factor of almost 10.
The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan, jointly published by the Melbourne Energy Institute and climate solutions think tank Beyond Zero Emissions, demonstrates the technical feasibility of powering Australia with 100% renewable energy. This study shows how off the shelf technologies could deliver a national renewable energy system, and that such a system could be built on a time scale of as little as 10 years. Newly appointed Climate Change Commissioner Tim Flannery said the work was "an ambitious, technically feasible plan that should be looked at seriously".
Concentrating solar thermal power with molten salt storage forms the backbone of this renewable energy system. Baseload electricity producing solar towers and wind farms would be built throughout Australia, using our nation's vast renewable resources to power homes and businesses. Geographically dispersed production spreading out renewable energy farms so as not to rely on weather conditions in one area can improve energy stability and security. And our nation continent, stretching across climate and time zones, appears ready made for such a system.
Currently, advanced solar thermal power with storage capable of providing a smooth supply over day and night is about four times more expensive than the cheapest coal fired power. But the cost for new technologies always reduces as the scale increases. A 2003 report by United States based power company Sargent & Lundy anticipated that solar costs would achieve parity with fossil fuels, assuming modest incentives to stimulate market expansion.
A price on carbon will narrow the price gap between fossil fuels and renewables, but any likely carbon price will not yet make large scale solar competitive. In the interim, additional incentives will be needed to achieve anticipated cost curve reductions (such as feed in tariffs). It is not clear that Prime Minister Julia Gillard is open to these measures given her latest policy shifts on green technology investments.
Australia has the potential to be the hub of a renewable energy export industry powering the homes, industry and electric car fleets of our region. Technologies already exist to move electricity thousands of kilometres over high voltage, direct current grids. An integrated southern Asian renewable energy system could secure an Australian energy export industry for centuries to come, much longer than the decades left in our export coal reserves. And then there are the potential benefits of exporting clean tech components and intellectual property.
With burgeoning electricity demand across southern Asia, there is growing interest from our neighbours in the renewable energy potential of our deserts. The Zero Carbon Australia plan provides a big vision for Australia as a renewable energy superpower. But a big vision is precisely what is needed. I hope today's discussions on climate policy start the conversation about how to make this vision a reality.
Professor Sandiford is director of the University of Melbourne's Energy Research Institute.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
Ceres commences wall hung fuel cell boiler trial
www.oilfiredup.com
19th February 2011
fuel-cell manufacturer, Ceres Power Holdings plc has commenced commercial field trials of its wall‐mounted Combined Heat and Power (CHP) boiler in occupied homes.
Following receipt of European type approval, an operating fuel-cell CHP product generating heat and power has now been installed in the family home of a British Gas customer in South East England. The field trials programme will continue throughout 2011 and into 2012 with Ceres Power' CHP products being deployed in a wide range of homes across the UK. In addition, there is an extensive on‐going testing programme of CHP products and components at the Ceres Power' test facilities.
The first wave of CHP products is being installed in consumers' homes during the first quarter of 2011, with the second wave of products incorporating valuable in‐field experience to follow six months later. The final wave of at least 150 field trial CHP products will take place in 2012 to test the Company's ability to scale‐up for initial product sales and volume launch with British Gas.
The Ceres Power fuel-cell CHP product operates on mains natural gas and can generate all of the heating and hot water and the majority of the electricity needs of a typical UK home. The CHP boilers for the field trials are being manufactured using volume‐capable processes, with the fuel-cells at the heart of the product being produced at the Ceres Power factory in Horsham, whilst CHP boiler assembly is taking place in Holland.
Peter Bance, Chief Executive Officer of Ceres Power, says "We have made enormous progress in the development of our product over the past few months and the start of commercial field trials is a major milestone in Ceres Power's development. I am delighted that our unique wall‐ mounted fuel-cell CHP product is now being installed in consumers' homes and look forward to selling the product in conjunction with British Gas."
The field trials are being conducted in partnership with British Gas. Under the contract with Ceres Power, British Gas is paying £5 million to the Company in staged milestone payments and has also placed a forward order to purchase in aggregate a minimum of 37,500 CHP products on an escalating basis. Ceres Power will give an update on its British Gas residential CHP programme at the Company's Interim Results to be presented next month.
19th February 2011
fuel-cell manufacturer, Ceres Power Holdings plc has commenced commercial field trials of its wall‐mounted Combined Heat and Power (CHP) boiler in occupied homes.
Following receipt of European type approval, an operating fuel-cell CHP product generating heat and power has now been installed in the family home of a British Gas customer in South East England. The field trials programme will continue throughout 2011 and into 2012 with Ceres Power' CHP products being deployed in a wide range of homes across the UK. In addition, there is an extensive on‐going testing programme of CHP products and components at the Ceres Power' test facilities.
The first wave of CHP products is being installed in consumers' homes during the first quarter of 2011, with the second wave of products incorporating valuable in‐field experience to follow six months later. The final wave of at least 150 field trial CHP products will take place in 2012 to test the Company's ability to scale‐up for initial product sales and volume launch with British Gas.
The Ceres Power fuel-cell CHP product operates on mains natural gas and can generate all of the heating and hot water and the majority of the electricity needs of a typical UK home. The CHP boilers for the field trials are being manufactured using volume‐capable processes, with the fuel-cells at the heart of the product being produced at the Ceres Power factory in Horsham, whilst CHP boiler assembly is taking place in Holland.
Peter Bance, Chief Executive Officer of Ceres Power, says "We have made enormous progress in the development of our product over the past few months and the start of commercial field trials is a major milestone in Ceres Power's development. I am delighted that our unique wall‐ mounted fuel-cell CHP product is now being installed in consumers' homes and look forward to selling the product in conjunction with British Gas."
The field trials are being conducted in partnership with British Gas. Under the contract with Ceres Power, British Gas is paying £5 million to the Company in staged milestone payments and has also placed a forward order to purchase in aggregate a minimum of 37,500 CHP products on an escalating basis. Ceres Power will give an update on its British Gas residential CHP programme at the Company's Interim Results to be presented next month.
Salpointe unveils 23.5-kilowatt solar power array
azstarnet.com
February 19, 2011
Salpointe Catholic High School flipped the switch Friday on the largest solar power array of any local high school. The 23.5 kW system comprises 150 photovoltaic panels mounted atop Salpointe's Alumni Hall, 1545 E. Copper St., and on the roof of the Corcoran Theater. The photovoltaic system, valued at $118,344, was donated by Solar Ventures LLC and installed by Tucson's Industrial Solar LLC. The system is the largest school based system connected to the electrical grid of Tucson Electric Power Co., TEP said.
Instead of flat solar panels, the Salpointe system uses a tubular design made by California based Solyndra Inc. The thin film photovoltaic cells are mounted inside long glass tubes to gather both direct and reflected sunlight, said Philip Lacovara, co owner of Industrial Solar and Solar Ventures.
The tubes lie flat on the roof, so they are unseen from the ground and don't compromise the aesthetics of the school's 1950s architecture, said Lacovara, who also is president of Salpointe's board of directors. The system is expected to meet about 2% of Salpointe's energy needs, saving the school about $170,000 over 30 years.
February 19, 2011
Salpointe Catholic High School flipped the switch Friday on the largest solar power array of any local high school. The 23.5 kW system comprises 150 photovoltaic panels mounted atop Salpointe's Alumni Hall, 1545 E. Copper St., and on the roof of the Corcoran Theater. The photovoltaic system, valued at $118,344, was donated by Solar Ventures LLC and installed by Tucson's Industrial Solar LLC. The system is the largest school based system connected to the electrical grid of Tucson Electric Power Co., TEP said.Instead of flat solar panels, the Salpointe system uses a tubular design made by California based Solyndra Inc. The thin film photovoltaic cells are mounted inside long glass tubes to gather both direct and reflected sunlight, said Philip Lacovara, co owner of Industrial Solar and Solar Ventures.
The tubes lie flat on the roof, so they are unseen from the ground and don't compromise the aesthetics of the school's 1950s architecture, said Lacovara, who also is president of Salpointe's board of directors. The system is expected to meet about 2% of Salpointe's energy needs, saving the school about $170,000 over 30 years.
Wind energy resources potential at 350,000 MW
pakobserver.net
22 February 2011
Islamabad Pakistan can generate over 350,000 MW electricity through only wind power against the country's total demand of about 21,000 MW peak summer, necessitating solid steps to explore the potential.
Official sources in Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) told APP that the country has numerous resources to get energy and over 50,000 MW energy could be generated only in Gharo Keti Bandar corridor where average wind speed is more than seven meter per second. They said the corridor has potential twice of India and other sites in Balochistan, Punjab, and Northern Area which are being identified for power generation.
The sources said Pakistan has amongst the world highest and fastest rising urbanization and electricity is available to only 57% of the population while natural gas to 21%. Only 45% of rural population have access to grid electricity and there is extreme shortage of electricity and gas leading to load shedding.
The country's economic growth is also suffering due to load shedding of gas and power, leading to closures of industries, they added. They said the total installed and dependable capacity of the country's power sector is 20,231 MW. Giving breakup, they said 11,735 MW could be get from public sector while 8,496 MW from private sector. "By switching to alternative energy means, we can reduce dependence on imported oil, running into billions dollars and undermining economic development", they observed.
It is pertinent to mention that USA has wind power installed capacity of 25,170 MW, Japan 1,880 MW, India 9,645 MW, Greece 985 MW, Egypt 365 MW, Iran 85 and Pakistan 6 MW. The government had set up AEDB in 2003 for implementing policies programmes and projects through private sector in the field of alternative energy. APP
22 February 2011
Islamabad Pakistan can generate over 350,000 MW electricity through only wind power against the country's total demand of about 21,000 MW peak summer, necessitating solid steps to explore the potential.
Official sources in Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) told APP that the country has numerous resources to get energy and over 50,000 MW energy could be generated only in Gharo Keti Bandar corridor where average wind speed is more than seven meter per second. They said the corridor has potential twice of India and other sites in Balochistan, Punjab, and Northern Area which are being identified for power generation.
