Simon Corbell has the happy news that the ACT is to enjoy relatively low electricity prices into the future:
The ACT is forecast to continue to have the lowest household electricity prices in Australia through to at least 2015, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, said today.
“This is great news for the residents [...]

The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission ICRC has released their activity summary of the Electricity Feed-in Scheme.
For mine the big announcement is:
Total installed capacity of renewable generators at 31 December 2012 was 30,149 kilowatts, compared with 28,628 kilowatts at the end of the September 2012 quarter
With more applications rolling in it looks like the industry [...]

[ 21 November, 2012; ]

Renewable Energy Day is tomorrow and there’s quite a lot to do around town including tours of the Woodlawn bio-reactor and the local wind farm.

Worth a look.

Simon Corbell, nevermind being in caretaker moder, nevermind that a parliament cannot bind its successors, is laying out his energy plan for the ACT to the year 2020.
“The ACT Labor Government is committed to delivering significant reductions in our carbon emissions with a 40% reduction on 1990 levels, by 2020, and carbon neutrality by 2060, [...]

Gosh! Royalla 1 has a ring to it eh? Simon Corbell has unveiled the winner of the big solar power facility auction:
Mr Corbell announced the outcome of the ACT Government’s fast-track stream of the ACT large-scale solar reverse auction by confirming that Royalla 1 will become the largest solar power facility built in Australia to [...]

Riotact Hivemind, I’m getting with the times and going to install solar panels to help reduce my electricity bills.
Problem is – Solargain is currently the only provider I can find that installs in Canberra. There are plenty of companies that come up with a google search, but none of them service the Canberra region. [...]

This might be stating the obvious but the ACT Labor Government’s solar plan is receiving plenty of interest from the renewable energy industry, as Simon Corbell announced yesterday. Forty nine separate prequalification proposals were received, showing that the nation’s capital is keen to get started on a large scale solar facility.
“This level of interest [...]

Arguments about the feasibility of renewable energy often concentrate around costings and capabilities that are out of date.  But what exactly is happening in solar technology?  Speculate no longer!  Come along to the Bob Douglas Lecture Theatre, Eggleston Road, ANU Campus tomorrow night at 6 pm to find out for yourself what the latest from [...]

Simon Corbell has let the world know he’d like proposals for a large scale solar plant here in Canberra:
Renewable energy companies with proposals to establish large scale solar generation in the ACT are being invited to submit proposals to the Government as part of the ACT Labor Government’s plan to make Canberra Australia’s solar capital, [...]

Simon Corbell is celebrating getting the nod from the Legislative Assembly to ramp up solar power generation in Canberra.
Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, has today welcomed in-principal support from the ACT Legislative Assembly, for legislation which will allow large-scale solar facilities to be rolled out across the ACT.
“The Government’s legislation proposes [...]

Simon Corbell has announced his proposed pathways to the promised carbon neutrality of 2060.
The options are:
Pathway1: involves the use of renewable energy as the main strategy for achieving emissions reductions. The purchase of a small component carbon offsets is also included, as current modelling indicates that switching to renewable energy for the total ACT electricity [...]

The Liberals’ Zed Seselja is making merry with staggering ineptness from the Environment Directorate.
Simon Corbell’s Environment Directorate’s illogical use of environmental offsets was exposed this week, after it was discovered the Directorate purchases 64 per cent more electricity than actually uses. ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja said today the admission is another example of [...]

Simon Corbell has announced he’s introducing the Electricity Feed In (Large Scale Renewable Energy Generation) Bill 2011 today.
“This is the first time an Australian Government has proposed the use of a feed in tariff for commercial scale renewable energy generation,” Mr Corbell said.
“The Bill establishes the framework for a feed in tariff „reverse auction? to [...]

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury has expressed his disappointment with yesterday’s release of the ACT’s Sustainable Energy Policy:
“The ACT has an ambitious greenhouse gas emissions target and yet there is no connection between meeting that target and this document, even though the two policies are inextricably linked.
“After two years of development and a whole host of [...]

Simon Corbell has announced the release of the ACT Sustainable Energy Policy 2011-2020:
The Sustainable Energy Policy sets out four key outcomes, backed by 27 detailed measures. The 4 key outcomes
are;
– Outcome One: Reliable and Affordable Energy;
– Outcome Two: Smarter Use of Energy;
– Outcome Three: Cleaner Energy; and,
– Outcome Four: Growth in the Clean Economy.
Some of [...]

[ 6 August, 2011; 8 August, 2011; 13 August, 2011; ]

We are hosting 3 events in Canberra over the next 2 weeks.

1. On Saturday August 6 and Saturday August 13 we will be at the Gorman House Markets to talk to the public about the carbon price and what it means for you and Australia.

