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  • Victorian water wars escalate

    Activists opposing plans to pipe water from parched rural centres to Melbourne’s suburbs were advocating disrupting train and water services to Melbourne, and blockading highways and Labor MPs’ electorate offices as the state’s water debate became increasingly bitter.

    Instruction leaflets delivered: Leaflets with instructions on how to carry out these tactics had been distributed around rural centres north-west of Melbourne, but they were unsigned, wrote Duncan Hughes in The Australian Financial Review (24/11/2007, p. 4).

    Emotions running high: Plug The Pipe, the lobby group attacking the plans for a north-south pipeline, disclaimed responsibility for inciting any violence or damage to private property but warned emotions were running high in a community suffering from the worst drought in a century. It could also provide other drought-stricken communities around the nation with tested tactics on how to combat desperate governments trying to find ways of dividing dwindling water supplies between towns and country.

    "Quasi-terrorist" tactics: Water Minister Tim Holding, who was responsible for the $4.9 billion of water infrastructure projects aimed at drought-proofing the state, had accused Liberal federal member Sharmon Stone and failed Liberal candidate Mike Dalmau of stirring up trouble and warned about "quasi-terrorist" tactics.

    Debate about 75 GL of water: The first wave of the water wars was being fought over the $2 billion Food Bowl Modernisation Project, based around the Goulburn Murray irrigation district, which was intended to save 225 gigalitres annually by 2012. The debate was about 75 gigalitres of water to flow to Melbourne from savings in the Goulburn Valley. Dalmau, who denounced extreme tactics but admitted to having distributed some controversial literature, said: "They cannot win the argument so they are attacking individuals." Nationals leader Peter Ryan, who wanted an alternative strategy of improved rainfall capture and increased recycling, believed the opponents were "clearly" winning the fight.

    The Australian Financial Review, 24/11/2007, p. 4

  • NSW woobles on wind for desalination

    But Australian Conservation Foundation spokesman Tony Moore says the current proposal suggests the plant could be several years old before it is fully driven by renewable energy.

    "That’s just too little too late," he said. "If we’re going to go ahead with this plan, we need to make sure that it’s 100 per cent renewable energy at the start date."

    Mr Moore says the Government should not consider desalination until more efficient ways to use and recycle water are explored.

    ‘Whales safe’

    The Opposition says environmental groups are also concerned saline residue, pumped back into the ocean from the plant, will be harmful to whales.

    But Mr Rees has rejected the claim during a Budget Estimates hearing at NSW Parliament House.

    He says there is no evidence to support those fears.

    "Whales are actually mammals and the notion that the water goes through their gills and into their being is erroneous," he said. "There will be no impact on whales."

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  • Greenpeace protesters invade power station

    When it was suggested that it was frightening to think how easy it was to gain access to a power station, Mr Campbell said: "Not everybody can actually do it and we’re actually very highly trained and we research the activities very well."

    When further pressed about how the activists managed to get in, he said there was, "No comment".

    On Wednesday, police received reports of people taking photographs of the nearby Vales Point Power Station, prompting speculation that it could have been Greenpeace members preparing for their protest.

    Tuggerah Lakes Local Area Commander Superintendent Geoff McKechnie said the group had gained access yesterday by cutting through a wire perimeter fence.

    He refused to answer questions about Delta Electricity’s monitoring of the power station fence lines, citing security concerns.

    "They do have security processes in place and we will be working with Delta to improve those security processes," he said.

    Yesterday a Delta spokeswoman said the incident would be investigated, "but it really is now a matter for the police".

    Power station staff were evacuated during the protest but power production was not interrupted.

    Police eventually cut free the protesters, who were later charged with a range of trespass and malicious damage offences.

  • Canada Racing in the Wind

    Aeolis Windpower/Peace River Renewable Energy Co-operative/AltaGas Bear Mountain Windpark

    The 3-way partnership between the new wind power firm, community energy co-operative, and large natural gas income trust is a promising initiative. It is the most advanced of a number of Aeolis project sites, including up to 57 two megawatt Enercon turbines that will generating a nameplate capacity of 120 MW. Community support for the project has been strong, due in part to the involvement of the Peace Energy Co-op, which boasts almost 300 members, from different parts of the country.

    "The ability for local residents to have a direct stake in the project, as well as having a contact office in the community to handle questions has made a big difference towards acceptance of the project," says Valerie Gilson, Peace Energy’s executive director.

    It was the co-operative that got the ball rolling for the Bear Mountain project in 2003, when they picked up BC Hydro’s wind monitoring license for the site. A year later they partnered with Aeolis, who has spearheaded the bulk of the permitting approval process. Construction is slated to begin this month, and the farm should be generating power one year from now.

    AltaGas was brought on board as the financing arm of the operation, and currently holds ownership of the project.

    Earth First Energy/ Dokie Wind Project

    Earth First Energy’s first wind power project is also located in BC’s Peace River Country, near the community of Chetwynd. The Dokie Wind Project is slated at a total of 300 (MW) and built through a joint venture between Earth First and Creststreet Capital. Its completion date is scheduled for 2010. In 2006 BC Hydro awarded Earthfirst a contract for the project’s first phase, which is 162 MW. The contract is for up to 536 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year. The remaining capacity will be tendered in BC Hydro’s upcoming ‘Clean Power Call‘, currently set for spring 2008. Ron Percival, president of Earthfirst, says the company plans to begin construction in the coming winter months, with completion of the first phase in late 2009.

    Mt. Hays Limited Partnership

    A project of Katabatic Power, a company based in Richmond BC and San Francisco, the Mt. Hays site is located near the ocean in the Province’s Northwest corner. At a value of $55 million, the Mt Hays project is comprised of 17 1.5 MW turbines (the AAER-A 1500s), and is the smallest of the three projects, at 25.5 MW. Power developments in BC under 50 MW do not require the same level of oversight by the province. This particular site already has road and grid access in place as well.

    CEO Tony Duggleby says their relationship with the Prince Rupert area has been very positive overall. "We’ve had 75 to 100 people to several open house meetings, people who have been involved all along the way." Mt Hays is located about four kilometers from the community. Final permitting requirements for this project were submitted in October, with construction anticipated to begin in early spring 2008.

    Even More Coming Soon

    Another contender is Seabreeze Power, which in 2004 received the province’s first ever Environmental Assessment Certificate for a proposed wind power project. The approval was for their 99 MW Knob Hill site on Vancouver Island’s northern tip. The company plans to submit a bid for this project in BC Hydro’s upcoming ‘Clean Power Call’, to be issued in the first half of 2008. Finally, Nai Kun Wind Development is working in partnership with The Haida First Nations to plan and develop an ambitious 5-phase project off-shore that is projected to have a nameplate capacity of over 1,000 megawatts.

    Clearly British Columbia intends to transform from one of the laggards in Canadian wind power to one of its leaders. Its world-famous wind zones will soon be harnessed and tested for their real-time performance.

    Randyn Seibold is a student, freelance writer and renewable energy entrepreneur. Living on British Columbia’s West Coast for the last 15 years, he is an active member of the BC Sustainable Energy Association, and has worked for four years as an electrical apprentice. Renewable Recruits is a proprietorship focused on informing students about renewable energy training opportunities, and recruiting qualified people to RE developments in Western Canada.