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An article published by Alan Lander in the Sunshine Coast Daily 13 July 2010 follows:
POWERLINK will “thoroughly assess” a submission for an alternative route for powerlines through Eerwah Vale west of Cooroy.
Residents group Powerline Action Group Eumundi (PAGE) met with Powerlink representatives yesterday to present its case for the lines partly to follow the new [...]

The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a complex and lengthy document. In order to deliver a meaningful, community-centred reflection of impacted residents’ concerns, a substantial amount of time and effort was required, but not provided.

The main requirement of the EIS was to provide an assessment of the environmental (economic, social, cultural and physical) impacts from the construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning of the proposed transmission line (TL) and substation, and to duly consider alternatives to the proposal carried forward. Ultimately this document is to be used to form the basis of a Ministerial designation of land for community infrastructure.

The Coast council has given people power a boost with it’s call this week for expressions of interest for alternatives to the State Government’s controversial Eerwah Vale power lines plan.
Read the article below by Isobel Coleman that appeared in the Noosa Journal on 31 December 2009.

The Sunshine Coast could be an exporter of clean energy by 2025 with the sector rivalling construction, retail and tourism as one of the largest contributors to the region’s economy if the council leads the way.
That is the assessment of Fiona Waterhouse, the Coast-based head of Australia’s Financial and Energy Exchange, who described that goal [...]

The foundations are being laid for a $15 million solar plant at Whyalla.
A demonstration plant of four big dishes will combine solar power with ammonia energy storage technology.
Whyalla’s deputy mayor Eddie Hughes says it is great to see something tangible after nearly 13 years of planning.
“The first pad is to form a working base for [...]

The Rudd Government will seek bids in October from consortia interested in bidding for its $100 million large-scale ‘smart grid’ demonstration project, according to project manager Graeme Marshall of the federal environment department.
Smart grids, underpinned by smart meters, are designed to handle two-way flows of data and power.
Advocates say smart grids will pave the way [...]

Local residents yesterday (22 June) had the undivided attention and support of local councillors, when they shone the spotlight on the single biggest challenge facing Sunshine Coast Regional Council’s new vision to become Australia’s most sustainable region.
Invited to present at council’s General Meeting, members of the Powerlines Action Group of Eumundi (PAGE) told councillors of [...]

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has flagged regulatory reforms, more action by state-owned energy utilities and a push to prepare ‘clean energy plans’ for major residential and commercial developments as part of a plan to generate 2,635MW from clean energy by 2020.
In 2008, renewable energy accounted for about 6% (745MW) of Queensland’s total installed generation capacity, [...]

Investors and companies are pouring money into smart grid hardware and software. Companies vying to become industry leaders aren’t short on hype.
Cisco Systems calls the smart grid “1,000 times bigger than the Internet.” GE calls it “the biggest investment of the first half of the 21st century.” The Green Chip Review pushes its own reports [...]

Energy conservation and demand management is “an industry imperative”, Terry McConnell of Queensland electricity distributor Energex told a Sydney energy efficiency seminar on Friday.
“I don’t believe that we as an industry can continue to stand by and spend money at the rate we are doing to build poles and wires that are not being used [...]