Sunny outlook for Lord Howe’s sustainability initiative
LHI Board. Designed to protect the island’s World Heritage status and move Lord Howe Island towards a more sustainable future, the solar array project, underpinned by community-based Sustainable Energy Working Group, is designed to supply at least two-thirds of the electricity needs of the community each year, equating to at least a 67% reduction in diesel fuel consumption – a saving of around 360,000 litres of diesel a year.
Solar farm powering jobs
Queensland’s Western Downs solar farm has reached a major milestone, with connection to the electricity grid now complete. Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni said Neoen’s $600 million Western Downs Green Power Hub is supporting more than 450 construction jobs and will generate 400 megawatts (MW) of solar energy.
Australia’s plan to reach our net zero target by 2050: Aus Gov
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor released Australia’s Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan (the Plan), to deliver net zero emissions by 2050 ... The Plan is based on our existing policies and will be guided by five principles: technology not taxes; expand choices not mandates; drive down the cost of a range of new technologies; keep energy prices down with affordable and reliable power; and, be accountable for progress.
Biochar is the silver lining from our sewage
Logan City Council’s Logan Water is looking for parties interested in buying commercial quantities of a revolutionary substance developed from the city's sewage. Biochar is a charcoal-like material that is produced when sewage sludge is treated at high temperatures in a low oxygen environment ... Biosolids gasification dramatically reduces Council’s carbon emissions and destroys harmful chemicals such as micro-plastics, which are present in biosolids. The resulting biochar is sterile, odourless and high in nutrients.
Price hikes a double whammy on harvest efforts
NSW Farmers is calling for better long-term national fuel security as higher fuel prices take their toll during a tight harvest season. It’s the latest hit to the grains and horticulture sectors, which have been crying out for better access to harvest workers for several weeks. Not only will farmers be frantically trying to find labour, they will also be frantically trying to secure fuel before the price blows out.
Webinar, 29 October – Decarbonising offshore aquaculture with Carnegie Clean Energy’s ‘MoorPowerâ„¢
Globally, as the aquaculture sector moves operations further offshore, the sector is encountering new challenges to access clean and reliable energy ... Carnegie’s wave-powered barge concept, MoorPowerâ„¢ offers a solution to this energy challenge – providing clean, reliable, predictable energy to support the growth of a diverse sustainable blue economy.
Bordertown’s bioenergy breakthrough
Gabrielle Duykers. In a world first, a Limestone Coast food manufacturer will convert oat husks into electricity, enabling it to offset almost all its monthly energy costs. Cereal oat supplier Blue Lake Milling, located in Bordertown, completed construction of its $8.1 million biogas plant last week. Commercial projects manager Jeremy Neale said the plant would generate enough bioenergy to power both the plant and nearby homes.
Renewable Newstead
A small-scale solar farm on Newstead’s outskirts is still on track for completion by 2022, albeit, a downsized version. After community consultation and feedback from the energy industry, the community group behind the project down-scaled it from 9 mega watts (MW) to 5MW ... The project is run by a group of dedicated volunteers with a range of expertise in business, PR, communication and project management.
NSW Hydrogen Strategy to drive investment, create jobs and power prosperity
NSW is set to attract more than $80 billion of investment, drive deep decarbonisation and establish itself as an energy and economic superpower with the launch of the NSW Hydrogen Strategy ... Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said hydrogen was a huge opportunity for regional NSW. “We know that regional economies are diversifying, and the NSW government’s Hydrogen Strategy is bringing that to life,” Mr Toole said.
Mackay biorefinery pilot plant ready for take-off
Mercurius has finalised commissioning and is about to commence operations at their pilot plant that will use their patented REACH(TM) technology to produce valuable renewable chemicals, diesel and jet fuel from sugarcane waste. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Mackay, which is in the heart of sugarcane country, was the perfect place for this trial to take place.
Publicly-owned generator joins Gladstone hydrogen consortium
Publicly-owned renewable energy generator CleanCo has signed an agreement to join Sumitomo Corporation and its partners on the development of a hydrogen industry in Gladstone.
