Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

http://www.acfonline.org.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=1015&eid=5449&cid=198

NSW renewable energy target a welcome relief but action from Federal Government lacking
Date: 9-Nov-2006

The Australian Conservation Foundation has welcomed the announcement by NSW Premier Morris Iemma that his Government will introduce a mandatory renewable energy target if elected next year, saying it demonstrates strong leadership on the issue of the climate change that is currently lacking with the Federal Government.

“Today’s announcement of a renewable energy target of 10% by 2010 and 15% by 2020 is a significant commitment by the NSW Government and will make a real contribution to supporting a clean energy future” said Monica Richter, Sustainability Program Manager for the Australian Conservation Foundation.

“Several of our states have taken this important step forward, including Victoria with a 10% target by 2016, South Australia with a 20% target by 2014, and Western Australia with a 6% target by 2010. But we are yet to see a meaningful target set by our Federal Government that would really drive the investment in renewable energy.

“Australia could be a world leader in clean, safe renewable energy such as solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass, exporting our technical know-how to the rest of the world. But we are missing this opportunity and our own renewable energy companies are moving investments offshore.

“The Howard Government is failing on its response to climate change and taking a piecemeal approach by throwing small amounts of money at projects but that won’t deliver the substantial change that Australia needs in order to shift towards a clean energy future.

“The Federal Government needs to come to the party and lift its mandatory renewable energy target from a piddly 2% by 2010, to 25% by 2020. State governments have shown it is possible and a bunch of other nations have committed to targets such as EU 21% by 2010, China 15% by 2015, California 20% by 2010 and 33% by 2020. Unless the Federal Government sets much higher targets, Australia will be left behind in the race” said Richter.

Thanks PK It would be good to see a $$ figure somewhere.
Good to see ol' Morrie doin his bit, same as Carp's in Perth.
Some heavy hitters in that, way ahead of us eh!
Cheers
C1

Look what we saw on our holidays. I want one for our suburb!

There are 20 of them at Windy Hill, Ravenshoe, FNQ. They produce enough energy to feed 3500 homes. If we had one on our hill it would produce enough to feed the whole suburb!

They are beautiful and so very quiet too! The cows made more noise than the turbines.

Its....so beautifull!

I wanted to put one in the car... but the blades are 22m long each, and the tower is 50 something metres tall. A bit big for the stationwagon!

Good to see Jaymie thanks,
silly buggers around here didn't want to see them from their backyard.
Prefering to have green house gases polute some where else..
D heads.
C1

Yeah and the air head conservationists saying that they kill birds and effect wind patterns. The positives far out weight the negative.

don't even think the negs are a true reflection.

The site in Ravenshoe was called Windy Hill before the turbines were installed and like I said they are very quiet. These ones stop generating power at 126km/hr and start at about 5km/hr. If any bird is too silly to get out of the way... Natural selection.

I think they are a good option!

I've always wondered about the whole bird kill thing? Whether it actually occurs at the frequency some would suggest. Does anyone know any studies relating to this occurring or is it just another argument to cloak the negative aesthetic stance? In my experience most birds would adapt fairly quickly and for birds migrating many usually travel at a higher altitude than these wind turbines. Maybe it would help the bird if they did make some noise Jaymie

Beside if people don't want to spoil the view of rolling hills and green pastured, I’ve got news for you, this ‘is’ a modified landscape not unlike the beautiful rolling concrete and green glass cities.

If we want to use energy in our daily lives we need to do so in a manner that is sustainable, and it is my understanding that the capital and ongoing maintenance required to produce solar energy on a large scale is to expensive. Also hydro-power has done tremendous damage to our fresh water environments all over the world, far in excess of the damage associated with wind power.

Sorry forgot to take my pills this morn’

Rant over and out!

My folks have a beach shack that overlooks a massive wind farm. It's a million dollar view LOL and we love it. I know a guy who has 4 on his property as part of that farm and he gets $20000 PER YEAR TO HAVE IT THERE. Jaymie, you may want one, I want a dozen LOL

A while back I got into a huge arguement at a party about wind farms, there was a heap of dudes there saying they were ugly etc. It just doesn't sit with me.

The pub that I used to work at in the flinders installed $250,000 worth of solar panels and batteries to go stand alone solar instead of the diesel genny they were using ($100,000 per year in diesel) for the whole town (5 houses). 4 years later, the batteries are dead and they have had to restoke up the genny. They are now fighting the government so that they will put up a substation there (at the towns expense mind you) to grid connect their solar, but it is like banging their heads against a stone wall. I'm not sure what the point of my story is, but there you go

Monya, similar story with my grandpa place except they have seven on his property .

Down side??? he gave his farm block away to his son last year (advance on his dying will!) and now the son won't give him a dime of it.

Figures

What a shame! That would have to be worth a case of beer a week for the old guy.

geez that one back fired.
Kharma is just around the corner.

If "the mature aged gentleman" is on the pension - money would affect this, beer is a good thought tho