Achieving the CEI 2020 goal via Ocean Energy

In the CEI report the government has established a goal of having 20% of Australia’s electricity being produced from renewable sources by 2020. This equates to 8875GWh (Giga watt hours) [1]. Analysis of oceans along Australia’s southern coastline shows wave conditions in this area would allow for capture of electricity 97.5% of the year [2].

For every 1 MW (Mega Watt) wave farm, extracting electricity 97.5% of the year will produce 8.541GWh a year ( 1MW =1000GW). Even calculated conservatively at only 80% power out put for a 1MW station will be 7GWh a year. This would mean only 1268 MW capacity of wave farms in operation will meet the Governments 20% renewable energy target. The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) and Carnagie report on ‘Australia’s Wave Energy Future’, anticipates that Carnagie’s (CETO) technology alone could exceed this goal providing 1500MW of wave farm capacity by 2020 [3]. Ocean Power alone can meet and surpass the Governments renewable energy goal.

Click on this link to download the PDF of the complete report in to Wave Energy by Carnagie & WWF and to read more into WWF campaign for renewable energy.

http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/

Ocean power can meet this goal by producing electricity at a cost, according to a cost comparison by Unenergy, less than that of coal and nuclear power and at approximately the same cost as wind power [4]. Currently the Australian government supports the use of fossil fuels with 6 billion dollars worth of subsidies a year [5]. By redirecting just some of this budget, the government would be able to start producing electricity sourced for the ocean in Australia now.

1. Australian Government, Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, http://www.orer.gov.au/legislation/index.html#act-amendments.

2./3. World Wildlife Fund, Power to Change: Australia’s Wave Energy Future report, http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/.

4. Unlimited Natural Energy: Cost Comparison of Energy Supply Technologies, http://unenergy.org/.

5. Chris Reidy, Public Subsidies and incentives to fossil fuel production and consumption in Australia: A DraftDiscussion Paper, University of Technology Sydney, November 2001. www.isf.uts.edu.au/publications/reidy.htm.

Campaign Letter

Simply copy and paste the letter below, fill in your name and address, and then send it off to either one or all the MPs listed here.

Or if you would prefer to post this letter,  click here to download a copy in PDF form to print off. You will find the relevant postal addresses to send it to in the first link given.

We thank you for your time and effort!

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Dear Minister,

I am writing to urge your support in channelling funding from the Clean Energy Initiative (CEI) [1] to Ocean Power technologies. I acknowledge the CEI as a step in the right direction towards Australia’s clean energy future, however I criticise its preference in funding the coal industry and other renewable technologies over ocean energy.

Ocean energy is renewable and produces zero carbon emissions. It is also capable of exceeding the federal government’s target of 20% renewable energy by 2020 [2]. Australia’s southern coastline has conditions that allow for capture of electricity 97.5% of the year [3]. Even calculated at a conservative 80% we would only require 1268 MW capacity farms to meet the 2020 goal. The ‘Australia’s Wave Energy Future’ report anticipates that CETO’s technology alone would exceed this goal [4].

With 80% of the Australian population living within 100 kilometres of the coast [5], ocean Power is waiting on the doorstep to meet our energy requirements. Wave Farms are also capable of providing 3,210 jobs by 2020 and a further 14,380 by 2050 [6]. Additionally, Unlike solar and wind power, Ocean Energy does not require sequestration of precious land. Bio Power’s Buoy system design emulates the surrounding plant life and poses no threat to surface or underwater wildlife [7].

The Australian government continues to support the fossil fuels with 6 billion dollars worth of subsidies a year [8] and already over half of the 4.5 billion dollar CEI budget is to be spent on carbon capture, ultimately encouraging continued fossil fuel use. By redirecting part of this budget, Australia could be producing environmentally sound Ocean Energy electricity.

I respectfully request your support in petitioning government for an appropriate share of CEI budget and for additional federal funding for Commercial Wave Farms establishment to provide energy and protect the environment for current and future generations.

I look forward to hearing from you in regards to this request.

Yours sincerely,



Name:

Address:



Ocean Power Now Campaign: http://oceanpowernow.blogspot.com/

1. Australian Government, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, http://www.ret.gov.au/Department/Documents/CEI_Fact_Sheet.pdf.

2. Australian Government, Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, http://www.orer.gov.au/legislation/index.html#act-amendments.

3./4./5./6. World Wildlife Fund, http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/.

7. BioPower Systems, www.biopowersystems.com.

8. Chris Reidy, Public Subsidies and incentives to fossil fuel production and consumption in Australia: Discussion Paper, November 2001. www.isf.uts.edu.au/publications/reidy.htm.

