Coal Power revisited

It's easy to dismiss coal fired power production, and to wave a verbal wand to remove it entirely from the planet - but it's not going to happen soon. And "soon" is what we need, so all solutions, including interim and transitional ones, must be on the table.

While we are refining and exploring new ways to power the world, there also needs to be fast and effective solutions for the existing coal fired power industry. Australia has coal - we use it, export it, and profit from it. So it is heartening to see that we also are exploring ways to reduce emissions, and leading this field is the work done by the CO2CRC team in Melbourne who recently reported a breakthrough in CO2 capture.

In late November, I also attended a talk on Capturing Carbon Emissions by USYD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Deanna D'Alessandro, who is pioneering a method to "sponge" carbon emissions, and this, and other initiatives need to be fast tracked.

Another Australian company, MBD Energy are also working on Carbon Capture, using algae for production of algae oil and algae meal.

We may reach a point one day, when the techniques being developed by researchers in the non-trendy areas are essential to removing the excess greenhouse gases STILL being emitted. I am not a fan of putting all eggs in one basket, so we need to encourage our talented people into a variety of areas - wind, solar, geothermal, marine, cogeneration, energy storage, and also into bioengineering and solutions for managing what we continue to do, and have done with coal.

At the same time, I would advocate for a level playing field, where subsidies on sunset industries are replaced by research grants to help them transition, and provide the continuity of supply that is essential for our societies.

Peak What?

The concept of Peak Oil is now well into mainstream communities, or so I thought. Last night I found myself at a function seated next to a well educated, newly retired IT professional, who seemed to be totally unaware of Peak Oil and its implications.

We are in the era of information, and we debate about how much we are told. Certainly, everyone in the group knew about Wiki-Leaks! But not Peak Oil? The media loves sensation, what's happening day by day, and that fills the news.

So how do we focus the important stuff, like Peak Oil, and how can this topic attract attention and compete with the daily dramas?

The end of the era of low cost oil is changing our way of life. Individually and globally, we need to be aware of this massive social transformation and the impact on us all. Understanding Peak Oil is the first step in adapting, by developing new options for travel and transport, and by re -shaping our many other oil dependant areas such as food production. Important issues are on the horizon but they are not on the front page of most newspapers nor on the evening TV news.

It seems, that many of us are just like the eyes in the rock, locked into seeing only what is put in front of us - with no interest in what is the reality.

PIc by Mary /Sculptures by the Sea 2009 Sydney

Sustainably Mobile in Style

At the Clean Energy Expo Asia, a fair chunk of the exhibition floorspace was dedicated to a "Sustainable Mobility Showcase" - very understated name for some rather interesting vehicles including the Tesla Roadster, which would be a very cool way to be "sustainably mobile".

The Roadster body is a carbon fibre creation and the design sets the bar for other cars to achieve, strength and low weight at the same time. This is a premium fully electric sports vehicle which manages up to about 400km range, depending on how you like to drive - to conserve or impress! But I think it would impress at any speed, and if you need to make a statement, then the Tesla Roadster does that and adds the exclamation mark!

I was delighted to finally see a Roadster in the flesh - and I certainly would like to see more "Sustainably Mobile" Roadsters on our Aussie roads.

Pic by Mary at Clean Energy Expo Asia 2010

Small Door, Opening to Asia Pacific

At the same time as Australia and the US are both facing internal opposition to supporting legislation for more Clean Energy uptake, countries like Singapore have ambitious plans to take up the challenge.

At the recent Clean Energy Expo Asia conference and exhibition held in Singapore, I was impressed with the level of commitment for Singapore to become a hub city for showcasing and promoting renewable energy - and one that addresses the issues of energy security and dependance on oil. The conference was developed in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore (SEAS) and there was emphasis on collaboration with key groups in the Asia Pacific Region to achieve outcomes not just for Singapore but for the whole region.

