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
Oil and Diesel
Oil and Diesel is used predominantly in Australia, especially in the mining and resource sectors. Over 40% of Australia's diesel is imported, mostly from Singapore.
There are a heap of facts about the diesel price in Australia and how it is tied to Singapore and not crude oil prices at The Australian Institute of Petroleum. Clearly with increasing dependence on foreign diesel, it would be in Australia's long term economic interest to diversify its energy portfolio towards a sustainable energy mix, eventually powering all stationary and some non stationary industry with 100% renewable energy. This would be advantageous to Australia's energy security and long term prosperity with troublesome times ahead currently predicted.
Crude Oil
As you can see by the crude oil chart below, oil prices have been going up this year despite a deceptive decline during the global financial crisis in 2008.
One thing which is imperative is a price on carbon. With recent BP oil spill causing environmental catastrophe, the price of oil addiction is coming into question.
Rio and BHP Billiton have joined a growing pool of companies asking for a price on carbon explaining that failure to do so will place companies at a competitive disadvantage in the future as the world accepts a global price for carbon.
It is hoped that through a carbon trading market, offsets from the major polluters such as oil companies, can help kick start the major sustainable energy industries which are currently pushed aside due to heavy government subsidy in the coal industry.