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MP's Contact Details

To see the Australian Federal Government prioritise funding for Ocean Power we need you to join us by calling, emailing or writing to your local MP and the Ministers for the Environment and Climate Change.

To make it easy you can just post or email our campaign letter. Help us petition the government to get Ocean Power up and running in Australia now!

Listed here are the contact details for; Martin Ferguson (Minister for Resources and Energy), Peter Garrett (Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts), Penny Wong (Minister for Climate Change and Water), and Greg Combet (Minister Assisting the Minister for Climate Change). We have also included a link to take you to contact details for your local Member.

MARTIN FERGUSON

Tel:         (02) 6277 7930
Fax:        (02) 6273 0434
Address: PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
Please send your email to: Martin.Ferguson.MP@aph.gov.au. 

PETER GARRETT

Tel:         (02) 6277 7640
Fax:        (02) 6273 6101
Address: Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600
To send an email go to: www.aph.gov.au/P_Garrett_MP/   and click on 'contact form'.

PENNY WONG

Tel:         (02) 6277 7920
Address: Parliament House, Canberra, ACT 2600
To send an email go to:  http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/senators/homepages/senators.asp?id=00AOU and click on 'comment form'.

GREG COMBET

Tel:         (02) 6277 7620
Fax:        (02) 6273 7112
Address: PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600
To send an email go to: http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=YW6 and click on 'contact form'.


To contact YOUR LOCAL MEMBER click on the link below. There you will find a list, click on the name of your electorate, this will open up all the contact details you need.

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-elctr.asp

Public Opinions and Effects on Communities

Public Attitudes

Using statistics from opinion polls produced in the UK about similar ocean technologies being used for renewable energy suggest that more than 90 percent of the British population are in favour of renewable energy, but this does not mean that people will accept every project. It is hoped that wave and tidal energy will become as popular as wind energy – perhaps even more so, as they have less visual impact on the landscape. [1]

Effects on Communities

For communities close to sites of wave energy generation, there are a number of issues to consider:

• Ocean energy devices can offer coastal protection.
• Devices could create artificial habitats, promoting marine biodiversity.
• There can be some noise, mainly from the Wells turbines of oscillating water columns. However, these can be soundproofed and their noise would partly be masked by natural background noise at the shoreline.
• Some devices could be navigational hazards, but visual and radar warning devices can be built into them.
• The line that transmits electricity to the shore can be made to sit below the sea floor and underground, to minimise visual impacts.

[2]

1./2. United Kingdom Government, Department of Energy and Climate Change, http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energy_mix/renewable/explained/wave_tidal/wave_community/wave_community.aspx.

Renewable Energy is Our Future

Supporting renewable energy is about collaboratively finding new ways of creating energy across the globe without the release of greenhouse gases. By using  innovative technologies to harness the Earth’s renewable resources and no longer extracting the finite resouces (oil, coal, etc) from the Earth’s surface. This is possible by identifying and supporting new technologies that have no effect on the growth and sustainability of our environment.

At the present time, issues surrounding the use of finite resources to create energy across the globe have been identified as unfriendly and damaging to the future of our environment. [1] In the last decade or so direct impacts on human populations have been the result of environmental decay and how we (ie. society) treat the environment we live in. The Renewable energy and clean technology of innovations of Western Australia have identified this issue inside their directory that outlines the capabilities of greenhouse gases having a detrimental effect on our community, environment and economy. [2]

“The State has an abundance of renewable energy resources including geothermal, wind patterns, wave and swell consistency, solar radiation, vast areas of land for biomass development and biomass wastes from agriculture and forestry. This represents vast opportunities for Australia to develop and benefit from new energy technologies." [3]

The benefits from using renewable energy are encouraging local innovators in Australia to tackle the impacts of climate change and to develop methods and technologies that can inspire or be sold to global customers, “we could generate substantial economic and environmental benefits for Australia as well as create a more sustainable society for our future generations.” [4]

Job seekers will also benefit throughout rural and urban Australia as upcoming ocean power technologies are providing up to 3,210 jobs by 2020 including local manufacturing and maintenance. By 2050 this figure is expected to grow to 14,380 jobs in Australia, supporting a greener energy society. [5]

The benefits of a more specific ocean technology such as BioPower Systems BioWave emulates the plant life surrounding it and poses no threat to surface traffic of underwater wildlife. [6]

1. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/13511/negative_impacts_of_overuse_of_fossil.html?cat=47.

2./3./4. T. Buswell MLA. Minister of Science and Innovation Renewable energy and clean technology of innovations and capabilities directory of Western Australia.

