Archived material from historical editions of The Generator
David Gottfried, CEO of WorldBuild Technologies Inc and founder of the
US Green Building Council, can see a day where capitalism is turned on
its head, reported The Australian Financial Review
(16 February 2006, p.61). Instead of rewarding extraction of wealth
from the earth it will lavish riches on those who reduce their
ecological footprint.
source erisk
Fossil fuels and renewable sources are not mutually exclusive as energy
sources – in fact they can go hand in hand, says CRC for Coal in
Sustainable Development (CCSD) Chief Executive, Frank van Schagen. CCSD
has an on-going technology assessment program that examines all options
that offer opportunities for large scale reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions.
Solar can boost efficiency of coal-fired power stations: Among
the most promising uses for solar thermal power is to provide
supplementary steam energy to bolster the efficiency of the nation’s 39
coal-fired power plants and cut greenhouse emissions, according to the
study’s lead author, Dr Louis Wibberley. It can also provide the
low-grade energy needed to filter C02 out of the exhaust gases of
existing coal and gas-fired power stations for long-term storage.
Liddell study expanded: A major solar-coal trial is presently
taking place at Liddell power station in NSW by using solar heat and
power for extra steam production. This is now being expanded to produce
6000MWh per year (saving around 6,000 tonnes of C02 annually).
Solar proving reliable: Solar thermal was proving to be reliable
technology. With increasing adoption, it would become more competitive
with fossil fuels. “The smartest way we can take advantage of it is by
hybridizing CST with our vast resources of fossil energy, to ensure our
power supply is clean, reliable and cost effective.”
CSIRO involved: CSIRO’s National Solar Research Facility in
Newcastle under Dr Wes Stein is exploring the use of CST to reform
methane from natural or coal-bed gas to make synthesis gas (CO + C02 +
H2) for power generation (Solar-Gas), industrial chemical or transport
fuel production, or for generating hydrogen for power production.
Executive Director of the Australian Coal Association, Mark O’Neill, on
14 February labeled the ABC Four Corners program aired the previous
night as a new low water mark in shoddy, biased journalism and strongly
rejected allegations that the coal industry enjoyed any untoward
privileged access to the Federal Government, according to a statement
from the Australian Coal Association
Coal industry now the “Greenhouse Mafia”: The program apparently
aired unsubstantiated allegations made by a “self-styled whistle-blower
with declared political ambitions”, Guy Pearce. Pearce claimed that in
2002, while interviewing a number of industry association leaders as
part of his research for a PhD thesis, they referred to themselves as
“The Greenhouse Mafia” and claimed privileged access to government,
including cabinet documents.
O’Neill denies meeting: O’Neill said that he had “never
participated in any such meeting” and had never heard of Pearce. “If I
was not present at the meeting, then it is unlikely that anyone from
the coal industry was,” O’Neill said.
Journo challenged to name names: “I challenge Pearce to name any
coal industry representative who attended the allegedly taped meeting,
who claimed special access to government, membership of any so-called
“Greenhouse Mafia” or claimed to have access to, or helped write, any
cabinet documents,” said O’Neill.
Coal industry wants the last word: O’Neill slammed Four Corners
for not personally approaching him to respond to the allegations, and
for depicting repeated coal-related images in the story.
BHP Billiton has a water licence to extract 42 megalitres – equivalent
to 42 Olympic swimming pools – daily of borewater from the Great
Artesian Basin. It currently uses 32 megalitres. But an expanded mine
would need at least 150 megalitres more, and would suck the basin dry,
environmentalists have warned, reported The Australian (13/2/2006).
Plant based in Whyalla: A proposed plant would be based near
Whyalla in the Upper Spencer Gulf, with water supplied via a 330km
pipeline to Olympic Dam.
Rann attacked on environmental standards: Australian
Conservation Foundation anti-nuclear campaigner David Noonan accused SA
Premier Mike Rann of failing to deliver on a 2002 election promise to
ensure the uranium mine observed the strictest environmental
safeguards.
Call for change of law: He called on Rann to change the laws
governing the uranium mine so the owners could not ignore updated
environmental standards and operate in secrecy.
Govt priorities questioned: “It has never been acceptable that
uranium miners take precedence over environmental protection,” Noonan
said. “If Rann has repeated his commitment to make sure that Olympic
Dam adheres to the strictest standards, firstly that means giving up on
proposed water extraction from the Great Artesian Basin.
Roxby Downs legal privleges: “And in the long term, the government must agree to repeal and give up the legal privileges in the 1982 Roxby Downs Indenture Act that give Roxby’s owner laws to override the right of due process and more modern legislation in Australia,” Noonan added.
Conflict of interest: Noonan said the government had a clear
conflict of interest because Mining Minister Paul Holloway was also the
Planning Minister and had responsibility for the Roxby Downs Indenture Act. “Here you have the chief assessor and decision-maker also a major proponent and supporter of the mine,” Noonan said.
US-based Grist magazine calls for your vision of the future. A thoughtful article and passionate debate aims to counter the anti-Green rhetoric dominating the media. Join in the discussion at Grist
To complement its series on Poverty and the Environment in the USA, Grist Magazine studies the attitude toward environmental issues in emerging economies. There are many difficult issues at the heart of this question, most notably that the underlying principle that we have to lower our aspirations appears hypocritical to those who aspire to the Continue Reading →