They asked for it
Tell Brumby what you think
If you're sick to the eyeballs of all the talk about the climate crisis and want the state government to pretty please do something about it, now's your chance to let them know.
We want to know what action you want them to take on climate change - and guess what, so do they!
Right now, the Victorian Government is asking for feedback on the first stage of their plan for action on climate change over the coming decade. There's not going to be another opportunity like it for a while.
We're working on our response now, so help us make sure we've covered the big issues.
We'll be creating a form for you to use to make your own submission too, but meanwhile let us know what you think the big priorities are.
Tell us what you expect the government to do to deal with the climate crisis.
Go to it!
Published: Tue, 08/09/2009 - 11:27 by Victoria
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Decentralised energy
The National Electricity Market disadvantages small decentralized power generators. Regional Distribution Companies have no incentive to promote cogeneration facilities and other kinds of decentralized energy because they get fixed profit returns for grid expansion and upgrades under the current system. Cogeneration facilities and decentralized energy should be given priority access the the grid and discounted connection rates because they actually reduce stress on the grid system and can contribute better to demand management under a smart grid system. At the moment gas fired co-gen is further disadvantaged because although it seriously reduces CO2 emissions it is not eligible for any renewable energy credits or green power schemes currently running. District wide co/trigeneration could be a part of all new suburbs and retrofitted into existing neighborhoods as they are doing in London. They can also be part of waste to energy schemes and / or combine renewables with gas. Market disincentives for cogeneration need to be addressed in order to increase it's uptake and reduce reliance on inflexible and polluting coal generation.
Problem 1: The Alcoa
Problem 1: The Alcoa aluminium plant on the bay near Geelong, which is THE largest user of electricity in the state of Victoria (so big it has its own coal-fired power station near Angelsea) - interesting fact: aluminium production uses massive amounts of salt, which is imported from overseas.
Problem 2: the proposed de-sal plant, which uses massive amounts of electricity, and produces massive amounts of salt, which is going to be dumped in Bass straight with severe environmental detriment.
Problem 3: the Victorian government's inactivity on developing geothermal power resources, which have been surveyed time and again since the first study in 1982, and been proven to exist in the Geelong region - visit http://www.greenearthenergy.com.au
to see who owns the Geothermal Exploration Permit (GEP 10) - a board of executives from the fossil fuels and uranium industry, who are also on the boards of Lakes Oil NL and Rum Jungle Uranium mines.
SOLUTION: simple - build the desal plant next to the Alcoa plant, use the salt the desal plant produces to run the aluminium smelter, and power both factories with a purpose-built geothermal power station.
Question: why is this not happening? I repeat, check the board og Greenearth Energy Pty Ltd.
transition from coal
Any government that wants to be taken seriously on climate change needs a plan for transitioning out of coal in the next ten years or so. The Brumby government seems intent on burning coal for as long as it can get away with it, this needs to change and change quickly.
Priorities for the Brumby Gov in regards to Climate change
No more large freeway construction; more money into trains, trains with bike carriages, bikeways, rail access up the east coast, movement of goods by rail from large cities. Create a green economy like Europe.
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