Green light for green projects

Council has given the green light to environment projects designed to deliver on council’s vision for the Sunshine Coast as Australia’s most sustainable region.

The projects – funded from council’s Environment Levy and valued at $35 million plus over five years – include land acquisitions, a Waterways and Coastal Foreshores Strategy, a Biodiversity Report Card for the region and a raft of community grants and funded partnerships.

The projects are tied to council’s Environment Levy Policy, endorsed at council’s 27 August Ordinary Meeting. The new regional policy and program builds on past strengths and lays out five years of exciting, strategic projects made possible by Environment Levy funds. The policy puts a strong focus on permanently protecting valuable habitat and ecosystems by acquiring high environmental value land parcels and in boosting available funds with assistance from other levels of government. There is also a major focus on partnerships with private landholders and community groups to assist them to preserve and enhance biodiversity values and ecosystem services.

Key environment levy-funded initiatives outlined in the policy include:

• $19.6m over five years for land acquisition. This will build on the existing conservation area network and focus on consolidating larger conservation areas for future generations to enjoy
• $7.1m over five years for developing and implementing a Waterways and Coastal Foreshores Strategy
• $317,000 over five years for developing and implementing a Regional Biodiversity Report Card
• $8.3m for community environment grants, voluntary conservation agreements on private lands and partnership agreements with community groups and non-government organisations to undertake environmental initiatives

The Environment Levy is included in council rates notices and is reviewed each financial year.

Source:  Sunshine Coast Council eNews 2 September 2009

To subscribe to the Sunshine Coast Council eNews publication follow this link – http://www.sbm21.com/SCRC/subscribe.cfm

PAGE has asked the Bligh Government for “a clear statement that the Sunshine Coast’s future energy needs be delivered via renewable energy and demand management providing the Bligh Government with a clear opportunity to show it is serious in tackling energy provision in an environmentally responsible manner – the last week of this election gives the Government the perfect opportunity to do this.”

Ever since the CEO of Powerlink wrote to Mr. Geoff Wilson, Minister for Mines and Energy suggesting that PAGE were “deceitful and dishonest”, PAGE have had disappointment after disappointment in their dealings with the Minister. No answers to the questions raised in our letter (dated 20 February 2008) to Mr. Wilson have been received. After 6 months of waiting the Minister finally afforded PAGE a meeting, at which PAGE were told to come up with an alternative within only 4 weeks. The other concerns of the community, raised in our meeting with the Minister regarding the consultation and environmental impact assessment have also been ignored.

With all the resources at the DME and Powerlink’s disposal, it was left for the small community group to come up with a proposal. This proposal was submitted but the reply from the Minister does little to inspire confidence that the Minister and his department are interested in delivering any solution other than Powerlink’s pre-determined power line proposal.

It is also disappointing to see ALP campaign rhetoric once again referring to Queensland as aspiring to be “the solar state” of Australia, yet we continue to see little willingness to progress towards achieving this goal, when there is a solar option on the table that could be further developed to meet their needs.
PAGE has been asking the government to look at alternatives to Powerlink business as usual proposal since August 2007 – 18 months later they are still dragging their heels when they have an active and engaged community wishing to help find solutions to the energy requirements of the Sunshine Coast, and where the Sunshine Coast Regional Council have a mandate for cleaner greener alternatives.

Queensland, despite the rhetoric, lags well behind other countries and is a long way behind New South Wales in implementing clean energy alternatives, demand management and feed-in tariffs.

For more information on the alternatives and the campaign to date visit PAGE’s website www.saveeumundi.org

The Project entails construction, operation, and maintenance of a 275 kV double circuit transmission line and substation in order to provide high voltage reinforcement of the northern Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions.  Powerlink proposes to commence construction in 2012 if their proposal is approved.

One Feasible Alternative

The load forecasts predict an estimated a deficit of 70MW starting to emerge in 2013/2014. This is a large capacity upgrade and Sanctuary Energy’s proposed approach is to work with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, the local community, Energex and Powerlink to simultaneously pursue two complementary opportunities. These are:

1. Large scale renewable solar thermal and
2. Broad based demand management and distributed energy [note 1]

By 2014, the project aims to deliver 30MW of Large Scale Solar Thermal renewable generation coupled with 10‐20MW demand side response; this would be more than sufficient to offset the immediate peak capacity requirements in the area and would be scalable over time (with the construction of additional solar thermal dishes) to meet projected peak capacity requirements in 2024.

The approach is to start deploying small scale demand management whilst planning and land acquisition begins for the large scale solar thermal plant. Once the demand management process is underway, it is likely that demand can be reduced further in the area than currently anticipated due to increased familiarity with and uptake of the process by local businesses and residential communities.

This solution can meet demand locally and offset other higher greenhouse gas emitting energy sources. The Powerlink proposal only delivers a transport mechanism but does not ensure the generation capacity will be available to the community when required. A Large Scale Solar Thermal plant that delivers 100MW generation capacity would require 220 hectares of available land (75MW is the projected peak capacity requirement by 2024). The availability of suitable land and proximity to Energex’s 132kV distribution network will be considered when selecting the location for the solar thermal plant.