And,

2. on Monday August 8 in the evening;

Grassroots Public Forum
Monday [...]

Electric Car evangelists Better Place have announced their Charge Network Foundation Members:
– the ACT Government,
– the ACT Electric Vehicle Council,
– ActewAGL,
– Canberra Airport,
– Capital Hotel Group,
– CIC Australia,
– Crowne Plaza,
– Hindmarsh,
– Lend Lease,
– the National Convention Centre,
– Rock Development Group,
– TransACT
“Better Place has been actively working with three of our Foundation Members, the ACT Government, [...]

The ACT Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate have announced the formal re-opening of the solar feed-in tariff scheme after the Liberals and Greens over ruled Labor in the Assembly.
Further to amendments recently passed in the Legislative Assembly, a revised ACT electricity Feed-in
Tariff will re-open on 11 July 2011, said David Papps, Director-General of the [...]

The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury is celebrating opening the “medium scale” feed in tariff for solar panels to installations down to 0 kW (so all of them).
The Liberals were needed to support it and Zed Seselja has a circuitous explanation.
The upshot is new installs will be able to get 30c per kW on power they generate.

Simon Corbell is kicking off an auction for 40 megawatts of solar power provision:
“The government will lead the way to securing significant quantities of affordable renewable energy by conducting Australia’s first of type auction giving solar energy generators a chance to offer the best deal to consumers in the ACT.
“Industry also knows what financial support [...]

The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission has not yet bestirred itself to update its website, but the ABC informs us they’ve approved a 6.4% rise in the price of electricity for the coming financial year.
Acting senior commissioner Malcolm Gray says the main reason for the rise is the Federal Government’s increased renewable energy [...]

Simon Corbell has not published an announcement yet, but despite telling the public yesterday that it would be months until the solar feed-in tariff scheme was fully subscribed, the scheme has now been closed in the face of rampaging demand.
If you’ve already paid a deposit, or entered into a formal arrangement for installation, then you’re [...]

Energy Minister Simon Corbell has proudly unveiled a 30kW solar roof farm in Hume leased by Energy Matters.
He’s hoping other roofs across Canberra can be similarly used:
“There are a number of large buildings and open space across the Territory which could be suitable for a solar installation of this size. It is pleasing to see [...]

Yesterday Simon Corbell announced renewable energy targets for the ACT.
The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury is not impressed:
In making the announcement, the Minister has achieved a magic sleight of hand by indicating the ACT’s renewable energy targets are not additional to Federal renewable energy schemes, nor the voluntary green power purchase made by many Canberrans already.
“The Minister [...]

Simon Corbell has announced Canberra’s renewable energy targets:
The Canberra community will be sourcing 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2012 and 25% by 2020, under new targets set today by Minister for Energy, Simon Corbell.
“These important renewable energy targets (RETs) underpins the Government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020, [...]

The Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission has released its ACT Electricity Feed-in Scheme Activity Summary: 1 March 2009 to 31 March 2011 .
March 2011 connection were up to 868 from 485 in the December quarter!
That’s despite the tradie drought of January and February.
And it’s going to get even bigger, with 1,552 applications received in the [...]

With the ACT Budget already very much at the printers it’s a little late to be making helpful suggestions.
But that hasn’t stopped the Greens’ Shane Rattenbury pointing out increasing concerns about the ACT Government handling of climate action.
“The new climate targets legislation requires the ACT Government to set a renewable energy target within 6 months [...]

A couple of days ago wildturkeycanoe posted a whinge about the windmills and solar panels being built in Kippax.
Today Colin’s sent in a picture so you can judge for yourself.
Thoughts?

Anyone noticed the solar panels and wind turbines at the new child care center [i think]? I’m glad I don’t live across the road and have to see them everyday.
I understand going “green”, but can anyone tell me if there was a DA submitted and residents asked what they think of it all?
Something [...]

The ABC brings word that the famously resistant to change folk of Collector are having a whinge about land owners choosing to do what they damn well please with their own land.
At issue is Transfield’s plan to build a wind farm bringing jobs and renewable energy to the region.
Residents opposed to the project are ramping [...]

The ABC informs us that Bungendore’s wind farm strewn expanse is to get 100 hectares of solar panels as well.
Member for Monaro Steve Whan says it will be the state’s largest solar farm.
“There’s 32 blocks of solar panels arranged around 2 to 3 metres above the ground, so it’s a very big development,” he [...]

The Canberra Times explains the disappointment of the Greens’ energy spokesman Shane Rattenbury that agreed increases in the ACT Government’s use of renewable energy have not been met.
Green power accounted for 32.5per cent of the Government’s energy purchases last financial year but the Greens want to see that total boosted to 42.5per cent in [...]