Getting Smart With Metering  

The SMH reports that the NSW state government plans to introduce smart meters for all - one small step towards the smart grid - "Consumers will be forced to get smart with energy use".

EVERY household and business in the state will be fitted with "smart meters" that tell people how much greenhouse gas they are using at half-hourly intervals, the State Government announced yesterday. In theory, people with smart meters can calculate how many lumps of coal or turns of a wind turbine it takes to run a load of washing, although the Government was unable yesterday to say when the promised "early roll-out" of the smart electricity meters would take place.

The acting Environment Minister, Nathan Rees, said specific timetable and costing details were yet to be developed. They would be worked out in consultation with industry and the Federal Government, he said. About 150,000 of the 25-centimetre-high electronic boxes, which look like large calculators, are already fitted to homes and businesses around the state, allowing people to use energy more efficiently.

About 83 per cent of people paid either the same or less for power after having them fitted, EnergyAustralia said. The cost of buying and installing the meters has been paid from general funds, meaning all customers have paid for them through energy bills, whether or not they have smart meters.

Electric hot water heaters would also be phased out under the NSW plan. "Again, the timetable and detail of the phasing out of old-style electricity hot water heaters will be worked out in negotiations with industry and the new Federal Government, which also has a commitment in this area," a spokesman for Mr Rees said. "Rebates is definitely one area that will be explored."

Banning energy inefficiency is a little heavy handed from my point of view (carbon taxes are a lot less intrusive and more effective across the board) but it can be politically popular - Ireland has stolen a march on Australia's banning on incandescent light bulbs, deciding to phase them out in 2009.

Ireland yesterday became the first country in the world to ban the traditional lightbulb. Householders will be forced to switch to new long-life low-energy bulbs in 12 months' time. New legislation is being introduced banning the sale of the normal incandescent lightbulb from January, 2009. As the normal lightbulb expires, householders will have to replace them with the more environmentally friendly long-life bulb which uses far less energy. Consumers will save €185m in electricity costs every year as a result of the measure.

The National Climate Change Strategy proposed a levy on low-efficiency bulbs. However, Environment Minister John Gormley, in his Carbon Budget, announced an all-out ban on the old-style lightbulb.

Egoli has an article on a possible geothermal power plant (and accompanying desalination plant) in Adelaide - "Torrens Energy acquires new geothermal exploration licence at Port Adelaide". There is more at the SMH - "Backing for Adelaide hot rock power plan"

Torrens Energy Limited (TEY) has continued its geothermal exploration strategy by acquiring an additional geothermal exploration licence (GEL 293) at Port Adelaide. The company said the prospectivity of the area coincides with the State Governments plans to development of a large scale desalination plant, bringing forward the possibility of direct geothermal desalination.

Chief executive Chris Matthews believes that the Adelaide Plains Region has great potential for Hot Rock geothermal energy. "The area is known for high heat flow, is likely to have the right insulating cover, and has several great advantages including being coastal and located in a relatively underdeveloped area close to a major city", he said.

The geothermal energy company said the successful exploration of the 'GEL' would establish the potential for geothermal "hot-rock" for power generation, which could be incorporated directly into the existing power infrastructure and networks.

The NZ Herald reports that Stewart Island in the far south is looking to go all renewable - "Stewart Island looks at wind and sun".

Stewart Island looks set to go greener, with a project that proposes to replace the diesel electricity system with renewable generation from wind, sun and biofuels. Peter Thompson, of the Stewart Island Electrical Supply Authority, said renewable energy was the best possible solution for the island and was in keeping with its natural heritage and native environment.

The replacement generation would come from a combination of wind turbines, solar panels and bio fuels, Mr Thompson said. There would not be wind farms as such, but small wind turbines about 10m tall placed around the island and on buildings.

As always, there is lots more energy news from Australia and New Zealand at The Oil Drum (ANZ).

Bloomberg has an article on Indonesian climate politics and some notes on geothermal energy in the country - "Indonesia Says Planning Climate Policy a `Challenge'".

The potential for developing clean-energy in Indonesia is large. The Southeast Asian nation, sitting on the Pacific Ocean's so-called ``Ring of Fire'' zone of active volcanoes, has an estimated geothermal potential of 27,700 megawatts, according to the country's energy ministry. Current installed capacity is 852 megawatts. ``Indonesia has the largest source of geothermal in the world, but the development has been very minimal,'' Sri Mulyani said. ``The incentive is not adequate compared with when we're using fossil fuel.''

Geothermal plants cost about $1.4 million a megawatt to build, 40 percent more than coal-fired generators, said Nasri Sebayang, deputy director of independent power producers at state utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara.

The Indonesian government plans to set up 20,000 megawatts of mostly coal-fired plants by 2010 to cut dependence on oil. This may increase emissions from the country, which is already the world's third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after the U.S. and China, according to the World Bank.

Developing nations such as Indonesia, which is hosting the UNFCCC meeting in Bali until Dec. 14, are concerned the lack of a financing mechanism will slow economic growth, which is at risk as oil prices surge. Providing subsidies for renewable sources of energy may only widen Indonesia's budget deficit. The government may spend more than 100 trillion rupiah ($10.8 billion) next year to cap fuel and electricity prices in the country, where 37 million people live in poverty, if crude oil prices reach $100 a barrel, Sri Mulyani said.

Links:

* Green Chip Stocks - The World's First All Electric Delivery Truck
* Cleantech.com - Largest bioplastic facility in the world announced by Cereplast
* AFP - German battery could jump-start electric car production
* MetaEfficient - Highly Efficient “Kid Friendly” Trains In Japan
* MetaEfficient - Strida: An Ultra-Portable Folding Bike
* Mother Earth News - Solar is the Solution
* SMH - Carbon trading scheme achievable by 2010: economist Ross Garnaut
* SMH - Greenland ice melting at record rate
* Bruce Sterling - Arundhati and Taslima
* Cryptogon - Tax Babies to Save the Planet. Not such a good idea.