Comments on: Garrett’s demotion could give clean energy some clear air http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/02/garretts-demotion-could-give-clean-energy-some-clear-air/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:07:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Michael James http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/02/garretts-demotion-could-give-clean-energy-some-clear-air/#comment-61435 Michael James Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:47:03 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=120123#comment-61435 Yes, Tom Friedman reported on Lindsay Graham's conversion in his OpEd on the weekend NYT. Of course Graham did not have to go to Davos to discover this. He just had to read any of Friedman's pieces over the past three years or more, urging American government and industry to build a green economy. (Ha! A Republican read the NY Times!) As to Australia, essentially it is all over. We have missed the boat. With Rudd putting billions into the mirage of Clean Coal and peanuts into solar and geothermal, we cannot possibly be a match against China, Germany or California. I have no idea what the vision of a future Australia is, of either the politicians or the reactionary industry types like Moran or Roskam. If Climate Policy is the moral equivalent of war (yep, Carter's MEOW) then these guys are fifth columnists and traitors. Yes, Tom Friedman reported on Lindsay Graham’s conversion in his OpEd on the weekend NYT. Of course Graham did not have to go to Davos to discover this. He just had to read any of Friedman’s pieces over the past three years or more, urging American government and industry to build a green economy. (Ha! A Republican read the NY Times!)
As to Australia, essentially it is all over. We have missed the boat. With Rudd putting billions into the mirage of Clean Coal and peanuts into solar and geothermal, we cannot possibly be a match against China, Germany or California.
I have no idea what the vision of a future Australia is, of either the politicians or the reactionary industry types like Moran or Roskam. If Climate Policy is the moral equivalent of war (yep, Carter’s MEOW) then these guys are fifth columnists and traitors.

]]> By: Royden Ramage http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/03/02/garretts-demotion-could-give-clean-energy-some-clear-air/#comment-61412 Royden Ramage Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:57:13 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=120123#comment-61412 Re: Climate change and Energy Efficiency John Connor correctly identifies that “Australians are being left behind in the emerging clean energy economy.” However, given the right incentives Australians will embrace clean energy. The recently ceased solar panel rebate shows that 64,000 Australians jumped in before the Government ended the subsidy three weeks short of the June 30th 2009 deadline. In our small regional town, under a mass buying program we managed to get approximately 900 homes under a minimum solar panel system of 1.02kWh. Many opted for larger systems. The economic impact on our community was far greater than anticipated. Aimed at existing households, we saw 900 ratepayers invest $2,500 totalling $2.25m. The winning tenderer opened a local office employing 3 people and employed 24 more for installations over a nine month period. The local news paper picked up $35,000 in advertising by solar panel sellers while ratepayers now save an estimated $250,000 in annual energy bills. The local energy company made an effortless $500,000 in smart meters and our area can now record accurately that we save at least 1,170 tonnes of CO2 annually. To ensure we had an ongoing renewable energy program we asked participants for a $75.00 registration fee. The money raised has gone into an R&D fund with an Adelaide university to develop a hybrid wind/solar system utilising a locally designed and manufactured Savonius wind turbine. Best of all the program decreased demand on the local coal fired power station. Full details can be seen at www.solarprogram.com.au My point is that if our small area can accomplish this under a federal solar panel incentive; imagine if a state government issued a similar tender. Given the right incentive Australians know a good thing when they see it. Sadly we vote every three years while the traditional energy suppliers vote every day over lunch with the pollies. Re: Climate change and Energy Efficiency

John Connor correctly identifies that “Australians are being left behind in the emerging clean energy economy.” However, given the right incentives Australians will embrace clean energy. The recently ceased solar panel rebate shows that 64,000 Australians jumped in before the Government ended the subsidy three weeks short of the June 30th 2009 deadline. In our small regional town, under a mass buying program we managed to get approximately 900 homes under a minimum solar panel system of 1.02kWh.

Many opted for larger systems. The economic impact on our community was far greater than anticipated. Aimed at existing households, we saw 900 ratepayers invest $2,500 totalling $2.25m. The winning tenderer opened a local office employing 3 people and employed 24 more for installations over a nine month period. The local news paper picked up $35,000 in advertising by solar panel sellers while ratepayers now save an estimated $250,000 in annual energy bills. The local energy company made an effortless $500,000 in smart meters and our area can now record accurately that we save at least 1,170 tonnes of CO2 annually.

To ensure we had an ongoing renewable energy program we asked participants for a $75.00 registration fee. The money raised has gone into an R&D fund with an Adelaide university to develop a hybrid wind/solar system utilising a locally designed and manufactured Savonius wind turbine. Best of all the program decreased demand on the local coal fired power station. Full details can be seen at http://www.solarprogram.com.au

My point is that if our small area can accomplish this under a federal solar panel incentive; imagine if a state government issued a similar tender. Given the right incentive Australians know a good thing when they see it. Sadly we vote every three years while the traditional energy suppliers vote every day over lunch with the pollies.

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