Australian Government Media Releases

Australian Government helps the Hunter and Central Coast plan for Climate Change
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/minister/combet/media/mr26062009_hunter.html
SNIPPET: Department of Climate Change. Greg Combet, the Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change, today awarded $279,000 towards two projects to help the Hunter and Central Coast in New South Wales prepare for likely climate change. The project is part of the Australian Government's Local Adaptation Pathways Program - Round 2 which awarded a total of $874,000 for seven projects to help regional areas across Australia plan for climate change.

Australian Government helps Victoria plan for Climate Change
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/minister/combet/media/mr26062009_wa.html
SNIPPET: Department of Climate Change. The funding is being provided to eleven councils across the region under the Australian Government's Local Adaptation Pathways Program - Round 2. The project is part of the Australian Government's Local Adaptation Pathways Program - Round 2 which awarded a total of $874,000 for seven projects to help regional areas across Australia plan for climate change.

ACT leads the way on stormwater capture - media release 8 May 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/kelly/2009/mr20090629.html
Yarram and Stratford farmers affected by falling groundwater levels in Victoria's Latrobe Aquifer will receive payments as part of a $5 million assistance package. Farmers in the areas will continue to operate within existing caps on groundwater use.

Minister holds energy effiency talks with International Energy Agency - media release 25 June 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2009/pubs/mr20090625a.pdf
SNIPPET: MEDIA RELEASE The Hon Peter Garrett MP Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts PG/297 25 June 2009 MINISTER HOLDS ENERGY EFFICIENCY TALKS WITH INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY Environment Minister Peter Garrett met with the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Nobuo Tanaka, in Paris on Friday, putting forward Australias ambitious energy efficiency agenda. Australia has a comprehensive set of energy efficiency initiatives, including legislation, incentives and support for smarter technologies, which focuses on our buildings, lighting, appliances and equipment, and industry, said Minister Garrett.

Desalination plant approved with strict conditions - media release, 24 June 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/about/media/dept-mr/pubs/dp24jun09.pdf
SNIPPET: MEDIA RELEASE 24 June 2009 DESALINATION PLANT APPROVED WITH STRICT CONDITIONS The federal environment department has given conditional approval to the Southern Seawater Desalination Project at Binningup. The department has imposed 23 strict conditions on the project to minimise impacts on nationally threatened and migratory species, with particular focus on the listed black cockatoo species, the western ringtail possum and whales. The project design was negotiated and strict conditions were put in place relating to revegetation work to preserve important habitat for the species.

Energy Efficient Homes Package availability of insulation installers register Traveston Dam Opposition position on climate change - transcript 29 June 2009
http://www.environment.gov.au/minister/garrett/2009/pubs/tr20090629.pdf
THE HON PETER GARRETT AM MP MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS TRANSCRIPT E&ampOE TRANSCRIPT DOORSTOP INTERVIEW OPENING OF BRADFORD INSULATION PLANT BRENDALE, BRISBANE 29 JUNE 2009 SUBJECTS: Energy Efficient Homes Package availability of insulation installers register Traveston Dam Opposition position on climate change GARRETT: It is a tremendous opportunity to be here with Jerry Maycock from CSR at this Bradford plant here in Brendale where we are now seeing the incredible ramping up of capacity in this facility which will be producing insulation for Australian homes and householders in large volumes.

Media release from Resources, Energy and Tourism Portfolio
http://minister.ret.gov.au/thehonmartinfergusonmp/pages/australiajoinsinternationalrenewableenergyagency.aspx
The Hon Martin Ferguson AM MP. The Clean Energy Initiative includes:. $465 million to establish the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy to support the development and commercialisation of renewable energy technologies in Australia.

Australian Government Media Releases

Carbon capture power plant 'won't happen overnight'
'Victorian Energy Minister Peter Batchelor is predicting a coal-fired power station with carbon capture technology could be operating in Victoria within five years.

Green Car Innovation Fund revs up
Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research - Media Statement - 24-04-2009

Strong IP growth for green innovations
Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research - Media Statement - 24-04-2009
A 250 per cent jump in green trade marks in the energy sector over the past five years - compared to the previous five years - is one indicator showing strong growth in intellectual property (IP) applications for green technologies in Australia.

