Contact: Brad Burke (02) 6277 7640, website http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/env/2007/pubs/mr16may07.pdf
Erisk Net, 17/5/2007
Author: admin
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US moves to harness wave energy
In her Congressional discussion, von Jouanne said she hopes to outline the technological obstacles that must be overcome to commercialize wave energy, the ways that streamlined permitting and agency cooperation could help, and the need for more environmental and ecological studies.
"Things are really picking up speed now," said von Jouanne. "The public, political and agency leaders are understanding how electricity produced by waves could be a significant contributor to our energy portfolio, and people are beginning to see the value of a focused, national center to move research forward."
In the past nine years, Ocean State University has built its wave energy program through strong collaboration with state and federal agencies, private industry, utility companies and coastal communities. Outreach to fishing and crabbing industries has been a key part of the work, and a Port Liaison Project team composed of commercial fishing experts has been involved in wave energy device siting and ocean technical expertise.
OSU has also worked with a group called Fishermen Interested in Natural Energy to enable ocean testing in the late summer of 2007, and has located a low impact site for this testing.
"Our commercial fishermen are what you would consider ‘practical’ ocean experts, and they’ve been valuable partners in identifying [wave energy testing] sites that would cause the least disruption to the state’s economically important seafood industry," said Flaxen Conway, a Sea Grant Extension specialist.
"They also have been consulted on local ocean environments, the waves, currents, debris and climate history. We’re working together with them to plan a mutually beneficial, future use of the ocean and its resources," added Flaxen.
Research and development of wave energy is still very young, in comparison to other forms of renewable energy such as wind power. But wave power, most likely produced by buoys that are anchored two to three miles offshore and move gently up and down with ocean swells, could produce steady and large amounts of electricity.
Studies have suggested the network of about 500 such buoys could power the business district of downtown Portland. Systems could be scaled up or down in size, whatever is needed to meet demand. Theoretically, estimates suggest that 0.2 percent of the ocean’s untapped energy could power the entire world.
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Korea builds second major solar power plant
it generates to the Korea Power Exchange. SP Energy receives the wholesale market rate for the electricity from Korea Electric Power Corp. as well as a per-kilowatt-hour subsidy payment from the Korea Energy Management Corp. The project was financed by a fund raised from institutional investors and managed by Good & Rich Asset Management. The City of Mungyeong also offered its support throughout all stages of project development.
"Korea is committed to becoming a world leader in solar-electric power generation," said Zachary Struyk, PowerLight’s general manager in Korea. "We are pleased to help the country achieve its goals with the development of utility-scale power plants that serve Korea’s power needs with reliable, clean and affordable solar energy."
PowerLight worked as a subcontractor to LG CNS Co., Ltd, by supplying solar technology and providing design and installation services. SunPower panels, using high efficiency solar cells, are mounted on the proprietary PowerTracker solar tracking system.
The Mungyeong SP Solar Mountain is the second major solar power plant designed and deployed by PowerLight in Korea in recent months. In November 2006, a one-megawatt project in Gwangju, Korea, was officially dedicated.
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Hobart cracking up under drought
Mr Clues says while the houses would still be structurally sound, consulting a soil engineer would be wise.
"Have them have a look at the type of soil, do some testing and talk to you about different ways of trying to preserve the moisture content in and around the house," he said.
"But what you mustn’t do is suddenly react by soaking areas that traditionally haven’t had water, because you’ll get the same effect of swelling."
Mr Clues says different types of construction materials are also being used to counter the big dry.
"Certainly you’re seeing a lot more different materials and different options in terms of foundations, using steel, treated pine," he said.
"It’s not all traditional masonry work these days, which obviously has a different impact terms of moisture content and level."
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Antarctic Ocean releasing CO2
Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are now 385 parts per million. The continued burning of fossil fuels has been increasing levels of the gas annually by 2 parts per million.
That rise represents only half the carbon dioxide emitted each year. The rest is absorbed, in roughly equal portions, by two carbon "sinks" — land vegetation and the oceans.
The oceans also expel carbon, coughed up from deep waters where it is stored as carbonic acid.
The new study, published in the journal Science, focused on the Southern Ocean because it is extremely isolated. With only barren, ice-covered land nearby, the researchers could rule out interference from vegetation.
They analyzed data from 11 monitoring stations in the Southern Ocean that measured carbon dioxide concentration just above the surface. The data covered 1981 to 2004.
Using those readings, they estimated how much carbon the water absorbed. They estimated that in 1981, the Southern Ocean absorbed 0.6 billion metric tons of carbon from the air and released 0.3 billion metric tons, for a net absorption of 0.3 billion metric tons. In 2004, the ocean took in 0.8 billion metric tons of carbon and spat out 0.5 billion metric tons — resulting in the same net absorption as in 1981.
The researchers compared the results to computer predictions of what the ocean should have absorbed given the rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. In 2004, the net absorption should have been 0.5 billion metric tons, the study said.
"The ocean sink is weakening," said lead author Corinne Le Quere, an oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey.
The changes, she said, are probably the result of temperature increases that have intensified the westerly winds circling Antarctica. The winds stir up the ocean, bringing deep carbon-rich water to the surface. As a result, the surface waters cannot absorb as much carbon dioxide as they would have otherwise.
Le Quere said she believed the phenomenon could apply to other oceans.
Other scientists disagree, saying the Southern Ocean is so cold, deep and isolated that it may be a unique case.