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10-15 yrs of supply left: The Premier has repeatedly warned that, under current contracts, WA’s gas supplies could run out within 10 to 15 years and households and industry may be forced to pay international prices for gas found in their own backyard.

"Big trouble" for economy if price rises:"We have got a huge dependence now on gas for our West Australian economy and if we allow … the contracted volume to just disappear, or, associated with that, the price to escalate beyond our ability to pay it, we’re in big trouble," Carpenter said.

It would cripple WA industries: "The LNG price has gone up steeply on the international market … if that price level continues to rise and West Australian consumers were forced to pay that, a lot of our industries would have to shut down.

Woodside’s not concerned with WA: "Woodside is looking at what prices they can fetch on the international market and saying, ‘Well, we don’t want to provide any [gas] for the WA market because we know we are going to get extremely high prices on the international market if we can get the gas out there in the right time frame’" he said.

The Australian Financial Review, 17/8/2006, p.61

$1 million a year for the next 17 years:The carbon trading deal will deliver $1 million a year for the next 17 years to the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation, which manages Maningrida outstations, and the Jawoyn Association, which administers communities farther south.The West Arnhem Fire Management Agreement is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100,000 tonnes a year, the equivalent of taking 20,000 can off the territory roads, Scrymgour says. What’s more, out of control burning off routinely threatens valued environments in Kakadu and Nitmiluk national parks.

World first – brokered by government: The agreement was a world first –

• brokered by government;

•  funded by a private gas producer; and

• contracted out to indigenous landowners.

It would unite traditional knowledge and practices with land management based on contemporary science. The burning of savanna grasslands was the biggest source of greenhouse emission in the Top End; about 40 per cent of the territory’s gas emissions come from wildfires. Maningrida has one of the lowest average incomes in the country.

The Australian, 28/8/2006, p.16

The paper, " Risk to Opportunity: How Insurers can Proactively and Profitably Manage Climate Change", said a well-worn example of risk was degraded indoor air quality due to over-tightening of buildings. In many cases, these concerns were unfounded, but in others they are legitimate (but surmountable). An example of the latter is that small/light cars exist that are as safe or safer than SUVs. Energy supply issues: But, when it came to energy supply issues, questions have arisen about un-quantified liabilities associated with the rising popularity of proposals to capture carbon dioxide at the point of production (e.g. power plant stacks) and inject it, hopefully safely and permanently, into the earth or seabed. The insurance sector will probably be unwilling to insure a rebirth of nuclear power, argued by some as an important part of the response to climate change.
Reference: "From Risk to Opportunity: How Insurers can Proactively and Profitably Manage Climate Change", p.30. The full report is available at www.ceres.org/pub/publications

Businesses chip in with $38m: It is understood ASCC will combine a $15 million climate change grant with $38 million in funding from business and industry partners – including Origin Energy, BP Solar, ANZ and the South Australian Housing Trust – to create solar initiatives, more effective pricing, energy efficiency and "green" homes.

ASCC to install solar panels and smart meters: The consortium plans to install 1700 solar panels in homes and commercial businesses and 7000 smart meters to measure power use – allowing energy companies to monitor consumer trends and adapt packages to customer needs.

Homeowners could save $200 a year on power bills: ASCC plans to offer home builders subsidies to install solar panels and hot water systems. Existing homeowners will be offered retro-fit subsidies. The consortium estimates homeowners will be able to save up to $200 a year on power bills if they take advantage of energy efficiency options.

PM spruiks policies in marginal electorates: The Prime Minister has been in Adelaide since Monday meeting voters in the seats of Makin (where the Liberals have a 1 per cent margin), Wakefield (0.7 per cent) and Kingston (0.1 per cent) – three of the country’s most marginal electorates – to road-test election policies.

Beazley pounds Govt on petrol prices, IR: Kim Beazley has also been on the hustings in Adelaide since Monday night. He said on 29 August that key issues affecting voters in the mortgage-belt electorates would include rising interest rates, petrol prices and the Government’s new industrial relations laws.

Marginal electorates key to election result: "I’m here in Adelaide and so is the Prime Minister, and that is basically because what happens in Wakefield, Kingston and Makin will largely determine the outcome of the next election," the Labor leader said.

The Australian, 30/8/2006, p.4

40 per cent more than NSW: In the first quarter of this year, the number of Queensland electricity consumers purchasing green power grew to 68,000. This was over 40 per cent more customers than Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales. While Victoria had more subscribers in terms of numbers, Queensland still maintains its position as the largest overall consumer of green power, with more green power sold per customer than in either Victoria or New South Wales.

How retailers did it: Mickel said "Queensland government-owned energy retailers have consistently achieved an impressive uptake of renewable energy products by their customers. Both retailers actively market their green power accredited products to consumers through brochures, mail-outs, articles in regular newsletters and via their web sites. The National Green Power Accreditation Program, which accredits renewable electricity generators across Australia, is funded by six states and territories. Queensland’s contribution in 2005- 06 was $63,104. This funding goes towards the administration of the program and the development of marketing materials such as the green power web site. This web site provides consumers with information on renewable energy and how they can sign up to receive green power accredited renewable energy from their electricity retailer.
Reference: Estimates Committee D – Energy and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, Estimates Committee D Member, 14 July 2006.

Erisk Net, 24/7/2006

India looks for LNG-imports from non-Middle Eastern sources: India imports LNG from Qatar and is looking to buy more from other Persian Gulf states, like Iran. But New Delhi also needs to diversify its sources of imported against the interruption of Middle East supplies. And this makes LNG producers outside the Gulf but in the Indian Ocean – Malaysia, Indonesia, potentially Myanmar, and Australia – attractive.

Gas, LNG prices converge: Moreover, the price advantage of piped gas over LNG, in a climate of rising gas prices worldwide, may be becoming less of a factor.

India haggles with Iran over gas price: After lengthy negotiations failed to bridge the gap between India’s reported offer of $US2.05 per million British thermal units and Iran’s demand of $US7.20 per mmbtu, earlier this month the two sides asked an independent consultant to calculate an acceptable price.

Iranian leader says no mates rates: But as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said recently the cost to India of Iranian gas "cannot be very far away from international prices."

The Australian Financial Review, 30/8/2006, p.16