The sources said Pakistan has amongst the world highest and fastest rising urbanization and electricity is available to only 57% of the population while natural gas to 21%. Only 45% of rural population have access to grid electricity and there is extreme shortage of electricity and gas leading to load shedding.
The country's economic growth is also suffering due to load shedding of gas and power, leading to closures of industries, they added. They said the total installed and dependable capacity of the country's power sector is 20,231 MW. Giving breakup, they said 11,735 MW could be get from public sector while 8,496 MW from private sector. "By switching to alternative energy means, we can reduce dependence on imported oil, running into billions dollars and undermining economic development", they observed.
It is pertinent to mention that USA has wind power installed capacity of 25,170 MW, Japan 1,880 MW, India 9,645 MW, Greece 985 MW, Egypt 365 MW, Iran 85 and Pakistan 6 MW. The government had set up AEDB in 2003 for implementing policies programmes and projects through private sector in the field of alternative energy. APP
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
New wind farm another Waterloo
Adelaide Advertiser
18 February 2011, Page: 7
Black Springs resident Kerry Heinrich is happy to have wind turbines in her backyard. At yesterday's launch of the Waterloo Wind Farm 30km from Clare. Ms Heinrich said the 37 wind turbines created only "background noise". "I think they are quite stunning", she said. "They are just part of the landscape now".
Wind farm developer Roaring 40s said the project would generate up to 111 MWs of power, enough to power 46,000 homes. About 10 protesters gathered at the entrance to the wind farm and held signs with messages such as "turbines kill rural communities" and "more research needed". Residents had raised concerns including turbine noise and health issues such as sleep deprivation.
In Waterloo for the launch, Premier Mike Rann said international studies had found no negative health impacts from wind farms. "If people are going to say that clean, green energy is wrong what are we going to do, go back to coal power?" he said.
Roaring 40s managing director Steve Symons said the company had worked with the community and the vast majority of it was in support. More wind farms were planned for nearby Stony Gap and Robertstown.
18 February 2011, Page: 7
Black Springs resident Kerry Heinrich is happy to have wind turbines in her backyard. At yesterday's launch of the Waterloo Wind Farm 30km from Clare. Ms Heinrich said the 37 wind turbines created only "background noise". "I think they are quite stunning", she said. "They are just part of the landscape now".
Wind farm developer Roaring 40s said the project would generate up to 111 MWs of power, enough to power 46,000 homes. About 10 protesters gathered at the entrance to the wind farm and held signs with messages such as "turbines kill rural communities" and "more research needed". Residents had raised concerns including turbine noise and health issues such as sleep deprivation.
In Waterloo for the launch, Premier Mike Rann said international studies had found no negative health impacts from wind farms. "If people are going to say that clean, green energy is wrong what are we going to do, go back to coal power?" he said.
Roaring 40s managing director Steve Symons said the company had worked with the community and the vast majority of it was in support. More wind farms were planned for nearby Stony Gap and Robertstown.
Tariff reprisals a possibility
Summaries - Australian Financial Review
17 February 2011, Page: 8
Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet today warned that inaction with respect to carbon pricing could lead to other countries implementing protective tariffs to level the playing field. Meanwhile, Rob Oakeshott, who is on the government's Multi Party Climate Change Committee, said he wanted small business compensation and recognition of land management practices as a prerequisite for his support on any carbon pricing or trading policy.
At the Australian Workers Union conference, Combet said the economic costs of inaction would be severe. Paul Howes, AWU national secretary, said that Australia's relatively clean aluminium industry needed to be even more environmentally responsible. The federal Greens party demands a national feed in tariff, a government renewable energy loan scheme and a 'white certificate' scheme. Rob Oakeshott will convene a consultation group regarding land use practises and ways in which they could be rewarded in environmental schemes.
17 February 2011, Page: 8
Federal Climate Change Minister Greg Combet today warned that inaction with respect to carbon pricing could lead to other countries implementing protective tariffs to level the playing field. Meanwhile, Rob Oakeshott, who is on the government's Multi Party Climate Change Committee, said he wanted small business compensation and recognition of land management practices as a prerequisite for his support on any carbon pricing or trading policy.
At the Australian Workers Union conference, Combet said the economic costs of inaction would be severe. Paul Howes, AWU national secretary, said that Australia's relatively clean aluminium industry needed to be even more environmentally responsible. The federal Greens party demands a national feed in tariff, a government renewable energy loan scheme and a 'white certificate' scheme. Rob Oakeshott will convene a consultation group regarding land use practises and ways in which they could be rewarded in environmental schemes.
Wind power vehicle blows in after 5000km Aussie trip
Hobart Mercury
15 February 2011, Page: 12
MEET the men who make greenies in hybrid cars look like blowins.
Germans Stefan Simmerer and Dirk Gion arrived in Sydney after travelling more than 5000km from Perth in their "windmobile'. Driving through Sydney yesterday the pair who describe themselves as science journalists, inventors and extreme sports fanatics turned heads with their unconventional vehicle. The Wind Explorer is the world's first self sufficient wind powered vehicle. It weighs 200kg and can travel at more than 90km/h.
By powering state of the art lithium-ion battery technology charged at night by a wind turbine and kites to harness extra wind, the car is so energy efficient it can cover 100km using just half the electricity needed to power a washing machine. The two men are the first to cross a continent in a vehicle powered by wind power. Mr Gion said Australia was the perfect continent as it was both a challenge and provided the conditions they needed to succeed.
The large sections of open road meant the two drivers were free to put their car to the test, using a handheld kite to propel the car to the highest possible speeds. That is why they enjoyed crossing the Nullarbor Desert the most. "In the Nullarbor with just 80kg of battery and using the kite we were able to cross 400km [a day], which is amazing", Mr Gion said.
However, the trip did not go smoothly all the way. In their 80 day journey the pair burned out two motors, blew a tyre at speed and the kite became tangled in power lines more than once. But even with these few bumps along the Wind Explorer's very long road, Mr Gion said the trip proved there were viable alternatives to fuel powered cars. "All the technology needed for a project like this was already there", Mr Gion said. "Renewable electric technology is all there and we wanted to prove it works and we proved it works over a long distance".
15 February 2011, Page: 12
MEET the men who make greenies in hybrid cars look like blowins.Germans Stefan Simmerer and Dirk Gion arrived in Sydney after travelling more than 5000km from Perth in their "windmobile'. Driving through Sydney yesterday the pair who describe themselves as science journalists, inventors and extreme sports fanatics turned heads with their unconventional vehicle. The Wind Explorer is the world's first self sufficient wind powered vehicle. It weighs 200kg and can travel at more than 90km/h.
By powering state of the art lithium-ion battery technology charged at night by a wind turbine and kites to harness extra wind, the car is so energy efficient it can cover 100km using just half the electricity needed to power a washing machine. The two men are the first to cross a continent in a vehicle powered by wind power. Mr Gion said Australia was the perfect continent as it was both a challenge and provided the conditions they needed to succeed.
The large sections of open road meant the two drivers were free to put their car to the test, using a handheld kite to propel the car to the highest possible speeds. That is why they enjoyed crossing the Nullarbor Desert the most. "In the Nullarbor with just 80kg of battery and using the kite we were able to cross 400km [a day], which is amazing", Mr Gion said.
However, the trip did not go smoothly all the way. In their 80 day journey the pair burned out two motors, blew a tyre at speed and the kite became tangled in power lines more than once. But even with these few bumps along the Wind Explorer's very long road, Mr Gion said the trip proved there were viable alternatives to fuel powered cars. "All the technology needed for a project like this was already there", Mr Gion said. "Renewable electric technology is all there and we wanted to prove it works and we proved it works over a long distance".
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
Green Power puts the power back in your hip pocket
The Saturday Age
12 February 2011, Page: 10
With more than 800,000 residential and nearly 40,000 business customers, the scheme is good value, writes Paddy Manning.
There wouldn't be too many green things that hundreds of thousands of people cough up extra for, year in, year out. GreenPower is one. That's probably because most people realise their greatest contribution to climate change is turning on the lights, aircon, TV and every other thingamajig at home.
If you choose, without waiting for the galling politics of a carbon price to play out, you can negate your own personal contribution to climate change and command the energy industry to invest in renewables simply by paying a bit more about 25%, or $500 a year for 100% GreenPower.
And many do. Established in 1997, by June last year GreenPower counted 802,628 residential customers and 39,300 commercial customers. Against the previous year, that represented a 15% fall at the household level but a 22% increase among business customers, who use more power.
There are good reasons why household interest might have waned: retail electricity prices are going up by half; uncertainty about how GreenPower fits in with the government's renewable energy target and proposed emissions trading scheme; and the competition regulator has censured some operators for misleading advertising. It's understandable there is a degree of confusion, even cynicism, about GreenPower. It's unwarranted. GreenPower is a robust scheme that is in limbo and needs some love. Is it good value for money, though?
As a customer I had no idea, until I began researching this article, whether the extra 5.5¢ per kW Origin Energy charges my family for 100% GreenPower at home on top of the 17.35¢ per kW base rate is a fair price. My 5.5¢ per kW is equivalent to $55 per MW well above the market price of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which each represent 1 MW of green electricity and this week traded at about $35 each.
How is the GreenPower price set? Does it reflect the true cost of generating renewable energy? Is it highly profitable for Origin Energy? GreenPower reports on suppliers, customer numbers and the amount of renewable electricity generated. It does not track prices and GreenPower providers don't reveal how much money they're making on the scheme.
Origin Energy, with 396,000 electricity customers, has almost half the market to itself. Origin Energy's executive general manager (policy and sustainability), Carl McGarnish, admits customer interest in GreenPower has dropped but he still sees growth potential. While GreenPower customers are not especially lucrative, he says, they are more loyal they switch utilities less often. Most of Origin Energy's GreenPower customers pay $1 a week extra for 25% renewable energy effectively turning over about $20 million a year. It's still small potatoes.
