Push to introduce ‘brilliant’ solar scheme
The firm running Queensland’s Solar Home project, the Liberal National Party (LNP) and local solar businesses all say Queensland should bite the bullet and introduce the “brilliant” solar energy scheme popular throughout Europe where households are paid for all the electricity their solar energy system generates.
Each says it was the only way to boost Queensland’s fledgling solar energy industry.
At present Australian households only receive money for the extra, or “nett” power – above the power used by the household – which goes back to the electricity grid.
The Federal ALP is also being heavily pressured by the solar industry to introduce a “gross feed-in tariff” scheme where households receive a payment for all power generated by their solar system.
At present only the Australian Capital Territory has committed to introducing this “gross” feed-in system.
Premier Anna Bligh on Monday said she would back a shift to the more generous scheme, but only if it was backed by all other states at the next COAG meeting.
Queensland has the lowest take up of solar energy systems of any state in Australia, despite its high proportion of sunlight.
Opposition environment spokesman David Gibson said the LNP would move immediately to set up a “gross feed-in tariff system and move beyond Labor’s solar hot water system promise.
“We believe a gross solar feed-in tariff would provide more for what Queensland needs, rather than just solar hot water,” Mr Gibson said.
He said Ms Bligh should show leadership, not wait for COAG, and move ahead of other states.
“No, look the ACT has already done it,” he said.
“My understanding is that their original intention was to provide a gross feed-in tariff, but that was rolled in Cabinet.”
Mr Gibson said if the LNP was elected it would introduce a “gross feed-in tariff.”
“Yep, 44 cents a kilowatt. We’re not waiting for Canberra. We’re not sitting around waiting for COAG to sit around and decide, we will take leadership and we will show what can be achieved.”
Brisbane solar business Sun State Solar said their firm faced hard times and would only make money working as an installer for the large companies who won the ALP’s promised solar hot water scheme.
Owner Anthony Buckwell said the tender would be won by large national or international firms would use their bulk buying power to force smaller solar businesses out of work.
“Most likely the tender will go to several large companies who can afford to offer a discount on the product,” Mr Buckwell said.
“And, effectively a few people wll monopolise the market and the only work for locals will be install work,” he said.
Mr Buckwell said the successful tenders would set an installation fee which would not take into account the variations at different homes, creating further difficulties for small firms.
Clean Energy Council (CEC) member Brian Springer, a member of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, says the impact of Labor’s solar hot water scheme has put the industry on hold.
“Yesterday this government announced it would subsidise 200,000 solar hot water systems with a direct buy of $500,” he said.
“This program will be tendered again and many small businesses will be decimated.”
Source: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/push-to-introduce-brilliant-solar-scheme/2009/03/17/1237054820533.html
International Scientific Congress on Climate Change
New renewables to power 40 per cent of global electricity demand by 2050
- With global cooperation and investment, renewables? share will exceed all previous estimates
11 March 2009
With adequate financial and political support, renewable energy technologies like wind and photovoltaics could supply 40 percent of the world’s electricity by 2050, according to findings from the International Scientific Congress “Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions.” However, such technologies are marginalized, its share is likely to hover below 15 percent.
This research was presented at a press conference by Peter Lund of the Helsinki University of Technology’s Advanced Energy Systems in Espoo, Finland, ahead of the scheduled congress session titled, “Renewable Energies: How Far Can They Take Us?”
“Our findings demonstrate that with global political support and financial investment, previous notions that the potential for renewables was in some way limited to a negligible fraction of world demand were wrong,” said Lund. “If we prioritize and recognize the value of renewable energy technologies, their potential to supply us with the energy we need is tremendous.”
Previous projections put renewables’ share at only 12 percent by 2030. Other research within the same congress session further supports the viability of renewables, examining closely the limitations and potential of wind, biomass and biofuels.
According to Erik Lundtang Petersen of Risoe DTU’s Wind Energy Department in Roskilde, Denmark, in order for the wind sector to deliver its full potential, it must focus on efficiently delivering, installing and connecting large amounts of wind power to the grid, with strong concern for reliability, availability and accessibility of the turbines.
“We have identified specific areas of priority for the wind sector to effectively deliver the overall objective of cost reductions,” said Petersen. “Research areas including turbine technology, wind energy integration and offshore deployment will be crucial to maximizing future growth.”
Within biofuels and biomass, research conducted by Jeanette Whitaker of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Lancaster, UK found that second generation biofuels, such as ethanol from woody crops/straw, had substantially lower energy requirements and greenhouse gas emissions than first generation biofuels, such as ethanol made from foodstuffs, for example wheat and sugar beet.
“These findings are important and relevant, as the current biofuel debate has centered on the issue of the competing need for crops to be used for food versus fuel,” said Whitaker.
All of these findings and hundreds more are being presented by thousands of climate researchers from more than 70 countries at “Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions” taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark, 10-12 March 2009 (www.climatecongress.ku.dk).
The purpose of the congress is to deliver an update on our knowledge of climate change and how to address the risks and opportunities ahead. The results will be presented to world leaders as they gather later this year in Copenhagen for the post-Kyoto negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP15).
Source: http://climatecongress.ku.dk/newsroom/renewable_energy/