News
Campaigners Power Renewable Energy Debate
Sustainable energy campaigners say now is the time to start switching Australia over to renewable power plants.
Perth Solar City Project
Perth is one of Australia's sunniest cities and is finally moving towards some solar PV installations. Although initially a little more expensive, these projects provide a great benefit to the enrironment and reduce peak electricity use.
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Sustainability
Clean Energy Council
The Clean Energy Council is the peak body representing Australia's clean energy sector
Beyond Zero Emissions
Beyond Zero Emissions facilitates the implementation of social changes and technologies needed to reduce the impacts of climate change and give our society and global ecosystems a chance of surviving into the future.
Sustainable Energy WA
Sustainable Energy Development Office of WA (SEDO) is the government contingent in WA looking at and funding sustainable energy initiatives.
Sustainable Energy VIC
The government contingent looking at sustainable energy in Victoria
Natural Gas
Natural gas is a fossil fuel which has several pros and cons. Natural gas is typically more expensive than coal as a fuel. One of the biggest advantages of gas fired generation is the speed at which generators can ramp up to increasing demand. Much like the accelerator on your car, gas fired power stations are excellent load followers and will no doubt play an important role in the introduction of large scale renewables.
On the other hand, the emissions associated with the life cycle of a gas fired power station are not far off coal and it seems that gas is being used in policy as a clean alternative which is surely is not. Furthermore it competes against renewables in the market which is halting wide spread introduction of sustainable energy in Australia.
Gas fired power plants are also considerably cleaner than coal fired power plants, and have significantly less emissions. Combined cycle gas turbines also use recently commercialised technology to recycle heat, making the combined cycle gas power plants more efficient.
Although gas is a non renewable resource, it is also an important player when we consider introducing intermittent renewables onto the grid. When wind stops blowing or the sun has gone to sleep, gas can be fired up to meet demand. Wind typically demonstrates sporadic behaviour too, which makes gas fired plant ideal load followers complementing wind turbine behaviour.
How Clean is Gas?
There is no doubt that gas has some advantages over coal/oil/nuclear energy however there are still a variety of environmental issues which need to be looked at. In the US there were many cases of ground water contamination caused by fracturing in the rock.
Clean water is becoming increasingly precious in Australia, and therefore gas projects must have environmental transparency and careful low risk development plans. Despite fears, many projects go ahead against sensible environmental legislation. This leads to degradation of agricultural land and fresh water supplies. Whatever the small margin in cost reduction gas brings over clean renewable energy is surely negated by these other social costs.
Gasland - Australia
This film is a desperate plea for scrutiny of a powerful industry that has now turned its eyes on a new, massive and (for now) largely unexplored territory: Australia
Fracking in Australia
A year after Gas Land warned us about the issues with coal seam gas, wells have popped up in several places in Australia. With water a growingly precious resource it is rediculous to destroy underground aquifers through gas exploitation. Even more rediculous when Australia has abundant solar and wind resources.