XKCD on windpower - the funny side of the energy debate

From XKCD

Earthrace docks in Ballina on 30 December 2008

The Far North Coaster reports:

You'll be able to see the boat, which holds the record for circling the globe and is for sale for $US1.5 million, when she docks in Ballina on December 30 and 31.

Earthrace is billed as the fastest and greenest powerboat in the world, and will arrive in Ballina as part of a worldwide tour to communicate the importance of biofuels in the fight against global warming.

In June this year, Earthrace set a world record for a powerboat to circle the globe – smashing the old record by more than two weeks.........

Earthrace will be powered by 100 per cent biodiesel from Queensland-company Neumann Petroleum.

Biodiesel is the name for a variety of ester-based oxygenated fuels made from vegetable oils or animal fats, most commonly derived from tallow, canola, cotton seed and soy.

"It is the only alternative fuel that can be used directly in any existing, unmodified diesel engine and offers numerous benefits including 80 per cent lower carbon dioxide emissions; almost 100 per cent lower sulphur dioxide; safer handling, transportation and storage; and new markets and opportunities for Australia's agricultural industry," Mr Bethune said.

"While 100 per cent biodiesel is not commercially available to motorists in Australia, Neumann Petroleum offers a 20 per cent blend through selected Matilda service stations in Queensland."

If you are up Ballina way - go see this boat and show your support for green technology!

Where's the Murray-Darling, climate change, coastal erosion, water shortages, renewable energy?

This is Media Monitors for 3 December:

The following graphs show the top five domestic, international, business, sports and talkback stories for the week. They count the number of times a story has been mentioned across print, radio and television.

Domestic













Are we all really that shallow? Why does a new film knock major climate change and water issues off the top of the national debate for an entire week?
No wonder the Rudd Government thinks that it can tread water on announcing firm greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to advance the carbon credit scheme.

Finally, some good solar news from Minister for the Environment Peter Garrett

Finally. Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, had something positive to tell us all about renewable energy yesterday. More Australians are going solar.

NATIONAL: The Clean Energy Council today welcomed the release of the rebate application figures that the federal government has received for the Solar Homes & Communities Plan, for the period just prior and since the recent federal budget.

The figures were announced on the day that the Hon. Peter Garrett, Environment Minister, spoke at the national ATRAA Conference and Exhibition, the annual event for the solar photovoltaic (PV) and small-scale renewable technologies.

Rob Jackson, GM Policy for the Clean Energy Council said: “We welcome the transparency from the government in providing this information, which will be critical in enabling the solar PV industry to plan for future demand and jobs growth.”

“Today’s release of the figures is especially timely as hundreds of representatives from the solar PV industry, including installers, distributors and dealers, are in Melbourne to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry nationally.”

“The rebate scheme, particularly in the last two years, has allowed the industry to build capacity and capability. However the industry is now ready to transition to a nationally consistent gross feed in tariff; this policy will deliver the long term certainty needed for investment and jobs growth.”

“These figures demonstrate that the Australian solar PV industry continues to move from strength to strength and we look forward to working with government to discuss the transitional rebate arrangements until the gross feed in tariff policy is in place.”

The Clean Energy Council also looks forward to participating in the upcoming roundtable discussions to deliver a framework to help households improve their energy efficiency, reduce their environmental impact and save on energy bills.

The Clean Energy Council Conference & Exhibition 2008 will commence on Monday 24 November and run until Wednesday 26 November 2008 at the acclaimed Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre, Broadbeach, Queensland.

Conference detail here.

Whatever happened to the Aquanator? The sad history of 'green' technology in the Northern Rivers

The Australian reported last Friday that the Ballina-based company Permo-drive, which is developing a hybrid drive system for trucks, may be going into voluntary liquidation leaving 1,900 shareholders in the lurch.
The company had apparently placed considerable reliance on receiving up to $5 million in a grant from government and blames the Rudd Government for its current financial woes.

This put me in mind of the Aquanator, another NSW North Coast 'green' venture developed by Atlantis Energy Ltd based in the Clarence Valley at Maclean.
This company received considerable assistance from the then Howard Government by way of tax deferral, but quickly fell off the local radar thereafter.
It was also given support by prominent North Coast Nationals.

The technology is now formally owned by the Singapore-based Atlantis Resources Corporation, which does not indicate that this particular form of wave energy technology has been commercially established anywhere.
However the Victorian Government has allowed a 5-year longer term trial of the Aquanator which started in March 2008.

Coincidentally, the Aquanator was also a project of Permo-drive inventor, Matthew Perry, who had a very different view in 2004.
Then he was reported in The Sydney Morning Herald; "Mr Perry's first job as an auto-electrician led to his first successful invention in 1998, a device known as the Permo-Drive, which can cut fuel consumption by up to 40 per cent by capturing and storing energy normally wasted in the hydraulic braking systems of heavy trucks.
The system is manufactured under licence in the United States, has been adopted by the US Army for its huge fleet of heavy trucks, and is at present being tested by the US Postal Service."

Although it's unfortunate that Kevin Rudd has so easily abandoned alternative energy development as a genuine national priority, the situation for local entrepreneurs is a lot more complex than simply one of the level of government support.
I think that Federal Labor MP for Page, Janelle Saffin is right - you can't blame the government for these problems.