On rough figures, you'd expect GreenPower to cost between $50-$70 extra per MW. On another calculation, it is twice as expensive as coalfired power. Generation represents half the retail cost (the other half is distribution) so you'd expect a 25% increase. GreenPower needs to be watched, but it doesn't look like they're gouging. For business and government agencies bulk purchasing there is a cheaper way to buy GreenPower from a third party such as Ark Climate, which simply sells RECs plus a margin.
All that is needed to restore confidence in this scheme is for the federal government to stick by its in principle commitment that all GreenPower purchases will be accounted as additional, voluntary abatement, on top of both the renewable energy target and Australia's Kyoto (and post Kyoto) commitments.
Then watch interest surge, paddy.manning@fairfaxmedia.com.au
12 February 2011, Page: 10
With more than 800,000 residential and nearly 40,000 business customers, the scheme is good value, writes Paddy Manning.There wouldn't be too many green things that hundreds of thousands of people cough up extra for, year in, year out. GreenPower is one. That's probably because most people realise their greatest contribution to climate change is turning on the lights, aircon, TV and every other thingamajig at home.
If you choose, without waiting for the galling politics of a carbon price to play out, you can negate your own personal contribution to climate change and command the energy industry to invest in renewables simply by paying a bit more about 25%, or $500 a year for 100% GreenPower.
And many do. Established in 1997, by June last year GreenPower counted 802,628 residential customers and 39,300 commercial customers. Against the previous year, that represented a 15% fall at the household level but a 22% increase among business customers, who use more power.
There are good reasons why household interest might have waned: retail electricity prices are going up by half; uncertainty about how GreenPower fits in with the government's renewable energy target and proposed emissions trading scheme; and the competition regulator has censured some operators for misleading advertising. It's understandable there is a degree of confusion, even cynicism, about GreenPower. It's unwarranted. GreenPower is a robust scheme that is in limbo and needs some love. Is it good value for money, though?
As a customer I had no idea, until I began researching this article, whether the extra 5.5¢ per kW Origin Energy charges my family for 100% GreenPower at home on top of the 17.35¢ per kW base rate is a fair price. My 5.5¢ per kW is equivalent to $55 per MW well above the market price of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), which each represent 1 MW of green electricity and this week traded at about $35 each.
How is the GreenPower price set? Does it reflect the true cost of generating renewable energy? Is it highly profitable for Origin Energy? GreenPower reports on suppliers, customer numbers and the amount of renewable electricity generated. It does not track prices and GreenPower providers don't reveal how much money they're making on the scheme.
Origin Energy, with 396,000 electricity customers, has almost half the market to itself. Origin Energy's executive general manager (policy and sustainability), Carl McGarnish, admits customer interest in GreenPower has dropped but he still sees growth potential. While GreenPower customers are not especially lucrative, he says, they are more loyal they switch utilities less often. Most of Origin Energy's GreenPower customers pay $1 a week extra for 25% renewable energy effectively turning over about $20 million a year. It's still small potatoes.
On rough figures, you'd expect GreenPower to cost between $50-$70 extra per MW. On another calculation, it is twice as expensive as coalfired power. Generation represents half the retail cost (the other half is distribution) so you'd expect a 25% increase. GreenPower needs to be watched, but it doesn't look like they're gouging. For business and government agencies bulk purchasing there is a cheaper way to buy GreenPower from a third party such as Ark Climate, which simply sells RECs plus a margin.
All that is needed to restore confidence in this scheme is for the federal government to stick by its in principle commitment that all GreenPower purchases will be accounted as additional, voluntary abatement, on top of both the renewable energy target and Australia's Kyoto (and post Kyoto) commitments.
Then watch interest surge, paddy.manning@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Fuel from a load of rubbish?
Sunday Canberra Times
13 February 2011, Page: 27
IS the stuff of sci fi movie legend vaporising household garbage and turning it into a power source? But now this concept is being investigated as a new frontier in dealing with the global load of household waste. Researchers in America have floated plans to tear rubbish into its constituent atoms with electricity, similar to a process which has been used in Australia for about 15 years to destroy hazardous waste including greenhouse gases.
Geoplasma, a firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, has said it believed there was a future in destroying garbage and, in the process, harnessing the mixture of chemicals released to create syngas that could then be used for energy creation. The syngas comes from a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Canberra CSIRO research scientist Andrew Warden said the development of the technology had great potential and could perhaps one day be used to create petrol for vehicles. "
The potential to use syngas for petrol is at a less mature stage of development", he said. However, the potential to use it to make ethanol, seems more easily within reach. GM Holden has teamed with Caltex and the American company Coskata and a consortium of others, with plans to build a biofuel plant in Victoria. It wants to use household waste to make syngas, which will then be transformed into ethanol. Coskata already has a pilot ethanol program in the US.
The consortium intends that the ethanol would be blended into an alternative fuel known as E85, a mixture of up to 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. Every year, Australian company SRL Plasma destroys hundreds of tonnes of hazardous waste, turning it into harmless liquid salt which can then be flushed into the sewer system. General manager of SRL Plasma Neville Taylor said it used technology developed by the CSIRO at the request of the Australian Government which was desperate in the late 1980s to safely dispose of hazardous materials and later in the 1990s for those which were harming the ozone layer.
What eventuated was a system that destroyed harmful gases with artificial lightning from electric plasma torches that heated matter to a temperature higher than the surface of the sun. "The first of the plascon systems was developed in Victoria in 1992, which destroyed waste from the manufacturing of agricultural chemicals and still does", Taylor said. "About the same time people were getting very concerned about the hole in the ozone layer and that's when the halon gases started to be stockpiled. "Halon gases are great at putting out fires and for putting holes in the ozone layer. There is a national halon bank now".
The technology has spread and SRL Plasma has sold four of its torches to plants in Japan which destroy organic waste, two in the US which destroy greenhouse gases and another two to Mexico. Taylor said that, in his opinion, Australia should not be in a rush to join the research push. "Just for starters, a plant like this [destroying garbage for energy production] would cost tens, probably hundreds, of millions of dollars", he said.
"With the knowledge of plasma, technology right now, it's not at that break even point. That system is a few years away". Taylor said he was "not privy to the numbers" held by a number of American companies carrying out such research, but knew the ones his company had done. "The cost of landfill in Europe for instance is high and the cost of electricity is high as well so there maybe you could break even but not here", he said.
"There are technologies being developed overseas about 20 companies in the US are working on it. If you wait for them to be finished you can cherry pick what you want. "It would be better [for Australian researchers] to do work on issues that are unique to Australia". SRL Plasma has a large plant in Tottenham. Victoria, which is dedicated to the destruction of greenhouse gases including CFCs, CFCs and PFCs.
Taylor said a lot of the hazardous wastes were refrigeration gases, extracted from from air conditioners, industrial coolers and household fridges. "The amount of gases we destroy is roughly equivalent to shutting down a small to medium sized coal fired power station", he said. However, there is no real benefit in destroying carbon gases created by power stations. "The process itself actually uses a lot of energy", he said. "So there's no real overall environmental benefit from that".
GM Holden's energy and environment director 's vision was to cut Australia's petrol consumption by up to 30% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through syngas technology. GM Holden launched a car last year than can run on the E85 fuel, a Commodore VE series II. "It's about designing and engineering vehicles for Australians, built by Australians, using Australian fuel alternatives", Marshall said.
In the US, GM is a major producer of flex fuel vehicles and has more than 3.5 million E85 capable cars already on the road. It is intended that the Victorian plant, once built, would be capable of turning out more than 200 million litres of ethanol a year. Caltex _Australia's spokesman, Andy Walz, said the petrol giant was committed to installing E85 pumps in 100 metropolitan and regional service stations over the next 12 months.
"Caltex's expansion into this new fuel and participation in the consortium is part of our ongoing commitment to biofuels and tackling climate change, which fits well with a strategy of providing energy beyond the traditional fuel mix, he said. "Caltex already has about 400 service stations that sell E10 and a growing biodiesel market. "We believe the biofuels industry has a vital role in a sustainable transport fuels future and that biofuels are good business opportunity for Caltex". Chief marketing officer for Coskata Wes Bolsen said there not all biofuels were created equal.
"We don't make fuel from food crops, we use sources like municipal waste that have reached the end of their lifecycle and turn them into renewable energy, which leads to a net positive effect for the environment:" he said.
13 February 2011, Page: 27
IS the stuff of sci fi movie legend vaporising household garbage and turning it into a power source? But now this concept is being investigated as a new frontier in dealing with the global load of household waste. Researchers in America have floated plans to tear rubbish into its constituent atoms with electricity, similar to a process which has been used in Australia for about 15 years to destroy hazardous waste including greenhouse gases.Geoplasma, a firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, has said it believed there was a future in destroying garbage and, in the process, harnessing the mixture of chemicals released to create syngas that could then be used for energy creation. The syngas comes from a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Canberra CSIRO research scientist Andrew Warden said the development of the technology had great potential and could perhaps one day be used to create petrol for vehicles. "
The potential to use syngas for petrol is at a less mature stage of development", he said. However, the potential to use it to make ethanol, seems more easily within reach. GM Holden has teamed with Caltex and the American company Coskata and a consortium of others, with plans to build a biofuel plant in Victoria. It wants to use household waste to make syngas, which will then be transformed into ethanol. Coskata already has a pilot ethanol program in the US.
The consortium intends that the ethanol would be blended into an alternative fuel known as E85, a mixture of up to 85% ethanol and 15% petrol. Every year, Australian company SRL Plasma destroys hundreds of tonnes of hazardous waste, turning it into harmless liquid salt which can then be flushed into the sewer system. General manager of SRL Plasma Neville Taylor said it used technology developed by the CSIRO at the request of the Australian Government which was desperate in the late 1980s to safely dispose of hazardous materials and later in the 1990s for those which were harming the ozone layer.
