RENEWABLE energy experts are becoming angry. While their technology works and
is cost-effective, it rarely attracts support from government or industry.
The normally quiet group of technical specialists gave vent to their
frustration at an open forum I recently chaired in Sydney which concluded the
sixth conference on renewable energy technologies of the Electricity Supply
Association of Australia (ESAA). About 200 delegates attended, nearly half of
them from overseas. Among the locals, I recognised many senior officials from
the electricity industry鈥攚hich in itself is a sign of changing times.
The forum listened to the conclusions of workshops on solar thermal energy
systems, photovoltaic cells, systems integrated into buildings, and policy
questions. It was a consistent story. The technology is not only reliable but,
as ESAA chair Allan Gillespie told the conference, 鈥済reen power鈥� is now cheaper
in real terms than normal electricity five years ago. But the application of
renewable energy systems is being held back by a range of structural factors.
Green power lacks promotion and is still perceived to be risky financially.
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The question of political support aroused strong views. Politicians were
roundly attacked for their lack of vision and leadership. They can summon up the
courage to champion a new tax system or bail out the private health funds,
speakers thundered, but there is little sign of any coherent energy policy.
Unless there is a serious commitment to forms of electricity generated
without releasing carbon, delegates were informed, there is almost no chance
that Australia will achieve even its uniquely generous Kyoto target for
greenhouse gases. And what about the export opportunities the country is
missing? In his speech to close the conference Martin Thomas, former head of the
Cooperative Research Centre for Renewable Energy, told delegates that most of
the two billion people around the world who do not have access to electricity
are remote from grid systems. Small-scale local power supplies are the only way
to provide them with power, he said. And that is exactly where green power can
be of most use.
Delegates suggested a range of ways of supporting renewable energy, from
modest changes, like a small carbon tax or tax rebates, to more radical ideas,
such as setting a target of solar electricity generation on every roof by 2020,
or even laws to compel installation of solar energy devices in new dwellings.
Typically, neither politicians nor the mainstream media were present at the
forum鈥攕o don鈥檛 hold your breath waiting for action.
THIS week six South Australian scientists have been named as that state鈥檚
Young Tall Poppies. The awards are organised by the Australian Institute of
Political Science to recognise researchers with less than ten years experience.
The Tall Poppies will become ambassadors for science, visiting schools and
encouraging students to consider scientific careers. Five of the winners work in
biomedical fields, ranging from Parkinson鈥檚 disease to the role of genetics in
how individuals react to drugs. The other young researcher鈥擥us Nathan from
the University of Adelaide鈥攈elped design the unquenchable Olympic torch
which will be making its way around Australia later this year. The SA awards
will be followed by similar events in the other states over the next two
years.
ONE of the great things about writing a column in 快猫短视频 is
that you never have to wonder for long if you have your facts straight. One way
or another, you are sure to be told.
For instance, a reader has corrected my statement that the glossy black
cockatoo is found only on Kangaroo Island (Antipodes, 15 January). This rare
bird is indeed found in other parts of eastern Australia. But the South
Australian sub-species, Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus, is found
only on Kangaroo Island, and is listed as endangered, with a population of fewer
than 200 birds.
Another reader has taken issue with my comment that the giant snakes or
wonambi which previously existed in Australia were 鈥減resumably hunted to extinction鈥�
(Antipodes, 12 February).
Deborah Stonehouse agrees that the evidence for human extinction of megafauna
is solid for Europe and North America, but says there are other possible
explanations for Australia. These include a significant warming of the climate
at the end of the Pleistocene era. She is right鈥攁nd her correction is yet
another reminder of the potentially serious impact of the sort of climate change
we are now engineering.