Ministerial support was evident with Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Resouces at the opening ceremony. Dr Ibrahim spoke about the projected job creation of 7,000 jobs by 2015 for Singapore, and how Singapore is planning to attract companies to become a "living laboratory" for sustainable urban solutions.

Over past few decades, I have observed that Singapore undertakes projects with a high degree of focus and determination, so I for one will be watching with great interest to see how Singapore develops their Clean Energy hub. One Australian company that I spoke to at the exhibition saw Singapore as a stepping stone to the Asian markets, and for Aussie technology this may well be a very welcome door to the important Asian markets.

My pic at Clean Energy Expo Asia exhibition opening 2 Nov 2010

Building a low carbon Sydney

Next Monday evening (25 Oct), in Sydney, there will be special update at the Sydney Town Hall with interviewer Tim Flannery and speaker Allan Jones MBE who will report on the progress made in delivering sustainable systems for energy, water and waste for the city.

With a panel of knowledgable and dedicated specialists and business leaders, this is set to be an enlightening evening. To see booking details CLICK HERE.

Nissan Leaf - Emission and Petrol station free!

Helping with All-Energy Australia 2010, I was delighted that 3,000 industry and business people came to see the show in Melbourne on Oct 6&7, and the exhibition space included over 180 exhibitors of clean energy production and associated services, in the areas of solar, wind, bio-energy, geothermal, marine, energy efficiency, storage and measurement.

This year, All-Energy Australia was fortunate to have a Nissan Leaf electric car on display, and this attracted significant attention from businesses and local government. The Nissan Leaf is a 100% electric vehicle, which should go about 160 km on a single charge, certainly more than sufficient to cover my average 150km per week of city driving. And for the once a year, out of town drive, I would happily borrow, rent, or travel by bus. Of course, that will in the future be remedied by fast charge outlets, hopefully located close by a good coffee shop. And I am unlikely to ever need to drive at the top speed of 140km/hr.

I would like be off fossil fuels, but I do enjoy and need a vehicle, and the Nissan Leaf is definitely on my short-list! In my mind's eye, it ranks as a very stylish and electronically cool car. My only gripe is that it will be 2012 before Australia sees the first available Nissan Leaf vehicles, so, in the meantime, I will have to wait and plan where to put my fully wind offset charging outlet.

No more trips to the Service Station for fuel - priceless !


Pic by Mary at All-Energy Australia 2010

OPPORTUNITY Knocks

Opportunity knocks once, and if the door isn’t answered, moves on to another door. We all have those moments in our personal histories, where we took on a challenge, or where we sat still, debating whether this opportunity was real, not moving and later regretting.

In 2010, Opportunity is knocking loudly, for the many countries on this planet, that will lead and dominate the future. And we, in Australia (and the US) are still in debate mode.

Thomas L Friedman, quoting Peggy Lui in his New York Times OP-ED, says it all:
“There is really no debate about climate change in China,” said Peggy Liu, chairwoman of the Joint U.S.-China Collaboration on Clean Energy, a nonprofit group working to accelerate the greening of China. “China’s leaders are mostly engineers and scientists, so they don’t waste time questioning scientific data.” The push for green in China, she added, “is a practical discussion on health and wealth. There is no need to emphasize future consequences when people already see, eat and breathe pollution every day.”

And because runaway pollution in China means wasted lives, air, water, ecosystems and money — and wasted money means fewer jobs and more political instability — China’s leaders would never go a year (like we will) without energy legislation mandating new ways to do more with less. It’s a three-for-one shot for them. By becoming more energy efficient per unit of G.D.P., China saves money, takes the lead in the next great global industry and earns credit with the world for mitigating climate change.

So while America’s Republicans turned “climate change” into a four-letter word — J-O-K-E — China’s Communists also turned it into a four-letter word — J-O-B-S.

Do you hear opportunity knocking on your door? Is your business/country in debate mode or are you opening doors to the new energy era?

Climate Change = Opportunity, so fill in the missing letters in your part of the world….
OPPORTUNITY = J-O-?-? .


Pic Ex Flickr OPEN DOOR by yewenyi