What eventuated was a system that destroyed harmful gases with artificial lightning from electric plasma torches that heated matter to a temperature higher than the surface of the sun. "The first of the plascon systems was developed in Victoria in 1992, which destroyed waste from the manufacturing of agricultural chemicals and still does", Taylor said. "About the same time people were getting very concerned about the hole in the ozone layer and that's when the halon gases started to be stockpiled. "Halon gases are great at putting out fires and for putting holes in the ozone layer. There is a national halon bank now".
The technology has spread and SRL Plasma has sold four of its torches to plants in Japan which destroy organic waste, two in the US which destroy greenhouse gases and another two to Mexico. Taylor said that, in his opinion, Australia should not be in a rush to join the research push. "Just for starters, a plant like this [destroying garbage for energy production] would cost tens, probably hundreds, of millions of dollars", he said.
"With the knowledge of plasma, technology right now, it's not at that break even point. That system is a few years away". Taylor said he was "not privy to the numbers" held by a number of American companies carrying out such research, but knew the ones his company had done. "The cost of landfill in Europe for instance is high and the cost of electricity is high as well so there maybe you could break even but not here", he said.
"There are technologies being developed overseas about 20 companies in the US are working on it. If you wait for them to be finished you can cherry pick what you want. "It would be better [for Australian researchers] to do work on issues that are unique to Australia". SRL Plasma has a large plant in Tottenham. Victoria, which is dedicated to the destruction of greenhouse gases including CFCs, CFCs and PFCs.
Taylor said a lot of the hazardous wastes were refrigeration gases, extracted from from air conditioners, industrial coolers and household fridges. "The amount of gases we destroy is roughly equivalent to shutting down a small to medium sized coal fired power station", he said. However, there is no real benefit in destroying carbon gases created by power stations. "The process itself actually uses a lot of energy", he said. "So there's no real overall environmental benefit from that".
GM Holden's energy and environment director 's vision was to cut Australia's petrol consumption by up to 30% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through syngas technology. GM Holden launched a car last year than can run on the E85 fuel, a Commodore VE series II. "It's about designing and engineering vehicles for Australians, built by Australians, using Australian fuel alternatives", Marshall said.
In the US, GM is a major producer of flex fuel vehicles and has more than 3.5 million E85 capable cars already on the road. It is intended that the Victorian plant, once built, would be capable of turning out more than 200 million litres of ethanol a year. Caltex _Australia's spokesman, Andy Walz, said the petrol giant was committed to installing E85 pumps in 100 metropolitan and regional service stations over the next 12 months.
"Caltex's expansion into this new fuel and participation in the consortium is part of our ongoing commitment to biofuels and tackling climate change, which fits well with a strategy of providing energy beyond the traditional fuel mix, he said. "Caltex already has about 400 service stations that sell E10 and a growing biodiesel market. "We believe the biofuels industry has a vital role in a sustainable transport fuels future and that biofuels are good business opportunity for Caltex". Chief marketing officer for Coskata Wes Bolsen said there not all biofuels were created equal.
"We don't make fuel from food crops, we use sources like municipal waste that have reached the end of their lifecycle and turn them into renewable energy, which leads to a net positive effect for the environment:" he said.
Deaf to progress
Sunday Herald Sun
13 February 2011, Page: 71
NOTHING makes my blood boil more than the attitude of people who say "not in my backyard" and state "health problems" are caused, in this case, by the rhythmic swoosh, swoosh" generated by wind turbines.
Did Peter Rolfe ask the farmers with tinnitus if there might be any other cause for their condition, such as the farmers driving their tractor without ear protection? I am familiar with tinnitus, having lived with a longterm suffer who would never drive a tractor without ear protection to protect his ears from further damage.
Wind power and other future developments have the potential to minimise the negative effects to the community from coal fired electricity stations. Progress and electricity production are important to how we all live invariably someone is inconvenienced for the betterment of the wider community.
Elizabeth Wright, Nicholson
13 February 2011, Page: 71
NOTHING makes my blood boil more than the attitude of people who say "not in my backyard" and state "health problems" are caused, in this case, by the rhythmic swoosh, swoosh" generated by wind turbines.
Did Peter Rolfe ask the farmers with tinnitus if there might be any other cause for their condition, such as the farmers driving their tractor without ear protection? I am familiar with tinnitus, having lived with a longterm suffer who would never drive a tractor without ear protection to protect his ears from further damage.
Wind power and other future developments have the potential to minimise the negative effects to the community from coal fired electricity stations. Progress and electricity production are important to how we all live invariably someone is inconvenienced for the betterment of the wider community.
Elizabeth Wright, Nicholson
Sunday, 20 February 2011
Don’t repeat Rudd’s compensation mistakes
Summaries - Australian Financial Review
14 February 2011, Page: 55
Prime Minister Julia Gillard should not entertain the idea of compensating the industries responsible for major carbon emissions, and thus steer clear of the main problems with Kevin Rudd's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which would have cost the government $20 billion to give industries carbon permits. The idea of compensating polluters contradicts the reasoning behind establishing a carbon price in the first place, namely to create an incentive for businesses to shift away from high emitting practices.
Mr Rudd was hamstrung by the impending global financial crisis and the Liberal opposition, who's support he needed to pass the bill, but Ms Gillard has no such problems. The axing of the Cash for Clunkers scheme and the Green Car Innovation Fund are to be commended, because they would not have led to a change in behaviour, and for the same reason industry concessions on carbon emissions should be scrapped as well.
The Grattan Institute researched the impact of a carbon price of $35 per tonne last year, focusing on seven industries: steel, cement, coal, liquefied natural gas (LNG), aluminium smelting and refining and oil refining, which together produce 20% of Australia's carbon emissions. The research found that even with a carbon price, LNG and coal would continue to make profits and there was little risk to jobs, but would the incentive to move to low emission mines would be removed.
The aluminium and oil refining industries may be forced off shore, but this was likely to happen anyway, while a carbon rebate to exporters would possibly be necessary to protect the cement and steel industries. Ms Gillard has likened her reforms to those of Hawke and Keating, but to be as effective she must be prepared to make tough decisions that could result in the loss of 10,000 jobs in aluminium and oil.
Compensation for such industries would result in the cost falling on the consumer through higher transport and electricity prices. Ms Gillard needs to avoid falling into the traps implicit in the original Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which Ross Garnaut said was born out of the worst policymaking process on a big issue in Australian history.
14 February 2011, Page: 55
Prime Minister Julia Gillard should not entertain the idea of compensating the industries responsible for major carbon emissions, and thus steer clear of the main problems with Kevin Rudd's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which would have cost the government $20 billion to give industries carbon permits. The idea of compensating polluters contradicts the reasoning behind establishing a carbon price in the first place, namely to create an incentive for businesses to shift away from high emitting practices.
Mr Rudd was hamstrung by the impending global financial crisis and the Liberal opposition, who's support he needed to pass the bill, but Ms Gillard has no such problems. The axing of the Cash for Clunkers scheme and the Green Car Innovation Fund are to be commended, because they would not have led to a change in behaviour, and for the same reason industry concessions on carbon emissions should be scrapped as well.
The Grattan Institute researched the impact of a carbon price of $35 per tonne last year, focusing on seven industries: steel, cement, coal, liquefied natural gas (LNG), aluminium smelting and refining and oil refining, which together produce 20% of Australia's carbon emissions. The research found that even with a carbon price, LNG and coal would continue to make profits and there was little risk to jobs, but would the incentive to move to low emission mines would be removed.
The aluminium and oil refining industries may be forced off shore, but this was likely to happen anyway, while a carbon rebate to exporters would possibly be necessary to protect the cement and steel industries. Ms Gillard has likened her reforms to those of Hawke and Keating, but to be as effective she must be prepared to make tough decisions that could result in the loss of 10,000 jobs in aluminium and oil.
Compensation for such industries would result in the cost falling on the consumer through higher transport and electricity prices. Ms Gillard needs to avoid falling into the traps implicit in the original Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, which Ross Garnaut said was born out of the worst policymaking process on a big issue in Australian history.
A little breezy, but the view is sensational
Daily Telegraph
14 February 2011, Page: 7
THE view isn't bad from Phil Lewis's office but it gets a bit windy every now and then. It's just as well, really, or he'd probably be out of a job. As a technician on the largest wind farm in NSW, Mr Lewis regularly scales 80m wind turbines and dangles precariously over the edge to reach the front nose cone.
Luckily for him the giant 44m turbine blades don't move during his work, but there's not much he can do to stop the wind blowing as he goes about his work. Photographer Stephen Cooper, who snapped Mr Lewis on the job, said the view from the top was "awesome". "The day before had been 40C and really windy and the farm was running at capacity, but the wind dropped off before we went up", he said.
'At one stage I looked down and thought, 'Mental note don't look down again' but looking straight out was fine". Technicians check and service the turbines much like a mechanic would a car. Infigen Energy's Capital Wind Farm at Bungendore, near Canberra, comprises 67 turbines spread across 35km².
14 February 2011, Page: 7
THE view isn't bad from Phil Lewis's office but it gets a bit windy every now and then. It's just as well, really, or he'd probably be out of a job. As a technician on the largest wind farm in NSW, Mr Lewis regularly scales 80m wind turbines and dangles precariously over the edge to reach the front nose cone.Luckily for him the giant 44m turbine blades don't move during his work, but there's not much he can do to stop the wind blowing as he goes about his work. Photographer Stephen Cooper, who snapped Mr Lewis on the job, said the view from the top was "awesome". "The day before had been 40C and really windy and the farm was running at capacity, but the wind dropped off before we went up", he said.
'At one stage I looked down and thought, 'Mental note don't look down again' but looking straight out was fine". Technicians check and service the turbines much like a mechanic would a car. Infigen Energy's Capital Wind Farm at Bungendore, near Canberra, comprises 67 turbines spread across 35km².