5. World Wildlife Fund, Renewable energy wave rolls across Australia.18 June 2009, http://www.wwf.org.au/news/renewable-energy-wave-rolls-across-australia/.

6. http://www.sincerelysustainable.com/renewable-energy/tidal-power/biopowers-biowave-emulates-ocean-life-to-produce-clean-energy.

Australian Ocean Technology Companies

We need to nurture our companies developing ocean energy technology in Australia as there is already a competitive global market that sees the UK as the leaders in the technology. Continued neglect by our government will only ensure that Australia falls behind in the renewables energy race.

Find out more about Australia's companies by following these links:

Biopower Systems

www.biopowersystems.com

A revolutionary company that takes it designs from the aquatic nature of the ocean to best harness the energy of the ocean as well as withstand its destructive forces.

Carnegie Energy Technology Offers (CETO)

www.carnegiecorp.com.au

CETO ocean technology is capable of producing zero-emission power and desalinated water. The technology is now in a commercial demonstration phase and is a current viable ready to use now energy alternative.

What do we want?

Ocean Power Now want prioritised funding from the federal government for ocean technologies in order to encourage and assist in their commercial application. As the government does not provide adequate incentive for development of this technology in its current funding scheme.

We acknowledge the government’s recently announced $4.5 billion Clean Energy Initiative (CEI) in it’s May 2009 budget as a welcomed step in the right direction to a clean energy future - however we also criticise it for its funding breakdown and continuing preference to the coal industry and other renewable technologies over ocean energy.

The breakdown of the CEI: [1]

2.425 billion is set aside for carbon capture.

This is a technology that is still only in research phase and as of yet has no working demonstrative model. But yet it still receives the bulk of the funding and continues the tradition of burning finite fossil fuel when renewable energy is our inevitable future.

1.6 billion is set aside for large-scale solar power stations.

Ocean Power Now see the merit in all renewable energy but the facts show that ocean power is capable of supplying Australia’s energy at a base load level of 30%-45% compared to solar's 10%-15% [2]. Therefore ocean power based on its high capacity base load deserves prioritised funding attention, or at the very least equal to that of the solar power program.

$465 million will establish the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy in 2010.

We do not believe this is a sufficient enough investment in renewable technology and are even worried that funding may be diminished or entirely scrapped for this project due to the mounting federal government debt. So pressure needs to be put on the government to guarantee this funding will be left intact. At the same time we want the allotment of funding adjusted so that ocean power has its own energy program established that is no less than equal to that of the solar program, and in which the funds for will be redirected from the carbon capture program.
As there is a trend in previous funding schemes to favour other renewable energies Ocean Power  Now will be lobbying government to ensure it gets equal preference as its due merit accords (click here to see the technology comparison). This is a vital point as in the previous and now defunct Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI) had no companies using ocean power technology listed as having received any funding (click here to see previous allocated funding for the REDI).

Financial support needs to be given to to these companies - click here to see our list of Australian companies.

You can help us achieve this by showing your support by:

• Becoming a member of this blog (click here).
• Telling your friends about us and getting them to become a member of the blog.
• Filling out our template campaign letter and sending it via email or post to the MP details provided (click here).
• Personally contacting your local MP and letting them know of your interest in this technology for your area’s energy needs (click here).

1. Information on the CEI was obtained from the Australian Government, Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, http://www.ret.gov.au/Department/Documents/CEI_Fact_Sheet.pdf.
2. Ocean Power Technology, http://www.oceanpowertechnologies.com/compare.htm.

Welcome / Media Release

Ocean Power Now is a collective of students passionate about seeing the future of no emissions energy in Australia using primarily ocean power technology. The Australian government has established the goal of 20% renewable energy by 2020 [1], and the best way to achieve as well as exceed this target is through using the ocean's consistent supply of renewable energy.

Ocean power technology generates electricity by harnessing the ever present kinetic energy of ocean currents. It uses a farm system with submerged buoys that are secured to the ocean floor. Which highlights that one of its many benefits is that it does not require precious land and keeps intact the aesthetic of existing landscapes.

Australia is a country surrounded by coastline and has 80% of the population living within 100 kilometres of the coast [2]. Therefore using ocean power technology as our primary source of renewable energy takes advantage of this fact and makes it a viable and environmentally sound alternative.

Our overall goal is to garner prioritised funding from the federal government for ocean technologies in order to encourage and assist in their commercial application.

1. Australian Government, Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator, http://www.orer.gov.au/legislation/index.html#act-amendments.

2. World Wildlife Fund, http://www.wwf.org.au/ourwork/climatechange/powertochange/attachments/wwf-powertochange-wave.pdf.