Global carbon markets: Poznan reforms must be matched by strong post-2012 deal at Copenhagen

Post-2012 deal should include reform and expansion of the global carbon markets, strong targets to create demand for reductions; and specific support for innovation and energy efficiency.

The global carbon markets have succeeded in channelling billions of euros towards low-carbon investments in developing countries. A new Carbon Trust report today backs the mechanisms as a key part of global action, but says that reforms are needed and must be matched by stronger international targets - and that associated policies on innovation and energy efficiency will still be needed to tackle climate change on a global level and put us on a path to long-term carbon reductions.

Emissions reduction scheme-energy firms feel let down

16/12/2008 - Energy companies say the federal government's proposed carbon pollution reduction scheme (CPRS) will result in too heavy a cost burden while others are disappointed there is no support for "green" power generators.

In a white paper on the proposed CPRS release on Monday, the federal government set an absolute maximum cut to emissions of 15 per cent by 2020 - if the world signs an effective climate pact.

Hedging Energy Prices With Renewable Power

By Alex Perera on renewable energy

WRI and a group of corporate green power purchasers explore whether long-term green power contracts can be a win-win for providers and consumers.

A key advantage of renewable power is that it is generally free of fuel costs. That makes it attractive to buyers looking for a “hedge” against energy price volatility pegged to fossil fuels. But while this “hedge” can clearly be provided at the wholesale level, there is little experience in using it for retail customers, especially in competitive power markets.

A group of businesses—working with WRI’s Green Power Market Development Group, the Green Power group California Affiliates, and the U.S. Climate Business Group—is looking into ways to change that. The group recently distributed a first-of-its-kind Request for Information (RFI) to a select group of green power suppliers. The RFI is intended to solicit information to assess the feasibility of long-term (say, 10-year) renewable power transactions as a hedge against energy prices in competitive U.S. power markets around the country. The results of the RFI could lead to either formal solicitations or long-term contract negotiations.

The background summary document (PDF, 36 Kb) envisions two long-term contract options. The first option is a fixed-price contract, where the buyer agrees to buy a portion of their total load from a green power provider for a fixed price (say, 6 cents/KWh) or series of annual fixed prices. The second option is a “contract for differences,” in which the provider and consumer agree to a “strike price” (say, $60/MWh) for the duration of the contract. If the market clearing price is less than the strike price at the time of production, the consumer pays the power generator the difference between the two. If the market price is greater, the power generator pays the difference to the customer. Either way, both parties enjoy the benefit of a predictable price.

A long-term “hedge contract” could provide big benefits for both consumers and producers. Consumers get the aforementioned hedge against volatile fossil fuel energy prices. For green power producers, a long-term contract is an attractive value proposition and could help the developer lock-in debt financing. As the crisis in the financial markets has reduced the amount of capital for project financing, these long-term contracts could provide an additional source of support to project developers.

The RFI was originally submitted to a group of pre-screened suppliers; additional suppliers, merchants and generators should contact Alex Perera or Robert Heilmayr if interested.

Financial crisis will put the 'brake' on Aussie green cars

17/11/2008 - Holden and Ford may be too poor to develop a green car in Australia, even with government help, as the global financial crisis threatens the survival of their Michigan-based parent companies, analysts say.

The Rudd government more than doubled its green car innovation fund this week to $1.3 billion, pledging to give car makers $1 for every $3 they spent on developing an environmentally-friendly vehicle.

But with General Motors and Ford on the verge of a crash, a veteran car industry watcher says Australia's motoring future may lie with little-known Chinese and Indian car companies.

The tax treatment of capital investments in renewable energy

David Richardson / The Australia Institute
This paper argues that the money currently spent subsidising new investment in mining and airlines should be transferred instead into accelerated depreciation provisions for the renewable energy industry. Posted 21-10-2008

Europe moves on electrical distribution

By Andrew Charlesworth on News

Andrew Charlesworth, BusinessGreen, Friday 15 August 2008 at 15:40:00

Cross-border transmission joint venture will boost green energy investment

Europe has made a significant step towards freeing up the market for electricity distribution in a large part of its territory with the creation of a joint venture of transmission...