Coal gas industry goes back on trial
Australian
14 February 2011, Page: 23
THE shape of Queensland's fledgling underground coal gasification industry is becoming clearer, with one company allowed to continue a trial a week after the state government stopped a rival's test run. According to the government, Carbon Energy will be allowed to continue its trial at Kogan on the Darling Downs, suspended since July while the government investigated reports of an unauthorised discharge of process water from the mine.
The Bligh government banned Cougar Energy earlier this month from continuing its trial of underground coal gasification techniques at Kingaroy in southem Queensland, after reports of poisons leaking from the plant. Linc Energy's demonstration plant near Chinchilla is operating, but the company sees more of a future for its underground coal gasification technology at its holdings in South Australia.
The technique of burning coal while it is still underground to create energy has a long history overseas but has been controversial in Queensland. The Bligh government has been criticised in relation to the far bigger coal seam gas industry, which involves a different method of creating energy to underground coal gasification, but they are often lumped together. The government gave the three companies until the end of next year to prove the technology could work without damaging the environment. The state government came under extreme pressure last year to ban the Cougar plant at Kingaroy, after claims deadly chemicals were found on site.
Cougar strongly disputed this, but late last month, Queensland Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said the project could not resume "without an unacceptable risk of environmental harm". Carbon Energy has been allowed to proceed with its project at Kogan with several new conditions largely relating to better monitoring and infrastructure on site to prevent leaks. Ms Jones said the government would continue to closely monitor the activities of Carbon Energy and Linc Energy, which is continuing in the underground coal gasification trial.
"We take the protection of our environment very seriously and any company that wants to do business in Queensland must meet their environmental obligations", Ms Jones said. "When the contamination incident occurred at Cougar Energy's Kingaroy site last year, we said that if any company couldn't provide real evidence that it could operate safely, then it would not be allowed to continue.
"The decision last month to close down Cougar Energy's trial at Kingaroy demonstrates that we will not risk the environment or our communities if concerns cannot be addressed by a company". She said her department was "satisfied that Carbon Energy has demonstrated they will be able to operate within environmental requirements, after making changes to their operations and procedures".
14 February 2011, Page: 23
THE shape of Queensland's fledgling underground coal gasification industry is becoming clearer, with one company allowed to continue a trial a week after the state government stopped a rival's test run. According to the government, Carbon Energy will be allowed to continue its trial at Kogan on the Darling Downs, suspended since July while the government investigated reports of an unauthorised discharge of process water from the mine.
The Bligh government banned Cougar Energy earlier this month from continuing its trial of underground coal gasification techniques at Kingaroy in southem Queensland, after reports of poisons leaking from the plant. Linc Energy's demonstration plant near Chinchilla is operating, but the company sees more of a future for its underground coal gasification technology at its holdings in South Australia.
The technique of burning coal while it is still underground to create energy has a long history overseas but has been controversial in Queensland. The Bligh government has been criticised in relation to the far bigger coal seam gas industry, which involves a different method of creating energy to underground coal gasification, but they are often lumped together. The government gave the three companies until the end of next year to prove the technology could work without damaging the environment. The state government came under extreme pressure last year to ban the Cougar plant at Kingaroy, after claims deadly chemicals were found on site.
Cougar strongly disputed this, but late last month, Queensland Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said the project could not resume "without an unacceptable risk of environmental harm". Carbon Energy has been allowed to proceed with its project at Kogan with several new conditions largely relating to better monitoring and infrastructure on site to prevent leaks. Ms Jones said the government would continue to closely monitor the activities of Carbon Energy and Linc Energy, which is continuing in the underground coal gasification trial.
"We take the protection of our environment very seriously and any company that wants to do business in Queensland must meet their environmental obligations", Ms Jones said. "When the contamination incident occurred at Cougar Energy's Kingaroy site last year, we said that if any company couldn't provide real evidence that it could operate safely, then it would not be allowed to continue.
"The decision last month to close down Cougar Energy's trial at Kingaroy demonstrates that we will not risk the environment or our communities if concerns cannot be addressed by a company". She said her department was "satisfied that Carbon Energy has demonstrated they will be able to operate within environmental requirements, after making changes to their operations and procedures".
Thursday, 17 February 2011
Administrators race to sell Griffin Coal's $1.2bn power station
Australian
14 February 2011, Page: 21
ADMINISTRATORS for Ric Stowe's Griffin Coal will launch a rapid sale process next month for the failed tycoon's $1.2 billion Bluewaters Power Stations and $200 million Emu Downs Wind Farm in Western Australia. Bidders from Australia, Asia and North America are already on the shortlist to buy the highly geared Bluewaters Power Station assets after initial expressions of interest were called last year, meaning the auction is expected to be completed quickly.
But it is unclear how investor uncertainty over the Gillard government's plans to introduce a form of carbon pricing could weigh on the sale of the coal fired Bluewaters Power Station (I and II), near Collie in WA's southwest. Bidders for the Emu Downs Wind Farm a joint venture between Griffin Energy and Queensland government owned Stanwell Corporation could include renewable power company Infigen Energy and Japan's Eurus Energy.
The auction of the energy assets comes after Indian infrastructure giant Lanco Infratech, which bought Mr Stowe's Griffin Coal in December for about $830m, revealed it planned to spend a further $1bn on a major expansion of the Collie mines. Lanco chief financial officer Suresh Kumar told India's Economic Times last week the group planned to ramp up production at Griffin Coal from 5 million tonnes a year to about 18 million by 2015. The company plans to export much of the coal to India where it aims to increase its power generation capacity from 2,100 MWs to 15,000 MWs by 2015.
Despite Lanco's involvement in power generation, it is not considered a contender to pickup the Bluewaters Power Station assets. Last week it also ruled out bidding for a controlling stake in Gina Rinehart's Kevin's Corner coal project in Queensland. Settlement of the Griffin Coal deal is expected within days and the sale should be approved by creditors at a meeting by the end of the month, paving the way for bidding to open for the rest of Mr Stowe's empire early next month.
Administrator Mark Mentha, of KordaMentha, said he believed the auction for the energy assets which are believed to have about $12bn of debt tied to them could be completed within a couple of months because the process was quite advanced. He said Mr Stowe's Bluewaters Power Stations were being auctioned separately to the mines because of the need to first put in place a coal supply deal with Lanco. Griffin Coal supplies coal to the 400 MW power station, which is owned by subsidiary Griffin Energy and is the first privately owned coal fired power station in WA.
The Foreign Investment Review Board approved the Lanco deal in December, within days of it being submitted, Mr Mentha said. The financial advisers on the Bluewaters Power Station sale are UBS and Macquarie Capital Advisers. The 80 MW Emu Downs Wind Farm is located at Cervantes, about 200km north of Perth. Griffin Coal went into administration in January last year after it defaulted on a payment to the Australian Taxation Office.
14 February 2011, Page: 21
ADMINISTRATORS for Ric Stowe's Griffin Coal will launch a rapid sale process next month for the failed tycoon's $1.2 billion Bluewaters Power Stations and $200 million Emu Downs Wind Farm in Western Australia. Bidders from Australia, Asia and North America are already on the shortlist to buy the highly geared Bluewaters Power Station assets after initial expressions of interest were called last year, meaning the auction is expected to be completed quickly.
But it is unclear how investor uncertainty over the Gillard government's plans to introduce a form of carbon pricing could weigh on the sale of the coal fired Bluewaters Power Station (I and II), near Collie in WA's southwest. Bidders for the Emu Downs Wind Farm a joint venture between Griffin Energy and Queensland government owned Stanwell Corporation could include renewable power company Infigen Energy and Japan's Eurus Energy.
The auction of the energy assets comes after Indian infrastructure giant Lanco Infratech, which bought Mr Stowe's Griffin Coal in December for about $830m, revealed it planned to spend a further $1bn on a major expansion of the Collie mines. Lanco chief financial officer Suresh Kumar told India's Economic Times last week the group planned to ramp up production at Griffin Coal from 5 million tonnes a year to about 18 million by 2015. The company plans to export much of the coal to India where it aims to increase its power generation capacity from 2,100 MWs to 15,000 MWs by 2015.
Despite Lanco's involvement in power generation, it is not considered a contender to pickup the Bluewaters Power Station assets. Last week it also ruled out bidding for a controlling stake in Gina Rinehart's Kevin's Corner coal project in Queensland. Settlement of the Griffin Coal deal is expected within days and the sale should be approved by creditors at a meeting by the end of the month, paving the way for bidding to open for the rest of Mr Stowe's empire early next month.
Administrator Mark Mentha, of KordaMentha, said he believed the auction for the energy assets which are believed to have about $12bn of debt tied to them could be completed within a couple of months because the process was quite advanced. He said Mr Stowe's Bluewaters Power Stations were being auctioned separately to the mines because of the need to first put in place a coal supply deal with Lanco. Griffin Coal supplies coal to the 400 MW power station, which is owned by subsidiary Griffin Energy and is the first privately owned coal fired power station in WA.
The Foreign Investment Review Board approved the Lanco deal in December, within days of it being submitted, Mr Mentha said. The financial advisers on the Bluewaters Power Station sale are UBS and Macquarie Capital Advisers. The 80 MW Emu Downs Wind Farm is located at Cervantes, about 200km north of Perth. Griffin Coal went into administration in January last year after it defaulted on a payment to the Australian Taxation Office.
Labor's home insulation plan to cut less than half emissions first promised
Age
11 February 2011, Page: 4
THE federal government's troubled home insulation scheme which cost $1.45 billion to install insulation in ceilings and then hundreds of millions more fixing bungled installation jobs will do far less for the environment than previously claimed. In its latest emissions projections released this week, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency estimates the program will reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 14.4 million tonnes from 2010 to 2020. That is less than half the carbon abatement predicted for the program by the government a year ago, when Labor was defending it against criticism over waste and faulty installations.
