Category: Archive

Academic opposes Howard gov. energy policies

admin /21 May, 2007

Expert argues Australian climate change policy must ratify Kyoto; ban new conventional coal plants & nuclear power and impose carbon pricing & energy performance standards

While Alexander Downer was punished for the governments stance on climate change at the Australian Davos Connection’s Future Summit last week, a NSW University expert on ecology and sustainability argues that Australia’s climate change policy should include a ban on new conventional coal-fired power stations; introduce carbon pricing; energy performance standards for all buildings, appliances and equipment; R&D funding for renewable energy technologies with large potential and no nuclear power.

Undermine Kyoto Protocol no longer: Dr Mark Diesendorf teaches and researches ecologically sustainable development and greenhouse solutions at the Institute of Environmental Studies at University of New South Wales. Diesendorf argues tha Australia should ratify Kyoto so that it no longer undermines the only global agreement seeking a way forward.

No US nuke dump: Australia should decline to become a dumping ground for America’s nuclear waste, said Diesendorf. In Greenhouse Solutions with Sustainable Energy, Diesendorf shows that the climate crisis can be averted with visionary but available policy tools.

Clash of estimates on Murray River flows

admin /20 May, 2007

Malcolm Turnbull claims 40pc over-estimation of water in the Murray-Darling systems wrong and misleading;  3pc impact on streamflows more realistic

According to the Environment and Water Resources Minister, Malcom Turnbull, reports in the media that there had been a 40 per cent overestimation of water in the Murray-Darling system were wrong and misleading.

Only 3pc impact on Murray flows by 2050: Hydrogeologist, Dr Rick Evans, in his recent work for Land and Water Australia on the issue, The Impact of Groundwater Use on Australia’s Rivers – April 2007, forecast, in relation to the Murray, that, "If extractions continue to grow, by 2050 the loss to the River Murray will be around 711 gigalitres." Using the historical annual run-off into the Murray system rivers of 24,000 gigalitres, this is a 3 per cent impact on streamflows.

Worst case scenario pegged at 10-25pc: Furthermore, the CSIRO last year released a report which estimated that if no measures were taken to address the issue, by 2030 the combined impact of climate change, afforestation, bushfires, irrigation water management, farms dams and groundwater extractions on stream flow in the Murray could be 10-25 per cent.

PM’s water plan will ensure sustainable use: The Prime Minister’s $10 billion Plan for National Water Security will ensure that water use in the Basin was put on a sustainable basis, and the 2030 forecast by CSIRO did not eventuate. This was why it was so vitally important that Victoria signed up to the plan without further delay.

US moves to harness wave energy

admin /20 May, 2007

University research programs, private development and political interest are continuing to move forward with the creation of initiatives and technology developments intended to make the U.S., and Oregon in particular, a leader in the development of ocean wave energy.

Building on this momentum, Annette von Jouanne, a scientist at Oregon State University (OSU) will appear today before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment, part of the Science Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, to discuss issues and challenges associated with wave energy generation technology.

A professor of power electronics and energy systems in the OSU College of Engineering, von Joanne was invited to speak before the committee at the invitation of U.S. Congresswoman Darlene Hooley.

"Congressional leaders want to find out more about how wave power could help address the nation’s energy needs, and what the federal government might do to help," said von Jouanne.

Many experts note that while wave energy can provide clean, renewable energy with minimal environmental concerns, challenges remain in developing ways to tap wave power with systems that are reliable, maintainable and able to survive a tough ocean environment.

Labor plans action real action against whaling: Turnbull cries not fair!

admin /20 May, 2007

With the unpopularity of whaling across all classes of Australian voters, the ALP’s announcement to use Australian Navy ships to intercept and board whaling vessels in Australian waters has been met with an angry outburst by the Federal Environment Minister, Malcolm Turnbull. He says Labor’s plan to use the Navy to fight whaling could result in hostility.

The Opposition’s just released a policy to use Australian Navy ships to intercept and board whaling vessels in Australian waters has been met with approval and relief by conservationists and members of the public.

Mr Turnbull’s justification of the Liberal Government’s token anti- whaling postion is that most countries do not consider the waters near Antarctica to be Australian territory. He also cryptically told Channel Nine that such action would `marginalise the international fight against whaling.’

"That is a very reckless proposal and the Labor Party is clearly determined to [put] Australia into the business of piracy really," he said.

Labor’s environment spokesman Peter Garrett says Mr Turnbull is exaggerating.

"That’s a ridiculous claim and it shows that Malcolm actually hasn’t read the policy outline," he said.

Labor says the plan would involve surveillance of whaling and ships would only be boarded as a last resort.

Korea builds second major solar power plant

admin /20 May, 2007

SunPower Corporation’s subsidiary, PowerLight Corp., has completed construction of Mungyeong SP Solar Mountain, a 2.2-megawatt (MW) solar electric power plant in Mungyeong, Korea. The plant is comprised of 10,500 panels and covers an area of approximately 43,000 square meters.

SP Energy, Korea’s largest private solar plant operator, owns the plant and is selling the electricity

Hobart cracking up under drought

admin /20 May, 2007

Tasmania’s prolonged dry spell is being blamed for more reports of structural cracking.

The state’s Housing Industry Association says it is aware of a number of homes developing hairline cracks in the foundations and brickwork.

The association’s executive director, Stuart Clues, say the cracks are caused by a reduction in soil moisture due to a lack of rain and water restrictions.

"At this point in time the feedback that we’re getting is hairline cracks and certainly not major structural defects, so it’s not severe," he said.

"But it’s definitely an emerging trend as a consequence of water restrictions imposed through the drought we now face ourselves with."