Powering up new jobs in our forestry transition: Vic Govt
Victoria Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas has announced that Spiegel Energy in partnership with Radial Timber and the Yarram Community Energy Group have received $2 million from the Victorian Government through its Forestry Plan to establish a renewable energy park at the Radial Timber mill. The energy park is expected to create five full-time roles and turn Radial Timber into a fully closed loop site. It will turn waste from the mill’s operations into energy and heat, creating new revenue streams with excess energy running into the local electricity grid.
Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement
Australia and Singapore are developing a Green Economy Agreement (GEA) to further accelerate both countries’ transition towards a green and sustainable future, and help to create good jobs and lower carbon emissions. The GEA will look at practical initiatives to promote and facilitate trade and investment, including lowering the regulatory burden on businesses. It aims to remove non-tariff barriers to trade in environmental goods and services and to accelerate the uptake of low emissions green technology.
Cleaner, reliable and affordable secure energy system by 2030
As part of the transition to affordable, reliable, cleaner and secure energy, the Territory Labor Government has released the Darwin-Katherine Electricity System Plan. The System Plan provides a comprehensive and credible pathway to generate 50% renewable energy by 2030 in the Darwin-Katherine Electricity System - cutting emissions in half.
NSW gives nation’s biggest energy project the go-ahead
New South Wales is leading the nation’s charge towards a low-emissions energy system after the NSW Government approved stage one of a $1.8 billion transmission line that would link NSW and South Australia’s energy networks for the first time. Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said stage one planning approval had been granted for the NSW Western Section of Energy Connect, a 900-kilometre transmission line that would run from Wagga Wagga to Robertstown in SA, with a spur line to Victoria.
Southgate residents oppose location of solar proposal
Geoff Helisma. A group of Southgate residents is opposing a proposal to develop a solar plant in an area they say is “visible to residents all around”. Tasmanian-based company, Infinergy Pacific, wrote to residents who live near the proposal on August 5, advising that it is “currently investigating the feasibility of developing a solar farm on neighbouring land at 58 Boorman’s Lane, Lower Southgate” ... Spokesperson for the residents, Steve Grimes, said, “We’re not anti-solar, we’re against the location they are currently proposing.”
CSIRO and partners scope NT hub to lower emissions and boost investment
CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, the Northern Territory Government, industry and engineering companies have joined forces to develop a path towards rapid emissions reduction across the energy sector in Northern Australia. CSIRO will lead the new consortium in the development of a business case to assess the viability of a large-scale low emissions Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) Hub outside of Darwin.
Whyalla firming as hydrogen hub
City of Whyalla Mayor Clare McLaughlin said council welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to hydrogen production on Eyre Peninsula, further augmenting the State Government’s investment in infrastructure and projects that will support Whyalla as a “mega-green” hydrogen hub.
Basin plan to crack the nut in Central Queensland
Minister for Resources and Water Keith Pitt joined Member for Dawson George Christensen in Mackay to officially announce the North Bowen and Galilee Basin Strategic Basin Plan. “The Plan supports industry to develop the region’s major gas resources and is the second to be delivered under the Government’s Strategic Basins Plan Program,” Minister Pitt said.
Future looks bright – solar investment to reduce reliance on diesel
Weipa's solar farm will triple in size as Rio Tinto looks to reduce its reliance on diesel power generation in Cape York. The mining giant has approved a new solar farm and battery storage in a move that will more than triple the local electricity network’s solar generation capacity and help provide cleaner power to Rio Tinto’s operations.
Energy companies the only beneficiaries of the Integrated Systems Plan
The National Farmers Federation is concerned about the significant cost blow-outs associated with the proposed Hume-Link Transmission Line, with costs blowing out by 250% to $3.317 billion. Proposed transmission lines across Australia within the Australian Energy Market Operator’s (AEMO) Integrated Systems Plan (ISP) have caused significant issues with land-use conflict amongst farmers, and now are leaving households out of pocket.
Water supply secured, electricity generation defunct
Geoff Helisma. After many years of secret negotiations between Clarence Valley Council and Essential Energy, Coffs Harbour City Council and CVC will each hold a 50 per cent share of “the disused Nymboida Hydro Power Scheme and associated water licences” once the deal is settled ... However, it seems that recommissioning the hydro infrastructure to generate electricity is unlikely to proceed.