A fact sheet issued by the Department says one of the main reasons for the downward revision is that 1.2 million houses were insulated rather than the 1.9 million originally expected. The other main reason is that the department believes more home owners would have installed their own ceiling insulation over the next few years without the $1600 taxpayer funded rebates. "The estimate of how many homes would have been insulated in each year without the program has been improved and incorporated", the fact sheet says.
The Department also believes less energy will be saved than first expected because some householders will use the money saved on heating from insulation by using more electricity for other purposes. Under the latest estimates, annual emissions reductions from the program will peak at 2.4 million tonnes this year and fall to zero by 2021. That suggests the department believes if the taxpayer funded scheme had not been in place, the extra 1.2 million houses would have all been insulated by 2021.
The opposition's climate change spokesman, Greg Hunt, said the figures showed the program "not only electrified roofs, burnt down properties and contributed to tragedies, it dramatically failed to achieve its objectives of reducing emissions". Mr Hunt said the government had promised to cut up to 50 million tonnes of emissions but was delivering 14.4 million tonnes at a huge cost. The home insulation program was designed as an economic stimulus measure, but the government also promoted it as a way of significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions by improving the energy efficiency of houses.
The latest figures are the first time the government has published separate estimates for the insulation scheme. Earlier estimates combined it with two smaller rebate programs. In late 2009, the Environment Department said the three schemes would cut emissions by 49.4 million tonnes to 2020. In early 2010, a Treasury report said the schemes would cut emissions by 35 million tonnes to 2020. The government closed the program last February but still funds inspections and repairs. Its parliamentary secretary for climate change, Mark Dreyfus, was not available for comment.
11 February 2011, Page: 4
THE federal government's troubled home insulation scheme which cost $1.45 billion to install insulation in ceilings and then hundreds of millions more fixing bungled installation jobs will do far less for the environment than previously claimed. In its latest emissions projections released this week, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency estimates the program will reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 14.4 million tonnes from 2010 to 2020. That is less than half the carbon abatement predicted for the program by the government a year ago, when Labor was defending it against criticism over waste and faulty installations.
A fact sheet issued by the Department says one of the main reasons for the downward revision is that 1.2 million houses were insulated rather than the 1.9 million originally expected. The other main reason is that the department believes more home owners would have installed their own ceiling insulation over the next few years without the $1600 taxpayer funded rebates. "The estimate of how many homes would have been insulated in each year without the program has been improved and incorporated", the fact sheet says.
The Department also believes less energy will be saved than first expected because some householders will use the money saved on heating from insulation by using more electricity for other purposes. Under the latest estimates, annual emissions reductions from the program will peak at 2.4 million tonnes this year and fall to zero by 2021. That suggests the department believes if the taxpayer funded scheme had not been in place, the extra 1.2 million houses would have all been insulated by 2021.
The opposition's climate change spokesman, Greg Hunt, said the figures showed the program "not only electrified roofs, burnt down properties and contributed to tragedies, it dramatically failed to achieve its objectives of reducing emissions". Mr Hunt said the government had promised to cut up to 50 million tonnes of emissions but was delivering 14.4 million tonnes at a huge cost. The home insulation program was designed as an economic stimulus measure, but the government also promoted it as a way of significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions by improving the energy efficiency of houses.
The latest figures are the first time the government has published separate estimates for the insulation scheme. Earlier estimates combined it with two smaller rebate programs. In late 2009, the Environment Department said the three schemes would cut emissions by 49.4 million tonnes to 2020. In early 2010, a Treasury report said the schemes would cut emissions by 35 million tonnes to 2020. The government closed the program last February but still funds inspections and repairs. Its parliamentary secretary for climate change, Mark Dreyfus, was not available for comment.
Power move costs more, says Premier
Hobart Mercury
10 February 2011, Page: 2
TASMANIAN households would be paying $35 extra on their annual power bills if contestability was introduced tomorrow Premier Lara Giddings said yesterday. The call comes as the State Government came under increased pressure form the Opposition after it was revealed yesterday energy companies Origin Energy and TRUEnergy would be interested in entering the Tasmanian retail market if it was opened for competition.
Opposition energy spokesman Matthew Groom said the comments from the energy companies were in direct opposition to previous comments made by Energy Minister Bryan Green. On Sunday, Mr Green said there were five energy retailers in the Tasmanian market offering power to commercial clients and only Aurora Energy supplying household customers. He said: "The other four have flatly ruled out selling power to households if full contestability was introduced tomorrow".
However, Origin Energy told The Mercury yesterday it agreed in principle to a contestable market and would be interested if the market opened up, allowing it to sell to Tasmanian householders. Ms Giddings said the State Government would introduce greater competition into the retail energy market tomorrow if they thought it would succeed.
"We want to see cheaper electricity in this state and if that was [clearly achieved] through introducing retail contestability, we would do it today", Ms Giddings said. She said figures from the Economic Regulator's final report into contestability showed Tasmanian's power bills could climb by $35 a year if retail contestability was introduced. Mr Groom said the Liberal Party would push for legislation to ensure Tasmanian families and small businesses had a choice.
10 February 2011, Page: 2
TASMANIAN households would be paying $35 extra on their annual power bills if contestability was introduced tomorrow Premier Lara Giddings said yesterday. The call comes as the State Government came under increased pressure form the Opposition after it was revealed yesterday energy companies Origin Energy and TRUEnergy would be interested in entering the Tasmanian retail market if it was opened for competition.
Opposition energy spokesman Matthew Groom said the comments from the energy companies were in direct opposition to previous comments made by Energy Minister Bryan Green. On Sunday, Mr Green said there were five energy retailers in the Tasmanian market offering power to commercial clients and only Aurora Energy supplying household customers. He said: "The other four have flatly ruled out selling power to households if full contestability was introduced tomorrow".
However, Origin Energy told The Mercury yesterday it agreed in principle to a contestable market and would be interested if the market opened up, allowing it to sell to Tasmanian householders. Ms Giddings said the State Government would introduce greater competition into the retail energy market tomorrow if they thought it would succeed.
"We want to see cheaper electricity in this state and if that was [clearly achieved] through introducing retail contestability, we would do it today", Ms Giddings said. She said figures from the Economic Regulator's final report into contestability showed Tasmanian's power bills could climb by $35 a year if retail contestability was introduced. Mr Groom said the Liberal Party would push for legislation to ensure Tasmanian families and small businesses had a choice.
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
Australia admits CO₂, emissions will balloon
Sydney Morning Herald
9 February 2011, Page: 9
Australia's climate change policies will lead greenhouse gas emissions to balloon out of control in the next few years, the federal government says in an annual report to the United Nations. Instead of the 5 to 25% cut being offered by the government, the nation would pump out 24% more CO₂ by 2020, the Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, said, using the data to make the case again for a price on carbon. But NSW appears to be bucking the national trend, recording a steep fall in coal fired power generation last year in a separate report by The Climate Group.
Emissions from coal fired power fell just over 10% in the state last year, from 2009 levels, even though the population and economy grew. Most of the slack was taken up by gas, hydro and wind power. Mr Combet said the national emissions data, to be published today, show that Australia needs to cut at least 160 million tonnes of greenhouse gases from its ledger on an annual basis before 2020 to make even its minimum 5% target.
"Clearly more needs to be done, and that's why we need a carbon price soon", he said in a statement. "While there is a warning in this report, it is important to remember that it is not too late for us to act". The government's projections take into account the renewable energy target, which aims to generate one fifth of electricity from non fossil sources by 2020, and some energy efficiency measures, but no future emissions trading scheme.
"At some point the government will have to confront the reality that its energy policy and climate policy are on a collision course, with ever growing investment in coal, gas and coal seam gas undermining any moves to turn our economy around", the Greens senator Christine Milne said.
In NSW the decline in coal use led to 5.3 million fewer tonnes worth of emissions from coal than in 2009, said The Climate Group, which monitors weekly emissions from energy use. The group's global energy director, Rupert Posner, said the drop in NSW reflected embryonic moves away from coal as the dominant power source, and cuts in energy demand through a relatively mild summer. Emissions from coal in NSW fell 10.02%, or about 026 million tonnes, compared with the previous year.
Power industry sources said wind generation was starting to make small inroads into peak power usage, and higher rates of home insulation were beginning to cut demand for electricity for heating and cooling. The figure is expected to fluctuate year onyear, though, and does not necessarily represent a sustained, longterm decline in coal use.
More of the state's power was also sourced from interstate last year, which contributed to the fact that Queensland and Victoria recorded only modest emissions cuts of 0.7% in their energy sectors. "These sorts of figures are still within the ballpark of the sort of cuts we need to achieve our targets", Mr Posner said. "It's quite possible that we could see falls like this for another year or two, but after that it's not going to happen without some kind of policy that brings a price signal".
9 February 2011, Page: 9
Australia's climate change policies will lead greenhouse gas emissions to balloon out of control in the next few years, the federal government says in an annual report to the United Nations. Instead of the 5 to 25% cut being offered by the government, the nation would pump out 24% more CO₂ by 2020, the Climate Change Minister, Greg Combet, said, using the data to make the case again for a price on carbon. But NSW appears to be bucking the national trend, recording a steep fall in coal fired power generation last year in a separate report by The Climate Group.
Emissions from coal fired power fell just over 10% in the state last year, from 2009 levels, even though the population and economy grew. Most of the slack was taken up by gas, hydro and wind power. Mr Combet said the national emissions data, to be published today, show that Australia needs to cut at least 160 million tonnes of greenhouse gases from its ledger on an annual basis before 2020 to make even its minimum 5% target.
"Clearly more needs to be done, and that's why we need a carbon price soon", he said in a statement. "While there is a warning in this report, it is important to remember that it is not too late for us to act". The government's projections take into account the renewable energy target, which aims to generate one fifth of electricity from non fossil sources by 2020, and some energy efficiency measures, but no future emissions trading scheme.
