The Greening of Australia?
How well has the current Australian government, in office since 1996, been managing responsible energy sourcing? They certainly made the right noises in 1997, with their Renewed Focus on Renewable Energy:
Environment Minister Robert Hill said that renewable energy is the global key to long-term greenhouse emission reductions."At last reckoning, energy generation accounted for over 220 million tonnes or just under half of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions. For that reason the energy sector remains the major focus of our response activity.
"Today's announcement by the Prime Minister includes a target for retailers and major wholesale purchasers of electricity to source an additional 2 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2010. These sources include photovoltaics, biomass, solar hot water, wind or other emerging technologies.
"On current projections, renewable energy was expected to decline as a share of Australian energy supply. This package will not just halt that slide but will lead to a growth in the share of renewables. By encouraging the growth of renewable technologies now, Australia will be in a position to progressively increase the share of renewable energy beyond 2010."
Unfortunately, the evidence points to a downward trend in renewable energy use, as a percentage of total energy generation, and in solar generation as a percentage of world production.
(Source: The Weekend Australian Magazine, March 3-4 2007)
Comments
I don't any great faith in these sorts of figures - although I readily acknowledge that Australian consumers (and State and Federal Governments) have not embraced alternative power sources on the scale that is required to make a difference.
Our farm is connected to the grid, but we also use solar power for all electric fencing and some farm uses, and our only hot water water units are totally solar. As we haven't applied for any Government grants or rebates I assume we don't show up in the statistics and there are heaps of people like us who just do it so we don't have to rely on anyone.
Our farm operations can be seen at www.freeranger.com.au
Posted by: freeranger
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April 22, 2007 1:59 PM