Large Scale Solar Thermal Renewable Technology

Solar thermal generators harness the power of the sun to collect thermal energy (heat). This thermal energy generally heats a liquid, such as water, and uses the steam from this process to run a steam turbine.  There are three main types of solar thermal technology:- Towers, Troughs and Dishes.  The advantage of a dish system is that it can achieve much higher temperatures due to the higher concentration of light than other technologies.  Higher temperatures lead to better conversion to electricity and the dish system is very efficient in producing such temperatures (1,200+ degrees). A dish system uses a large, reflective, parabolic dish (similar in shape to a satellite television dish).  It focuses all the sunlight that strikes the dish up on to a single point above the dish, where a receiver captures the heat and transforms it into a useful form. For this reason, dish technology is generally the most cost effective and has a lower footprint than other forms of solar thermal. Increased efficiency can also be achieved by using the residual steam for small scale desalination, secondary steam generation, heating and reverse cycle refrigeration

An energy storage solution

The other advantage of these high temperatures is that the heat can be used to crack other materials, such as ammonia, that can be used to store energy – this is vital to provide generation when there is no direct sunlight such as overnight.    Large scale solar thermal projects are generally scalable, in blocks as small as 1MW and the size can be incrementally increased as required.

This solution was arrived at from a full day workshop facilitated by Sanctuary Energy on 17th September 2008, involving representatives from PAGE, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Energex, the Environmental Protection Agency, and independent energy industry consultants plus subsequent meetings with the DME, Powerlink, Energex and the community. A variety of alternatives were reviewed and this solution considered the most appropriate given the time constraints for delivery and the scale of the solution required.

Sanctuary Energy

Sanctuary Energy is an energy retailer/wholesaler providing competitive end consumer rates and renewable infrastructure. We are a community and environment conscious company with a great focus on our carbon footprint and those of our customers. Sanctuary Energy is already committed to working with the Sunshine Coast Community to deliver a clean energy transition as demonstrated by our existing projects and the local engagement processes we have undertaken to date. Sanctuary Energy is keen to collaborate further with the Council to help the community to achieve its energy transition objectives.

Benefits to the Sunshine Coast

• Innovative renewable energy technology which aligns with Council’s long-term renewable and sustainability goals.
• Local jobs created in construction, supply and ongoing maintenance.
• Cost competitive community energy.
• Aligns with incoming State Government goals.
• Provides a secure and reliable source of power as required by the Minister for Mines and Energy.

Next Steps

• Engage with council and community to identify sites.
• Engage with Energex and Powerlink to:

-    Confirm requirements and costs to integrate facility into current infrastructure.
-    Ensure placement of plant will alleviate the need for network augmentation.

• Engage the community in Sanctuary Energy’s Renewable Energy supply arrangements

For more information

For enquiries and further information with respect to this project please contact: Alexander Brasier, General Manager, Investment and Business Development on +61 (0) 2 4351 5599, mobile number 0407 447790 or by email: alex.brasier@sanctuaryenergy.com.au.

A copy of this article can be downloaded from this link – sunshine-coast-energy-aternatives-2009.pdf

The second half of the forum will be open for the community to ask any questions of the candidates at the meeting. There will be candidates from the electorates of Nicklin, Noosa and Gympie and the major parties and independents will be represented.

PAGE Coordinator, Graham Smith said “This is a key election for Queensland and especially the Sunshine Coast. Last May’s council elections clearly demonstrated that the community wants a new sustainable approach to energy, water and transport. It is vital that the community come along and find out where your candidates stand on these issues. It is only for four weeks in every three years that the Government actually listens to voters and everyone should use this forum as an opportunity to make your voice get heard.”

PAGE was disappointed to hear in our discussions with the candidates in preparation for this forum that the Labor candidate for Nicklin refused to attend the forum and debate the issues with the other candidates or with the community. Labor, however will be represented by Mr. Brian Stockwell, candidate for the Noosa electorate.

Other candidates that have agreed to participate in the forum are Mr. Steve Haines (Grn), Ms. Cate Molloy (Ind), Mr. Steve Morrison (LNP), and Mr. Peter Wellington (Ind). Also attending the forum will be Mr. Garry Claridge (Grn), Mr. Glen Elmes (LNP) and Mr. Kent Hutton (Grn)

As usual PAGE is expecting an excellent turnout to reflect the significant interest and passion generated by this State Government proposal.

What: PAGE – Queensland Election Candidates Forum.
Where: CWA Hall, Eumundi
Date / Time: 4:30pm – 6:30pm on Saturday 14 March 2009
Cost: Free

Visit www.saveeumundi.org for more information.

Contact: Graham Smith
Email:  contact@saveeumundi.org

Media Release Date:             6 March 2009