Victoria's Electricity Greenhouse Gas Emissions Continue To Rise

 

A study prepared by Green Energy Markets Pty Ltd for Environment Victoria has found Victoria’s greenhouse emissions from electricity have increased by 10% over the 10 years to 2009 - a total of 6 million tonnes. 
   
The study states while renewable energy generation has made important inroads over the last few years, it still accounts for only 5% of Victoria’s generation in 2009, the same share of generation as in 2000. Even with the increased uptake of technologies such as wind and solar power in the state, renewable energy has historically comprised predominantly of hydro-electric plants, the contributions of which have been on the wane due to lower rainfall and reduced storages. 
   
Wind energy is now the largest source of renewable energy accounting for 34% of renewable generation in 2009. The growth in wind energy has effectively replaced the decline in hydro energy.
   
While coal fired generation has reduced its overall market share of generation by 1% during the period, it remains a dominant force in electricity generation at 92% of total generation.  The study states Victoria’s reliance on coal has increased over the past decade with 51,697GWh of electricity generated from coal in 2009, up by 9 percent on 2000 levels.
   
Coal comes in a variety of "flavours", some types being cleaner burning than others. The coal burned in Victoria's electricity generation plants is predominantly brown coal, the filthiest variety. According to a 2005 report from the WWF, the world's worst polluting coal fired power station at the time was the Hazelwood Power Station in the Latrobe Valley, Victoria.
   

Woolworths Pumping Petrol With Solar Power

 

Last year, Woolworths Limited announced that due to the ACT's generous gross feed in tariff system,  the company had selected Canberra as its first location nationwide for the installation of renewable energy generation technology.
  
Woolworths Limited Director of Corporate and Public Affairs, Andrew Hall, said at the time, "If all States followed the ACT’s lead and introduced gross feed-in tariffs that benefited businesses; Woolworths would certainly look at rolling out this exciting new technology to locations nationwide, potentially pumping significant amounts of clean electricity back into the grid."
  
"Retailers often have expansive roof spaces that should be perfect for capturing the sun’s rays, a clean resource Australia has in abundance." said Mr. Hall
  
Solar panels were to be installed on the canopy of Woolworths petrol stations in Belconnen and Hume, generating approximately 15% of each site's energy needs and potentially enough for lighting and bowser operation. Woolworths has announced the first 30kW system has been installed at a Belconnen service station and was switched on today.
  
Woolworths' investment in renewable technology is part of the company's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint on projected growth by 40 percent by 2015 maintaining 2006 levels.
  
While Woolworths may be the first major retail chain in Australia to have switched on to solar power, it's not the first company tied to a well known supermarket brand to have done so.
  
Earlier this year, national solar power solutions provider Energy Matters installed a grid connected solar electricity system at the Renaissance Supa IGA supermarket in Hawthorn, Victoria.
  

News for Monday 22 March, 2010

 

• Australia's Electricity Price Rise Delays Coming Home To Roost
  

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