Search Results for: coal ash

NZ switches off coal in favour of renewable energy

August 11, 2015 2017-10-25T09:33:33 by 6 Comments
coal lumps

No more coal fired power stations in NZ

News that our neighbour across the ditch is switching off fossil fuels in favour of renewables will have sent a shudder through the corridors of power this week. For New Zealand has announced that it will close its last two coal mines by 2018 and aim towards a 90 percent renewable energy target by 2025.

The New Zealand decision to support renewables has been forced on the Shaky Isles due to the increasing cost competitiveness of renewables such as solar, wind, hydro and geo-thermal and an growing lack of demand for fossil fuel-based energy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With:

Coal vs Solar – Which is more space efficient?

November 19, 2014 2024-08-18T20:37:00 by 6 Comments

solar and a coal fired power station

This is a guest post by Greg Bell – which was conceived in the comments section of another post on this blog.

Take it away Greg:

——-

Some things we can say we know for sure about photovoltaics – the fuel is free, it’s quiet, and there are no moving parts. But other benefits are more controversial. Recently a claim was made to me that solar PV is actually more area efficient – that is, it generates more energy per hectare – than coal.

Specifically, the claim was

“The 1,600 megawatt brown coal Hazelwood Power Station and associated mine in Victoria covers 3,554 hectares. In a sunny location in Australia 20% efficient solar panels covering that area would produce more kilowatt-hours than Hazelwood’s average output.”

Let’s see if that’s true. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Big Solar

Is coal now more expensive than solar?

November 4, 2014 2017-10-25T09:46:50 by 1 Comment
pile of coal

The declining cost of solar is making Aussie coal exports look increasingly expensive.

Not-so-strange bedfellows Greg “Smiley” Hunt and Big Clive emerged hand in hand after negotiating the “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” (sorry “Direct Action”) legislation earlier this week. Meanwhile a less publicised news article revealed the dirty truth behind the future, or otherwise, of fossil fuel exports to one of our major markets.

That truth is that it is now more expensive for India to import Aussie coal than produce their own solar power. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar Tagged With: ,

Big end of town bails out of coal

September 29, 2014 2017-10-25T09:59:59 by 10 Comments
coal cash and solar

The smart money is moving out of coal. Hurrah!

Ever considered the consequences of mega coal companies investing in solar power?

This week news came through of the world’s largest coal miner — Coal India Limited — pumping a cool $1.2 billion into the development of 1,000MW solar plants in the country.

Under huge pressure to source their energy in a more environmentally friendly way, the public-owned company is helping carry out the new Indian government’s effort to promote domestic renewable energy. Researching sites to establish the solar plants throughout the various states has already begun.

However this news — major though it was — paled into insignificance compared to reports this week that the philanthropic arm of the Rockefeller family is leading an international move away from fossil fuels and towards clean energy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar Tagged With:

Will the Coalition’s $500 Solar Rebate do more harm than good?

September 23, 2013 2017-10-25T10:11:46 by 3 Comments
Greg Hunt's new solar rebate scheme may really stuff up the solar industry...

Greg Hunt’s new solar rebate scheme may really stuff up the solar industry…

Nothing more we like at SQHQ that a good old fashioned brouhaha. After all a bit of air clearing is needed after the uncertainty (and dare I say disappointment) of the way solar policy was gleefully trashed following the election. This of course included the change in government policy on solar rebates, war declared on renewable energy agencies and indeed anything that looked like it could be called progressive energy policy from the previous government. As such our very own Finn Peacock, took the baseball bat to the new solar rebate policy announced by Greg “The Smiling Assassin” Hunt (By the way does anyone else think that Mr Hunt and David Potter from ABC’s “Rake” look worryingly familiar?) [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With:

Any positives for solar power under the new Coalition government?

September 9, 2013 2017-10-25T10:12:07 by 9 Comments
How will solar fare under Abbott and the Coalition?

How will solar fare under Abbott and the Coalition?

Here at SQHQ — as with all of those supporting alternative energy — we’re surveying the damage after the Coalition’s expected yet stunning landslide win on Saturday night. Both the Liberals and Nationals took a slash and burn approach to solar power in Australia and the whole renewable energy sector during the campaign. This approach included policy announcements such as the gutting of ARENA and the end of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and “Sloppy” Joe and his finance mates have given no inkling of changing their minds on this all important issue. See last week’s article for more details. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: , ,

Do Sen Joyce’s troglodyte views on solar influence Coalition energy policy?

February 12, 2013 2017-10-25T10:18:33 by Leave a Comment
caveman

“Me Barnaby – Me like fire and coal. Grunt Grunt”

As the country is dragged reluctantly — like a kid from a lolly shop — into election mode following the Prime Minister’s Jan. 30 early announcement, it is instructive to see where the mainstream media turned much of its attention. To which party is best suited to handle the economy? The environment? Climate change? Energy policy? No. Much of the media’s focus has been on the significance of the PM’s new glasses.

Will the new glasses signify a new 20/20 “vision splendid” for the nation’s energy policy? A policy of engaging with renewables (particularly solar power)? Or do they signify a myopic energy policy dedicated to continuing support of fossil fuel subsidies? [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy

Push to Make Electricity Retailers Pay as NSW Coalition Continue Solar Spin Cycle

June 17, 2011 2017-10-25T10:40:39 by Leave a Comment

The issue of solar energy, and more importantly the backflip on the Solar Bonus Scheme continues to dominate debate in the NSW Parliament “bearpit”. Heroic efforts by the Coalition to contain fallout are matched only by attempts by certain Liberals to accept credit for the turnaround.

Meanwhile injecting a new angle into the sorry NSW solar debate, NSW Greens MP Dr John Kaye has led his party’s endorsement of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal’s (IPART) recommendation that NSW electricity retailers pay the full cost of the solar power they receive. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Policy Tagged With: , ,

Liddell Power Station: The End Is (Really) Nigh

April 11, 2023 2023-04-11T06:56:32 by 1 Comment

Liddell Power Station

First switched on back in 1971, coal- fired clunker Liddell Power Station will very soon be switched off for good. So, what impact will this have on electricity prices? Will there be blackouts? [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News

Eraring Power Station Closure “Bitterly Disappointing” – Taylor

February 18, 2022 2022-02-18T05:03:32 by 15 Comments

Eraring coal power station closure

The writing has been on the wall for a long while. But Federal Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor seemed genuinely shocked by news of yet another early exit of a coal power plant. [Read more…]

Filed Under: General Solar & Storage News
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