Repower Port Augusta Update

BREAKING NEWS

Select Inquiry on the Port Augusta Power Stations

Today FRIDAY 8^th March BZE (2pm) and Repower Port Augusta Alliance (2.45pm) present their evidence. Doctors for the Environment (2pm) and Conservation Council of SA (2.45pm) will present on Friday 22^nd March. Timing for local Port Augusta RPA (tba).

The public are welcome to attend the hearings in Parliament House. The Committee has already heard from Keith Lovegrove, solar thermal expert. Transcripts and written submissions are available on SA Parliament website. Contact Secretary David Pegram for inquiries Ph (08) 82379384, fax (08) 82379213 or email david.pegram@parliament.sa.gov.au

SolarReserve coming to Adelaide

SolarReserve are a world leading company in solar thermal with storage technology. They have developed the Tonopah solar project in Nevada, as well as other commerical large scale solar thermal projects across the US. In the Repower Port Augusta proposal we specified the 110 MW solar thermal plants that SolarReserve are building in Nevada. SolarReserve are in Australia next week and will be in Adelaide on the 15th March. They will be meeting with the Parliamentary Select Committee and other MPs to highlight the huge potential of solar thermal technology.

Upcoming Events

Don’t just switch it off – SWITCH to Solar Thermal! Candle-lit vigil for Solar Thermal during Earth Hour, 8.30pm Saturday 23 March. Venue tba. Contact Daniel for details (0435527015 daniel.lynch@aycc.org.au.

RPA members keep Solar thermal in Port Augusta on the political radar!

See the article on Dan Spencer’s meeting with PM Julia Gillard in the Transcontinental. Dan spoke to Ms Gillard before a community cabinet meeting in Aberfoyle Park, asking her ‘to show leadership by making the clean energy future package work for the Port Augusta community.’ The PM received 2 questions from the floor on Port Augusta (AYCC & 100%) ABC & Channel 9 news mentioned solar thermal in their reports on the Cabinet meeting.

Other Updates from around the traps:

100% Renewable held 3 Summer Solar BBQs in St Mary's, Greenhill & Stirling on 24th Feb to launch a Solar Citizens campaign. Deputy Opposition leader Ms Vickie Chapman (State member for Bragg) showed keen interest in the solar thermal model at Greenhill, while MP for Boothby Dr Andrew Southcott was impressed by Sunwhiz solar statistics on solar uptake by electorate. Imagine what we could achieve by adding solar thermal with storage to the mix!

Other Adelaide visitors were reminded of SA’s passion for action on solar thermal. Opposition leader Tony Abbott had a visitation from Sunny in Boothby, while Philippa managed a brief doorstop with Kevin Rudd & Tony Zappia in Makin.

Beyond Zero Emissions BZE will launch new research on the rising cost of gas in April (time & venue in Adelaide tbc). They are continuing to present talks in Melbourne and regional Victoria, and using the petition at stalls in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane

CLEAN (Climate Emergency Action Network) SA members are following the inspiring and rapid development of protests against CSG on the east coast. Quick to respond to Santos commencing commercial shale gas production in SA, CLEAN called a protest action that attracted much attention from Xmas shopping crowds! Shale gas, like coal seam gas (CSG), will be disastrous for the climate and the environment. CLEAN is building links between movements opposing shale gas and CSG and renewable energy campaigns, specifically concentrated solar thermal in Port Augusta. CLEAN and Lock the Gate will co-sponsor a forum against unconventional gas on March 26 with speakers including Sarah Moles, national secretary of Lock the Gate Alliance and Gemma Weedall from CLEAN and Repower Port Augusta. For details, see https://www.facebook.com/events/503778043001235/?fref=ts