Posts filed under ‘solar power’
Moreland Council capital expenditure on climate projects and the Neighbourwoods Program
Solar PV installed on Fawkner Library
Perusing the Governance report in the Council agenda for the October 2019 Council meeting there was an item for capital works climate change expenditure of $990,000 but no detail what this expenditure was actually for.
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Submission to Climate Change Authority – policies necessary to achieve Australia’s commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement
Climate Action Tracker June 2019 assessment.
Climate Action Moreland prepared the following submission (PDF) to the Climate Change Authority focussing on three sectors: agriculture, energy (electricity) , and transport. These are key areas for Australia to implement climate policy to achieve reduction in emissions to meet Australia’s commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement. We appreciate the Climate Change Authority collating this information, even though the present conservative government largely ignores the independent advice of this Authority.
Under the Paris Agreement Australia needs to submit a new Nationally Determined Contribution document that outlines all targets and policies to achieve our targets, by early 2020. No backtracking is acceptable (this is written into the agreement as well) This is the ratchet (ambition) mechanism of the Paris Agreement. On current commitments the world is heading for an average temperature rise of between 2.4 degrees to 3.8 degrees Celsius by 2100, as calculated by the Climate Action Tracker website. Australia’s effort is rated as ‘Insufficient’.
Brunswick MP highlights solar homes program needs urgent restructure
Solar installs in contraction due to poor implementation of Solar Homes Package
Brunswick Greens MP Tim Read has highlighted in state parliament the urgent need for the solar hones program to be restructured.
This is a flagship program by the Labor’s Dan Andrews Government for residential uptake of solar panels and growing renewables in Victoria. But the program is so popular and demand is being capped so that it is driving renewables installation businesses to the wall. The industry and jobs are in contraction.
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Hydrogen fuelled zero emissions garbage trucks for Moreland
Moreland Council has invested in changing it’s fleet of diesel garbage trucks to zero emissions, which will reduce heavy vehicle fleet carbon emissions, pollution, noise, and reduce fuel costs in the long term.
The plan is to use electric heavy vehicle garbage trucks powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The hydrogen will be generated by solar PV at the Hadfield depot, and by wind power purchased through the electricity grid, hence the hydrogen fuel cells will be renewables powered.
Moreland Council have entered into partnership with hydrogen technology company H2U and vehicle manufacturer CNH Industrial to deliver the pilot project. This pilot project is one of the first in the world using hydrogen fuel cells in a heavy vehicle fleet.
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Opposing the rule to charge solar owners a fee to feed-in to electricity grid
The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is considering allowing a charge on solar owners for feeding their electricity back to the grid. We think this is grossly inequitable and very problematic for reducing emissions and continuing to encourage take up of solar renewable energy by households and businesses.
The following submission was made on the rule change:
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New Victorian Solar Feed-in Tariffs to recognise Greenhouse gas avoidance
SolarPV in Moreland (Via MEFL)
New solar feed-in tariffs (FIT) are being introduced by the Andrews Labor government in Victoria, based on the time-of-day – peak, off-peak and shoulder – which better reflects current electricity pricing. The new tariff structure will also compensate solar households with a tariff component taking into account the environment value of greenhouse gases avoided.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced the changes as a fairer way to pay people for the solar and wind power they produce for the electricity network.
“Victorians should be fairly compensated for the power they generate – plain and simple.” said Lily D’Ambrosio. “Households will now be compensated through the most cost effective and fairest system available, which is through a time-of-use feed-in tariff.”
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Victoria steps up with renewables target and ban on fracking
Premier Dan Andrews and Energy and Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio launching Victoria’s renewable energy targets
In mid June Victoria stepped up it’s Renewable Energy target to 25 percent renewable energy share by 2020, and 40 percent by 2025. And this week Premier Daniel Andrews announced a permanent ban on onshore unconventional gas exploration and development and hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
While phaseout of coal generators is important, and we are hopeful that Hazelwood closure is in the near term pipeline, these are important announcements for climate action at the state level. It shows the state Government is treating the climate issue and their citizens with the seriousness that it deserves.
