WHAT’S ON
Smart Energy Expo Find out about solar and batteries. It’s at the International Convention Centre in Sydney 10-11 April. For info and bookings go to https://www.smartenergyexpo.org.au/registration/energy-revolution-registration/
Manly Environment Centre There’s always lots of family activities in their monthly newsletter. Find it at http://www.mec.org.au
Bill McKibben tour BIll McKibben, the founder of 350.org will be doing an Australian tour. He will be at Sydney Town Hall on 1 May from 6pm. To book tickets go to https://350.org.au/accelerate-climate-action-bill-mckibben-tour/
Planting to help small birds Habitat Network is organising planting to help improve and develop an area for small birds on 5 May 9.30-11.30am at Bedlam Bay. Go down Punt Road, enter Gladesville hospital and go to the oval. Planting will be done near the water. This is part of a project including Environmental Trust, Hunters Hill Council and NPWS. Contact Bev for more details on 0419 206 253.
Beyond Coal and Gas Jamboree #StopAdani is organising an information weekend 31 May – 3 June at the Sunshine Coast. For tickets and information go to https://www.stopadani.com/a_better_plan_than_canavan
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
In the last month we have done the following:
We wrote to Mr Alexander expressing our concerns about the government’s latest efforts to support the Carmichael Mine via the EFIC, a follow-on from our meeting with him on 7 March.
We made a submission opposing the removal of 22 trees in the Bundara Reserve (corner Delhi Road and Epping Rd).
NEWS AND EVENTS
NEG – no renewables The Federal Government is to meet with the States to seek their support of the NEG whose targets are so low we’ll end up with less renewables. Sign the open letter to the state environment ministers asking them to reject the plan. https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/renewable-energy/neg-open-letter/an-open-letter-to-state-premiers-and-energy-ministers Climate Council last year wrote a report on how Australia can move to a renewable energy future. http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/renewables-roadmap-2018
New battery technology Proton batteries – environmentally friendly rechargable batteries that store protons from water in a porous carbon material – could make a valuable contribution to our energy storage needs and may be better than lithium ion batteries. https://theconversation.com/how-protons-can-power-our-future-energy-needs-93124
NMBI (No More Bad Investments) This is a campaign to encourage our governments to stop supporting the fossil fuel industry and to take action to reduce carbon such as planting trees. Find out what NMBI is about and sigh the petition https://www.cedamia.org/no-more-bad-investments/ Here are some fossil fuel myths https://www.cedamia.org/ups-and-downs/global-good-steps/fossil-fuel-myths-we-didnt-know-we-had/
Most Australian companies not disclosing financial risks of climate change Sign the letter asking the financial regulators to make climate change risk disclosure mandatory for all Australian companies and check out the research. https://www.marketforces.org.au/asx100-climate-risk/
The fantasy of CCS Despite the federal government’s hopes, CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) just doesn’t work.https://www.envirojustice.org.au/projects/coal-industrys-carbon-capture-dream-is-a-dangerous-fantasy/
Energy storage and renewables in Victoria Victoria is moving along in its support of renewables. Large-scale battery storage is to be installed https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/large-scale-batteries-to-be-connected-to-the-victorian-grid-498326861 and old mine shafts may be used to store renewable energy https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/bendigo-mineshafts-could-store-renewable-energy-says-study-122977529
Virtual Battery system in SA ARENA has announced its support for the development of an Adelaide-based virtual power plant which is a centrally managed network of battery systems. https://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/content/energy/news/second-virtual-power-plant-coming-to-adelaide-1422076703
Wind farm in NSW Approval has been given for the biggest wind farm in NSW to be built in the Central West and Upper Hunter regions http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-03/nsw-wind-farm-gets-go-ahead/9615430
Solar Citizens and DC Power Solar Citizens in conjunction with DC Power have worked together on a crowd funding project to set up a company that allows people to save on their energy bills as well as selling their excess back to the grid. It is for people who already have solar and those who want to install PV. If you are interested look at the FAQ sheet from Solar Citizens https://www.solarcitizens.org.au/dcpowerco_faq and the information from DC Power. https://www.onmarket.com.au/offers/dc-power-co/
Federal government really loves coal In yet another move to support the coal industry, Matt Canavan announced on 28 March at the National Press Club (you can see it on ABC iView https://iview.abc.net.au/programs/national-press-club-address/NC1811C010S00) a resource taskforce to help the government increase exploration, improved the “social licence” for mining and increase coal exports to Asia. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/28/matt-canavan-announces-mining-taskforce-to-help-increase-exploration And let’s not forget the recent formation of the Monash Forum https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/apr/03/monash-forum-coalition-backbenchers-lobby-coal or NERA (National Energy Resources Australia) set up in May 2015 with a board of ex-fossil fuel executives to look at energy resources (no mention of renewables at all in its charter) https://www.nera.org.au/
How climate change is affecting the Marshall Islands Watch this video and see what rising water levels are doing to this small nation. http://apps.frontline.org/the-last-generation/
Gutting of marine sanctuaries The federal government has been able to pass in the Senate the proposal to cut by more than half the size of the marine sanctuaries in Australian waters. Of course all the Coalition members supported it as did One Nation (3 senators), the two Xenophon senators, Derryn Hinch, David Leyonhjelm, all three independent senators (Anning, Storer, Martin). https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/27/labor-and-greens-fail-in-first-attempt-to-disallow-coalitions-marine-park-plans
Renewable energy produced more power than coal last summer Read all about it! https://www.ecdonline.com.au/content/efficiency-renewables/news/renewable-energy-generated-more-power-than-coal-over-summer-163316075#axzz5C8wJFCuH And saved us from a summer meltdown https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/why-2018-needed-to-be-a-boring-summer-20180308-p4z3gk.html
Flemington markets and PV installation Flemington Markets has turned on the largest private PV array in Australia https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/sydney-markets-flicks-the-switch-on-massive-solar-installation-20180312-p4z3xr.html