Usually I keep these light hearted, but it’s time to get serious for a minute.
The Callide wind energy project is now open for public comment here, and the above maps show the project in its regional context. Each project is only assessed individually, but you can see that there is a huge cumulative impact from these projects in our region (see the top map).
Now you will all be well aware of our pro renewables stance, but we always anticipated that these projects would be created on denuded land - land that had already been cleared. We thought it could be a good value-add for low productivity farmland, with the consent of the land owners of course!
Most people aren’t aware that these large projects (if they were on private land) require a Council rezoning from rural to medium industrial, which is an acknowledgement of their impact on the landscape.
Large multinational companies are proposing a huge amount of these wind and solar energy projects for our region, and perhaps because it’s easier, the bulk of them are proposed for State owned land along our ridgelines (that’s where the big powerlines are).
This is also where the last of our intact ecosystems and climate refugia are.
That is causing all sorts of internal conflict within the environmental movement.
If you look at the above map, you will see a green snake-like thing running through the middle of the picture.
That’s a biodiversity corridor. It’s where the State Government looks to purchase land to add to National Parks and protected areas.
Now explain to me how a huge wind energy project can plonk itself down in an area like that?
Unfortunately, our leaders have gone missing in this space. I was recently told at a community consultation session that they were taking a ‘market-led’ approach. Well this is what happens without proper planning and regulation. An unholy mess, that is only getting worse, and causing untold distress to regional residents.
It’s time that Central Queensland had a proper Transition Plan, with a clear employment pathway for coal and gas workers to move into green energy.
Anna
The Big Toys are here!
Fortescue is buying 475 emissions-free machines from Germany’s Liebherr-International AG, to replace two-thirds of its mining fleet in western Australia, the Australian miner said in a statement Wednesday. The company’s single largest order includes 360 autonomous battery-electric trucks, 55 electric excavators and 60 battery-powered dozers, it said.
“This deal is expected to create one of the world’s largest zero emission mining fleets and represents a major breakthrough in the pursuit of a mining industry no longer reliant on fossil fuels,” Fortescue said.
The fleet will be used in Fortescue’s iron ore operations in the remote Pilbara region in Western Australia and will cut costs in the longer term while meeting its emission reduction goal.
The contract will help both companies meet their decarbonisation targets, according to Fortescue. Liebherr and Fortescue target to have a comprehensive and large scale zero emission mining ecosystem operational by 2030, the Australian miner said.
EV Diary #38
MG continues to entice new buyers, this time by offering a $4,000 factory bonus during September on the mid-spec 64 kWh MG4 variants. The drive-away prices for the MG4 Excite 64 and Essence 64 will be around $41,000 and $44,000 respectively. Both variants have a 150-kW rear-mounted motor and DC charging speeds of up to 138 kW.
Question of the week: Do I need a special licence or driving lessons to drive an electric car? No, anyone who can drive an automatic car can drive an electric car. If you feel unsure, there are plenty of instructional videos on YouTube or car websites with driving instructions and tips. Just go easy on the accelerator, as EVs accelerate more quickly than petrol or diesel cars. You will rarely need to use the brake once you learn to use “one-pedal” driving. It will only take a few minutes to become accustomed to the car slowing down as you ease off the accelerator. Since there is no motor noise, it is easy to go over the speed limit, so I recommend using cruise control as much as possible. Using, cruise control, I am able to drive our Tesla Model 3 from the outskirts of Yeppoon to the outskirts of Rockhampton, without using the brake or accelerator as the car controls the speed and the distance from the car in front.
The advantage of owning a car with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability was demonstrated again recently during the severe storms in Tasmania. The ABC reported that a number of EV owners were able to power household appliances such as fridges, freezers and modems with 240-volt power from their cars. One rural business, producing and selling flower bulbs, was able to keep operating because computers and printers could be used to produce packing lists and invoices. One Nissan Leaf owner regretted that he had not previously acquired a power export cable and had energy stored in his car that he could not use. At home, during a recent unexpected power outage in our street, we were able to connect to our daughter’s MG ZS EV in five minutes. I wonder how many CQ EV owners will be able to use V2L during the next cyclone.
The installation of new EV chargers continues with areas near capital cities or with high traffic density getting most of the new chargers. Installations in rural areas are slower despite the longer distances between towns. In Australia, Tesla now has superchargers in 101 sites with 602 stalls. New Tesla sites include Dee Why, and Chatswood Place in Sydney and in the towns of Bright (320 km north-east of Melbourne) and Port Campbell (230 km south-west of Melbourne). In Mackay, the Tesla supercharger is expected to open soon.
After installing EV chargers in many NSW country towns, NRMA is now assisting Queensland with fast chargers installed at Nanango and Monto and soon at Goomeri. Numerous Queensland towns now have single 50kW or 75 kW chargers installed in the first two stages of the Queensland Electric Superhighway. However, progress on the third stage is slow, with chargers awaited at Goondiwindi, Roma, Injune, Rolleston and Emerald.
The ABC has reported that Australia is periodically producing such vast amounts of wind and solar power that more than a quarter is wasted. The surplus energy has to be “spilled” to prevent the system from being overloaded. Amazingly, the amount of curtailed renewable power can be equal to the entire output from coal-fired power stations in NSW at the time. Averaged over 12 months, about 10% of wind and solar power is wasted. Some energy retailers are already offering EV charging rates in the middle of the day as low as 8 c/kWh to make use of surplus energy. Both renewable energy producers and EV owners will benefit if more EV charging can be shifted to times of surplus renewable energy production. Greater use of renewable energy, in place of imported petroleum will be good for the economy and for the environment.
David Waterworth has reported in Clean Technica that the TV program The Project recently poured cold water on EVs with misleading statements about EV charging. In particular, it was stated that EVs could not be charged from a standard power point. Many EV owners responded to correct this misinformation, but the damage was already done by TV personalities discussing an issue in which they had no experience.
Arthur Hunt
Good News:
West Australia’s EPA halts a multi-billion-dollar gas drilling plan A gas export development off Western Australia’s northwest coast has been deemed 'unacceptable' by the state’s Environment Protection Authority due to its impact on marine life at Scott Reef. Scientists flagged risks to migrating whales and a beach where endangered turtles make nests, as well as the potential of an oil spill destroying a pristine environment. The Guardian
European polecat begins reintroduction to Europe After being trapped to extinction in the 19th century, the European Polecat (Mustela putorius), ancestor of the domestic ferret, has recolonised extensive parts of the United Kingdom and is now being reintroduced in Spain in an effort to bring the species back to its historic habitats on the continent.