"At some point the government will have to confront the reality that its energy policy and climate policy are on a collision course, with ever growing investment in coal, gas and coal seam gas undermining any moves to turn our economy around", the Greens senator Christine Milne said.
In NSW the decline in coal use led to 5.3 million fewer tonnes worth of emissions from coal than in 2009, said The Climate Group, which monitors weekly emissions from energy use. The group's global energy director, Rupert Posner, said the drop in NSW reflected embryonic moves away from coal as the dominant power source, and cuts in energy demand through a relatively mild summer. Emissions from coal in NSW fell 10.02%, or about 026 million tonnes, compared with the previous year.
Power industry sources said wind generation was starting to make small inroads into peak power usage, and higher rates of home insulation were beginning to cut demand for electricity for heating and cooling. The figure is expected to fluctuate year onyear, though, and does not necessarily represent a sustained, longterm decline in coal use.
More of the state's power was also sourced from interstate last year, which contributed to the fact that Queensland and Victoria recorded only modest emissions cuts of 0.7% in their energy sectors. "These sorts of figures are still within the ballpark of the sort of cuts we need to achieve our targets", Mr Posner said. "It's quite possible that we could see falls like this for another year or two, but after that it's not going to happen without some kind of policy that brings a price signal".
Five star homes flunk energy test
Sunday Age
Sunday 6/2/2011 Page: 8
HUNDREDS of thousands of new homes across the country are not performing at their promised energy efficiency rating, forcing residents to use up to double the predicted energy required for heating and cooling, industry officials say. Research by air tightness testing company Air Barrier Technologies has shown that air leakage in new homes is five to 10 times worse than expected under the star rating scheme.
This means that an average five star home is likely to perform only to a three star level, potentially doubling expected energy bills for residents. The Victorian Building Commissioner says builders who deliver homes that have not been properly sealed or insulated to meet the set star rating could be sued by buyers. About 40,000 homes are built in Victoria each year. All must meet the five star standard. This will rise to six stars from May.
But a group of industry players, including Henley Homes, who have been lobbying state and federal government and building regulators to crack down on the air leakage problem, say unless more action is taken, customers cannot be confident their homes meet the stated star rating. "At the moment there's an assumption that houses are built to a far tighter standard than what we believe they are", Adam Selvay, Henley Homes energy and sustainability specialist, said.
The question of builder liability was raised in a meeting with the Federal Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and the Australian Building Codes Board in April last year. Following that meeting, Terry Mahoney, president of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Association of Australia, emailed other attendees, as well as federal government ministers and senior public servants, criticising officials for failing to respond to the issues discussed.
"It became apparent that no amount of scientific evidence, poor global best practice comparisons or safety and health risk concerns raised by the visiting group, would engender any action or urgency, "he wrote. He noted the attendees' view that there is "overwhelming evidence" that the current star rating method "proves grossly inaccurate when constructed homes are performance tested".
Housing Industry Association building and environment director Kristin Brookfield said the association was not aware of specific research on air leakage, but said energy efficiency was affected by poor sealing. Bruce Rowse, of building efficiency consultants CarbonetiX, called for inspections to include checks on sealing and insulation installation.
Victorian Building Commissioner Tony Arnel said an auditing process had consistently demonstrated that new homes complied with regulations but admitted that research had shown more work needed to be done with the industry on "draughts and gaps".
Sunday 6/2/2011 Page: 8
HUNDREDS of thousands of new homes across the country are not performing at their promised energy efficiency rating, forcing residents to use up to double the predicted energy required for heating and cooling, industry officials say. Research by air tightness testing company Air Barrier Technologies has shown that air leakage in new homes is five to 10 times worse than expected under the star rating scheme.
This means that an average five star home is likely to perform only to a three star level, potentially doubling expected energy bills for residents. The Victorian Building Commissioner says builders who deliver homes that have not been properly sealed or insulated to meet the set star rating could be sued by buyers. About 40,000 homes are built in Victoria each year. All must meet the five star standard. This will rise to six stars from May.
But a group of industry players, including Henley Homes, who have been lobbying state and federal government and building regulators to crack down on the air leakage problem, say unless more action is taken, customers cannot be confident their homes meet the stated star rating. "At the moment there's an assumption that houses are built to a far tighter standard than what we believe they are", Adam Selvay, Henley Homes energy and sustainability specialist, said.
The question of builder liability was raised in a meeting with the Federal Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and the Australian Building Codes Board in April last year. Following that meeting, Terry Mahoney, president of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Association of Australia, emailed other attendees, as well as federal government ministers and senior public servants, criticising officials for failing to respond to the issues discussed.
"It became apparent that no amount of scientific evidence, poor global best practice comparisons or safety and health risk concerns raised by the visiting group, would engender any action or urgency, "he wrote. He noted the attendees' view that there is "overwhelming evidence" that the current star rating method "proves grossly inaccurate when constructed homes are performance tested".
Housing Industry Association building and environment director Kristin Brookfield said the association was not aware of specific research on air leakage, but said energy efficiency was affected by poor sealing. Bruce Rowse, of building efficiency consultants CarbonetiX, called for inspections to include checks on sealing and insulation installation.
Victorian Building Commissioner Tony Arnel said an auditing process had consistently demonstrated that new homes complied with regulations but admitted that research had shown more work needed to be done with the industry on "draughts and gaps".
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Transfield eyes opportunities in the sun
Summaries - Australian Financial ReviewI
7 February 2011, Page: 18
Transfield Holdings says it plans to grow its local solar power business, with expansion based around its majority holding in solar thermal group Novatec Biosol. A consortium led by Transfield Holdings, and including Novatec, Transfield Services, in which Transfield Holdings has an 11% holding, and Transfield Services Infrastructure Fund, is shortlisted in the Federal Government's solar flagships program. Other bids have come from Infigen Energy, Suntech Power Holdings, AGL Energy, Parson Brinckerhoff and Wind Prospect CWP. Novatec has already won a contract to build a nine MW solar field at the Macquarie Generation owned Hunter Valley Liddell Power Station.
7 February 2011, Page: 18
Transfield Holdings says it plans to grow its local solar power business, with expansion based around its majority holding in solar thermal group Novatec Biosol. A consortium led by Transfield Holdings, and including Novatec, Transfield Services, in which Transfield Holdings has an 11% holding, and Transfield Services Infrastructure Fund, is shortlisted in the Federal Government's solar flagships program. Other bids have come from Infigen Energy, Suntech Power Holdings, AGL Energy, Parson Brinckerhoff and Wind Prospect CWP. Novatec has already won a contract to build a nine MW solar field at the Macquarie Generation owned Hunter Valley Liddell Power Station.
Wind farm claims only speculation
Herald Sun
7 February 2011, Page: 31
NO negative relationship has been demonstrated between wind turbines and property prices, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria ("Farms hit value", Your State, February 3). Opponents sometimes claim that particular properties have dropped in value due to their location near a wind farm.
In the same way, you could argue that in other locations wind turbines have a positive impact on values, as there are many locations near wind farms where prices are booming, such as Cape Bridgewater. If someone is having trouble selling their property and it is near a wind turbine, there could be half a dozen reasons. With the absence of any credible research to the contrary, claims of wind farms affecting property prices remain speculative at best.
Russell Marsh, Clean Energy Council
7 February 2011, Page: 31
NO negative relationship has been demonstrated between wind turbines and property prices, according to the Real Estate Institute of Victoria ("Farms hit value", Your State, February 3). Opponents sometimes claim that particular properties have dropped in value due to their location near a wind farm.
In the same way, you could argue that in other locations wind turbines have a positive impact on values, as there are many locations near wind farms where prices are booming, such as Cape Bridgewater. If someone is having trouble selling their property and it is near a wind turbine, there could be half a dozen reasons. With the absence of any credible research to the contrary, claims of wind farms affecting property prices remain speculative at best.
Russell Marsh, Clean Energy Council
Friday, 11 February 2011
Shine a light on solar deals
Adelaide Advertiser
7 February 2011, Page: 37
INVESTING in solar power for your home will cost thousands initially and it could take the better part of a decade to see financial benefits, so being an informed consumer is vital. In the nine months to October 2010, more than 105,000 household solar panel systems were installed in Australian homes, according to the Clean Energy Council.
The most common household systems are either 1 or 1.5 kW and, depending on the state you live in, could reduce the average electricity bill by up to 40%. The price for a 1.5 kW system is about $13,000, according to the CEC, but this is reduced by various government rebates and feed in tariffs paid by electricity companies.
Solar power firm Energy Matters' general manager of sales, Nick Brass, says consumers need to research thoroughly before purchasing solar panels to ensure they're buying from a credible manufacturer. He says most of the well known electronics manufacturers consumers know such as Sanyo Electric and GE make solar panels, along with specialist manufacturers but there are also some "fly by nighters" to be wary of. "It's coming out of China most of the time and a brand that none of us really know", Brass says.
But not all solar panels made in China are of poor quality which is why doing your homework is essential. "People talk about warranties a lot and everyone claims to offer a warranty, but the real question is are they going to be around to service the warranty so looking for just a warranty isn't enough anymore", he says. "It's important to look at the credibility of the supplier".
Brass says people should not be dazzled by advertisements that look incredibly cheap. "We are all tempted by price but at the end of the day you don't get payback without buying quality", he says. Brass also says consumers should question the experience of their installer, even if they hold the required Clean Energy Council accreditation.
A recent report by national consumer group Choice notes that there have been concerns about the quality of some cheap imported panels and their level of safety. "Make sure your panels meet the international standards and that you're using an accredited installer", it says. "This is vital to the safety and reliability of your solar system installation". It says manufacturer warranties on solar panel systems range from five to 25 years.
"Solar systems should last at least 25 years obviously, a warranty or guarantee for that length of time from a company you trust is best" The CEC's consumer guidelines says people can work out the size of the solar power system they need by analysing their latest electricity bill and calculating average daily electricity consumption. However, the use of available north facing roof space is also an important factor, with a 1 kW solar system requiring about 8 to 10m² of space.
