6 December
2006 - Eight renewable energy projects have been
offered more than $13 million under the Australian
Government’s Renewable Energy Development Initiative
(REDI).
These innovative projects will
help meet Australia's growing demand for energy,
while also meeting the environmental challenges
we face today. The projects cover the broad spectrum
of renewable energy technologies and include research
into cloud seeding, yeast technology to convert
plant waste into ethanol, and turbulence mapping
at wind energy sites.
The grant offers were announced
today by Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, and
the Environment Minister, Senator Ian Campbell.
Already grants of more than
$46 million have been awarded to 24 renewable
energy companies nationwide from the $100 million
REDI program.
"In supporting these projects,
the REDI program is demonstrating the Government’s
commitment to the development of renewable energy
technology,” Mr Macfarlane said.
Senator Campbell said the range
of projects was evidence of the strength of the
renewable energy industry in Australia.
“Research into and development
of renewable energy technologies will give Australia
a strong base on which to grow its own industry
and expand opportunities overseas,” Senator Campbell
said.
The eight projects awarded funding
are:
Snowy Hydro Ltd, (NSW/ACT),
$4,022,304 for cloud seeding research to increase
natural snowfalls and inflows to storages of the
Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Brockway DiCOM Facility Pty
Ltd (WA), $2,712,050 for development of DiCOM
Waste Recycling System WMRC Demonstration Plant.
MicroBiogen Pty Ltd (NSW), $2,482,061
for new yeast technology for converting plant
waste into ethanol.
BP Solar Pty Ltd (NSW), $1,581,411 for photovoltaic
cell process engineering development for improving
the yield from silicon.
Proactive Energy Developments
Limited (NSW), $1,224,250 for a novel regenerator
for adapting supercritical cycles to geothermal
power applications.
Dynamic Systems Australia Pty
Ltd (NSW), $612,679 for development of a prototype
100KW vertical axis wind turbine.
Windlab Systems Pty Ltd (ACT),
$368,292 for its computational model for prediction
of turbulence on wind energy sites.
Downer Energy Systems Pty Ltd
(Qld), $345,500 for a new generation modular biomass
power plant.
Rob Broadfield (Senator Campbell’s office)
Claire Wilkinson (Minister Macfarlane's office)
Energy efficiency opportunities
boosted in remote WA
6 December 2006 - Households
and businesses in remote parts of Western Australia
will be given incentives to take up energy efficient
products and actions.
Announcing up to $5 million
Australian Government funding for the Regional
Energy Efficiency Programme, Minister for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
today said the rebates could make an enormous
difference to people’s home comfort levels, their
energy bills and the environment.
“Rebates for energy efficient
fridges and freezers, refrigerative air conditioners
and controllers for high energy consuming equipment
will encourage people to think about the additional
benefits of low energy use, including saving on
energy bills over the life-time of the product,”
Senator Campbell said.
“Installing ceiling insulation
can also attract a rebate. Good ceiling insulation
not only saves energy, it is a critical comfort
factor in many homes and a simple action for people
to take to make their homes more comfortable in
hot weather.
“The easiest way for people
to save money, save energy and save greenhouse
gas emissions, however, is to use the four free
compact fluorescent light bulbs that will be offered
to each household. These bulbs use far less electricity
and last much longer than normal bulbs. They are
a plus for the pocket and the environment.
“Energy audits will help businesses
and other organisations identify how they can
best save energy and make their workplaces more
comfortable,” Senator Campbell said.
“Electricity supplies in off-grid
areas are not always sufficient or of high quality.
Saving electricity by using low energy appliances
and light bulbs and by improving insulation will
have an immediate effect on electricity use and
supply to these areas. It’s a solution that provides
benefits to the whole of the community.”
The four-year Regional Energy
Efficiency Programme applies to people living
outside the southwest electricity grid, including
the towns of Carnarvon, Broome and Esperance.
It is expected to provide annual savings of:
13,000 megawatt hours of electricity
3.8 million litres of fossil fuels
10,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
The Australian Government funding is provided
through the Renewable Remote Power Generation
Programme. It provides financial support to increase
the use of renewable generation and energy efficiency
technologies in remote parts of Australia that
presently rely on fossil fuel for electricity
generation. More than 5000 rebates have been provided
so far with estimated savings of more than 27
million litres of diesel per year.
For more information: www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable/rrpgp
Rob Broadfield
