It’s an interesting time in politics as the new Green leader, Christine Milne goes on a nationwide tour of rural and regional Australia, the Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, declares himself a conservative conservationist and the CWA prepare to march in a protest in Sydney. Meanwhile some councils and companies are thinking outside the box on solar energy.

Alternative ad

A send up of the latest mining ad is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbYO4MLvP7E.  

Getup Map

An interactive map shows all the coal seam gas reserves and mining wells across the country at http://csg.getup.org.au/. The map shows the artesian basins as aquifers but does not show all ground water systems which are defined as aquifers in the NSW Government’s draft Aquifer Interference Policy.

Solar bulk buy

Victor Harbor’s Council in SA is negotiating with solar energy companies to supply and install a range of solar systems in a bulk buy for their community – makes sense to me. http://www.tourismvictorharbor.com.au/media/energy.html

21 April 2009

Pay-as-you-go solar panels are proving a hit
Home owners will be able to avoid the initial cost of solar panels, and future electricity price rises, under a pay-as-you-go offering that has been a hit in the US. Private equity-backed Sungevity Australia, a partnership between Lismore solar installer Nickel Energy and San Francisco's Sungevity, will initially offer the product, called Roof Juice, in northern NSW and Queensland, and extend it nationally by the end of the year.  http://www.smh.com.au/business/payasyougo-solar-panels-are-proving-a-hit-20120420-1xcfe.html#ixzz1siiCY3wZ

21 April 2012

Fears over coal seam gas mining push country women to protest
Saffron Howden – Sydney Morning Herald
Unlikely activists ... the Country Women's Association in Gulgong is heading to Sydney to show its opposition to the government's rural land use policy.

ACTIVISM does not sit easily with some of the women of country NSW. But the conservative Country Women's Association is steeling itself against the prospect of rubbing shoulders with ''greenies'' and preparing to march on the streets of Sydney to voice its concerns about mining and exploration around farms and rural villages. http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/fears-over-coal-seam-gas-mining-push-country-women-to-protest-20120420-1xcce.html#ixzz1sczVswP8

14 April 2012

Fracking link to US earth shakes
Peter Ker – The Age
New research has suggested fracking is to blame for increased seismic activity. A STEEP rise in earthquakes across the central US is likely to be man-made, according to new research into the controversial gas extraction method known as fracking.

Investigating a sixfold increase in earthquakes, scientists from the US Geological Survey found that increases in seismic activity were particularly common in regions where waste water from fracking was injected into deep wells. http://www.theage.com.au/business/fracking-link-to-us-earth-shakes-20120413-1wz0c.html#ixzz1s9ok1RAi