Questions you should ask:
7 February 2011, Page: 37
INVESTING in solar power for your home will cost thousands initially and it could take the better part of a decade to see financial benefits, so being an informed consumer is vital. In the nine months to October 2010, more than 105,000 household solar panel systems were installed in Australian homes, according to the Clean Energy Council.The most common household systems are either 1 or 1.5 kW and, depending on the state you live in, could reduce the average electricity bill by up to 40%. The price for a 1.5 kW system is about $13,000, according to the CEC, but this is reduced by various government rebates and feed in tariffs paid by electricity companies.
Solar power firm Energy Matters' general manager of sales, Nick Brass, says consumers need to research thoroughly before purchasing solar panels to ensure they're buying from a credible manufacturer. He says most of the well known electronics manufacturers consumers know such as Sanyo Electric and GE make solar panels, along with specialist manufacturers but there are also some "fly by nighters" to be wary of. "It's coming out of China most of the time and a brand that none of us really know", Brass says.
But not all solar panels made in China are of poor quality which is why doing your homework is essential. "People talk about warranties a lot and everyone claims to offer a warranty, but the real question is are they going to be around to service the warranty so looking for just a warranty isn't enough anymore", he says. "It's important to look at the credibility of the supplier".
Brass says people should not be dazzled by advertisements that look incredibly cheap. "We are all tempted by price but at the end of the day you don't get payback without buying quality", he says. Brass also says consumers should question the experience of their installer, even if they hold the required Clean Energy Council accreditation.
A recent report by national consumer group Choice notes that there have been concerns about the quality of some cheap imported panels and their level of safety. "Make sure your panels meet the international standards and that you're using an accredited installer", it says. "This is vital to the safety and reliability of your solar system installation". It says manufacturer warranties on solar panel systems range from five to 25 years.
"Solar systems should last at least 25 years obviously, a warranty or guarantee for that length of time from a company you trust is best" The CEC's consumer guidelines says people can work out the size of the solar power system they need by analysing their latest electricity bill and calculating average daily electricity consumption. However, the use of available north facing roof space is also an important factor, with a 1 kW solar system requiring about 8 to 10m² of space.
Questions you should ask:
- Are the designer and the installer accredited? All installers should have photo identification cards.
- How many systems has the installer completed?
- What kinds of warranties come with the products?
- How long have the manufacturers been in the industry? Long warranties are useless if manufacturers aren't around in five years.
- If something goes wrong, who pays for repair or replacement costs?
Missing out on benefits
The Saturday Age
5 February 2011, Page: 23
Julia Gillard tells us a carbon price will drive another sweeping technological revolution ("Labor's plan to tackle emissions", Online, 3/2). Unfortunately, this revolution will occur in other countries. The government continues to discriminate against local investment in voluntary emission cuts through energy efficiency, many forms of renewable energy, and waste management.
For example, I will spend $500 and cut emissions by making my house more energy efficient, this simply leaves more room under our Kyoto cap (and future trading cap) for other emitters to pollute more. Any business, household or government agency that wants to make a difference to global emissions through these actions must buy certified "additional" permits from overseas. It is perverse that the government is disempowering Australians.
At least the government gave some ground. Under its proposed carbon farming initiative, emission abatement through farming and agriculture will make a difference.
Alan Pears, Brighton
5 February 2011, Page: 23
Julia Gillard tells us a carbon price will drive another sweeping technological revolution ("Labor's plan to tackle emissions", Online, 3/2). Unfortunately, this revolution will occur in other countries. The government continues to discriminate against local investment in voluntary emission cuts through energy efficiency, many forms of renewable energy, and waste management.
For example, I will spend $500 and cut emissions by making my house more energy efficient, this simply leaves more room under our Kyoto cap (and future trading cap) for other emitters to pollute more. Any business, household or government agency that wants to make a difference to global emissions through these actions must buy certified "additional" permits from overseas. It is perverse that the government is disempowering Australians.
At least the government gave some ground. Under its proposed carbon farming initiative, emission abatement through farming and agriculture will make a difference.
Alan Pears, Brighton
.. but here's a story with a clean ending
Sydney Morning Herald
5 February 2011, Page: 18
GO YOU good thing! Bloomberg New Energy Finance late last month showed worldwide investment in clean energy jumped by 30% last year to a record $US243 billion, driven by massive investment in China, offshore wind and rooftop solar in Europe, and increased spending on research and development generally. Another strong year is expected.
The US President, Barack Obama, offered more cheer with a new goal: America would get 80% of its energy from "clean" sources (he included clean coal, gas and nuclear) by 2035. Trillions will be spent.
ArkX Investment Management, part owned by Westpac's "incubator" division Ascalon, views the sector as a top performer for 20 to 30 years and as a great hedge for Australian super funds, which are heavily overweight in fossil fuels.
This week the ArkX Clean Energy fund reported encouraging three year performance figures the minimum needed to win super fund clients. The tiny fund, with just $8 million invested and not yet open to retail investors, benchmarks itself against the New Energy Index (NEX), which tracks 80 listed clean energy firms worldwide earning at least half of their revenue by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
ArkX looks for companies with proven technologies, strong balance sheets and positive cash flows. These aren't speccy start ups: the median market value of companies in its portfolio is $US3 billion. Some are indeed cleaning up, as ArkX director Tim Buckley pointed out on the Climate Spectator website, citing Siemens, Johnson Controls and NextEra Energy Resources.
Over three tough years to the end of calendar 2010, the fund returned -6.8% trouncing the sorry NEX return of -52.4% and also beating the MSCI world share index, which fell 19.8%. There are 25 companies in the ArkX portfolio, none of them Australian. "It's embarrassing", says its managing director, Geoff Evison, who blames our policy settings. "They need 'TLC': transparency, longevity and certainty".
5 February 2011, Page: 18
GO YOU good thing! Bloomberg New Energy Finance late last month showed worldwide investment in clean energy jumped by 30% last year to a record $US243 billion, driven by massive investment in China, offshore wind and rooftop solar in Europe, and increased spending on research and development generally. Another strong year is expected.The US President, Barack Obama, offered more cheer with a new goal: America would get 80% of its energy from "clean" sources (he included clean coal, gas and nuclear) by 2035. Trillions will be spent.
ArkX Investment Management, part owned by Westpac's "incubator" division Ascalon, views the sector as a top performer for 20 to 30 years and as a great hedge for Australian super funds, which are heavily overweight in fossil fuels.
This week the ArkX Clean Energy fund reported encouraging three year performance figures the minimum needed to win super fund clients. The tiny fund, with just $8 million invested and not yet open to retail investors, benchmarks itself against the New Energy Index (NEX), which tracks 80 listed clean energy firms worldwide earning at least half of their revenue by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
ArkX looks for companies with proven technologies, strong balance sheets and positive cash flows. These aren't speccy start ups: the median market value of companies in its portfolio is $US3 billion. Some are indeed cleaning up, as ArkX director Tim Buckley pointed out on the Climate Spectator website, citing Siemens, Johnson Controls and NextEra Energy Resources.
Over three tough years to the end of calendar 2010, the fund returned -6.8% trouncing the sorry NEX return of -52.4% and also beating the MSCI world share index, which fell 19.8%. There are 25 companies in the ArkX portfolio, none of them Australian. "It's embarrassing", says its managing director, Geoff Evison, who blames our policy settings. "They need 'TLC': transparency, longevity and certainty".
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Turbines almost here...
Hebburn Wind
11 February 2010
The cargo ship 'SE Panthea' left Singapore on Australia Day and is expected to dock in Albany today. The ship will arrive in Melbourne in approximately two weeks, where the turbines will clear customs and undergo a series of checks before being transported up to Leonard's Hill.
The first foundation is complete...
We poured the first foundation last Thursday, and the second is being poured today (February 10, 2011). We're delighted that almost all the concrete came from the local batching plant in Daylesford - their busiest day ever.
Are you a member?
We've grown to almost 1600 members and with the works at Leonard's Hill progressing quickly, we are in the most exciting phase to date!
Now is a great time to join the Hepburn Wind community - we are still able to accept new members and investment from Victorian residents. (Unfortunately we are not permitted to accept interstate investors at the present time - see FAQs).
If you, or someone you know, has been considering joining or increasing an existing investment, please take action now to support Australia's first community-owned wind farm.
Details on investing in Hepburn Wind are available in our Membership and Share offer.
11 February 2010
The cargo ship 'SE Panthea' left Singapore on Australia Day and is expected to dock in Albany today. The ship will arrive in Melbourne in approximately two weeks, where the turbines will clear customs and undergo a series of checks before being transported up to Leonard's Hill.The first foundation is complete...
We poured the first foundation last Thursday, and the second is being poured today (February 10, 2011). We're delighted that almost all the concrete came from the local batching plant in Daylesford - their busiest day ever.Are you a member?
We've grown to almost 1600 members and with the works at Leonard's Hill progressing quickly, we are in the most exciting phase to date!
Now is a great time to join the Hepburn Wind community - we are still able to accept new members and investment from Victorian residents. (Unfortunately we are not permitted to accept interstate investors at the present time - see FAQs).
If you, or someone you know, has been considering joining or increasing an existing investment, please take action now to support Australia's first community-owned wind farm.
Details on investing in Hepburn Wind are available in our Membership and Share offer.
10 Electric cars that were actually produced
February 2011
The following article was forwarded to me by Alison Doyle, it's an interesting and slightly quirky look at electric vehicles - with a bit of history mixed in.
A look at some of the earlier electric vehicles clearly shows the notion of streamlined design hadn't quite caught on as yet.
Thanks Alison.
The following article was forwarded to me by Alison Doyle, it's an interesting and slightly quirky look at electric vehicles - with a bit of history mixed in.A look at some of the earlier electric vehicles clearly shows the notion of streamlined design hadn't quite caught on as yet.
Thanks Alison.
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