Category: Archive

■ Strong opposition from local councils in Gippsland and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union over perceptions that the proposal amounts to a theft of the region’s prime water resource to benefit Melbourne.

■ The Government is in dispute with power station owners over the quality of treated effluent. The Government has proposed to treat the water to a lower standard that what the power stations claim to require.

■ Legislation could be introduced forcing the power stations to give up their fresh water.

■ A local Labor MP, Brendan Jenkins, has criticised the Government over how Gippslanders have been consulted.

Source: The Age Online 

Australian solar scientist Dr Zhengrong Shi became the wealthiest person in mainland China and the fourth richest Australian after founding a company to manufacture electricity-producing solar cells in Wuxi, near Shanghai, in 2001, reported The Sydney Morning Herald (12/9/2006, p.14).

Early gains can be renewed: Although Australia had lost its world lead in developing a solar energy industry, it was not too late to catch up, said Shi, 43, who in 1989 was a PhD student in the groundbreaking Sydney photovoltaics laboratory run by Professor Martin Green and Professor Stuart Wenham.

Sunshine to burn: "But we have to think long-term and in a more creative way. Australia has the best solar technology. And we have got so much sunshine. Our coal and gas will only become more valuable with time, why sell it off so quickly? We should exploit our renewable energy and save the resources for the future," Shi said.

Great leap after China investment: Shi had been persuaded to found his company, Suntech Power Holdings, after the Wuxi region offered US$6 million to establish a conventional photovoltaic solar cell plant. Within three years of start-up, it was among the world’s top 10 solar cell makers.

Germany makes long-term commitment: About 80 per cent of Suntech’s sales were to Europe, primarily in Germany, which has made a long-term commitment to promoting photovoltaics and other renewable energies – a strategy Australian solar scientists thought this country would do well to emulate.

Renewables catch on in Asia: Suntech last month had bought a Japanese photovoltaics solar company, MSK Corporation, to boost its standing in that growing market. In China, it should benefit from a renewable energy law that took effect in January which aimed for 15 per cent of China’s energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2020.

Solar to light Olympic track: Suntech had been selected to provide solar energy for Beijing’s bird’s nest stadium, where the 2008 Olympic track and field events will be held.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 12/9/2006, p.14

Source: Erisk Net  

Former U.S. vice-president Al Gore said South Australia’s focus on renewable energy has made the state a world leader in the battle against global warming, reported The Advertiser (12/9/2006, p.1).

SA shows the way: Gore, in Australia to promote An Inconvenient Truth, his controversial documentary on the world’s most pressing environmental problem, praised the state’s efforts in promoting wind and solar energy as an example the world should follow.

Leadership makes the difference: In SA, you have probably one of the best examples of any state in the entire world where you see how leadership can make a tremendous difference in promoting renewable sources of energy," he said. SA has 51 per cent of Australia’s wind power and 45 per cent of the country’s grid-connected solar power.

The Advertiser, 12/9/2006, p.1

Source: Erisk Net  

Former U.S. vice-president Al Gore said South Australia’s focus on renewable energy has made the state a world leader in the battle against global warming. Full story