Catholic Church Greens it up
June 16, 2008
The Catholic Church of Australia is to install solar panels and water tanks on it’s premises’ - including churches, aged care facilities, welfare and Non-profit agencies - with a longer term aim of contributing energy to the national grid by 2025.
As published at www.ecomedia.org.au
Australian solar breakthrough pioneered in USA
June 16, 2008
FORMER Sydney University professor Dr David Mills couldn’t find funding for his giant solar power plants in Australia, but US investors had no qualms wagering at least $40 million on the idea.
Dr Mills’ first factory for the mass production of “solar parks” will open in Las Vegas later this month. It hosted a gaggle of interested Australian politicians last night in Nevada, including the NSW Environment Minister, Verity Firth.
The power plants, conceived in Dr Mills’s Sydney University lab, will reflect sunlight with mirrors to boil water and use the steam to spin turbines, generating electricity for a price not much higher than that of a coal-burning power station.
But, unlike some solar power systems, they can function when the sun isn’t shining by storing heat in insulated chambers for a rainy day, and continue steadily feeding power into the grid.
The technology, some of which the company is keeping under wraps, is not complicated or particularly expensive, but it is being exploited in Nevada rather than NSW because that is where the financial backing is, Dr Mills said.
“We’re not really talking about government money or subsidies, we’re trying to establish a level playing field for the technology,” Dr Mills said.
“There is a big debate being held here [in the US], but I don’t think that debate is being held as it should be in Australia.”
Dr Mills moved the headquarters of Ausra, the solar company he founded, to the US last year because he found that banks there were more willing to take risks on large-scale developments that feed directly into the power grid.
“We’ve shown that the system will be competitive with coal-fired electricity, especially when it has the extra cost of having carbon capture and storage fitted,” Dr Mills said.
“Added to that, we obviously have no fuel costs.”
There have been regular inquiries from potential investors in Australia, but so far none has been found to fund a project on a scale that could start seeing greenhouse gas-intensive coal power stations replaced. Ausra does have a pilot plant already functioning at Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook in the Hunter Valley’s traditional coal country, supplementing the coal-burning plant and preserving an estimated 4000 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
The NSW Government would like to see more schemes like it, although it is offering no special incentives at this stage.
Ms Firth said she hoped the introduction of the Federal Government’s emissions trading scheme and renewable energy target of 20 per cent by the year 2020, together with the state’s own $40 million renewable energy fund, would encourage Dr Mills’ company to persist with a large-scale solar plant in the state.
“We’d obviously like to see this sort of industry in NSW, it’s absolutely part of our longer-term agenda,” Ms Firth said.
Ben Cubby, Environment Reporter
New development in solar technology
June 1, 2008
Researchers from the University of Queensland have achieved what was once thought to be impossible: grown the world’s first titanium oxide single crystals. These crystals, among other useful properties, absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity and will be a cheaper alternative to solar panels in future generation of solar power. The technology is expected to be available commercially within ten years.
Government’s climate policy a debacle: Greens
May 30, 2008
Australian Greens Climate Change spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne has described the Rudd government’s climate change programs as an unplanned, uncoordinated mess. Focusing on the decision to means test the solar rebate program, Senator Milne pointed out the misreading of income figures in an ATA report upon which the decision was based. The Green Loans program also came under fire. To View the full article please go to, http://greens.org.au/media/releases/release.php?release_id=1019
Report reveals environmental impact of NSW coal industry
May 29, 2008
A leaked report from the Iemma Government’s Department of Environment and Climate Change details the need to confront the coal industry over its resulting land subsidence and greenhouse gas emissions. The report argues that the department has a leading role in the approval process and environmental assessment of new mines in the state.
Solar industry challenges government on panel rebates
May 29, 2008
A delegation from the solar power industry is travelling to Canberra try to meet with Ministers to discuss the government decision to means test the $8000 solar panel rebate. Under budget changes, households earning more than $100,000 a year will no longer be eligible for the rebate.
Solar energy technology breakthrough
May 29, 2008
University of Queensland researchers say they have made a breakthrough in making solar energy more cost-effective. Professor Max Lu says they have been able to grow titanium oxide crystals, which are a cheaper alternative to solar panels.
McDonalds switching to sustainable coffee
May 27, 2008
Getting consumers to ask themselves the question ‘where has my coffee come from?’ has been growing in success as Fairtrade and sustainable coffee labels such as the Rainforest Alliance are becoming more common. This is about to increase dramatically as McDonalds switches to sustainably grown coffee for all its cafes and restaurants by next year. The coffee beans are only sourced from areas not cleared of rainforest and thus are awarded the Rainforest Alliance label. Other retailers, such as Gloria Jeans, are also planning to make the move to sustainable and ethical coffee.
Biofuels: good news or bad?
May 27, 2008
Biofuels … the green alternative? Photo: John Woudstra
Biofuels, fuels made from agricultural products such as corn, wheat and sugar, were originally hailed as the “green” alternative to petrol. But there have been unforeseen complications in recent years. Landholders who used to plant crops for food are increasingly planting them instead for the more lucrative biofuel market. This has led to food shortages and riots in many developing countries where the price of basic staples has risen enormously.
The EU has a target of 10 per cent biofuels for transport fuels by 2020. The NSW Government may insist on 10 per cent ethanol for all standard unleaded petrol by 2010.
Full article can be read at http://www.smh.com.au/news/energy-smart/drivers-fear-ethanol-damage-study/2008/04/15/1208025189820.html
Earth Hour - great idea or waste of time?
May 27, 2008
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore at the official launch party for the 2008 Earth Hour. Photo: Bryan Keane
There’s no denying it’s an idea that has caught on. Millions of people around the world turned off their lights for Earth Hour on Saturday night, following the lead set by Sydney last year. Darkness fell across Canada, Fiji and Denmark, in Dublin and big US cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and New York.
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