Big Brisbane Boost for Clean Energy & Zero Emission Future

Nothing if not controversial, GCI Research Fellow Guy Pearse takes us behind the ‘Climatesmart’ branding and asks how much longer Queensland expects to tackle climate change by increasing spin rather than cutting emissions. That’s on 28 October, while the night before on 27 October, Brisbane get’s it first-hand look at Beyond Zero Emissions plan for a “Renewable” Australia by 2020. Then the EV & Smart Grid Conference is on 21 October. Phew!

The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan, a research collaboration between the climate solutions think tank Beyond Zero Emissions and The University of Melbourne’s Energy Research Institute shows how Australia can move to 100% renewable energy by 2020, using technology that is already commercially available and home-grown resources and labour.

The plan is particularly significant to the ‘sunshine state’ given its natural solar advantage (solar thermal with storage and wind are the two primary technologies).

The Zero Carbon Australia Project has already received widespread endorsements from voices as diverse as Malcolm Turnbull, Bob Brown, Tim Flannery and Robin Batterham (former Chief Scientist of Australia). It has also received a great deal of media coverage. 

To see the report or a list of endorsements/media to date, go to: http://beyondzeroemissions.org/zero-carbon-australia-2020 

The event is FREE but you must register. Go to this link to secure your ticket: http://zcabrisbanelaunch.eventbrite.com

Guy Pearse

Is ‘Queensland – The Smart State’ ?

Queensland’s Continuing Addiction to Carbon

When:

Thursday 28th October

5:30pm – 6:30pm

Where:

UQ Centre

Union Road

ST LUCIA QLD 4072

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

In his GCI Insight Seminar Series presentation, GCI Research Fellow Guy Pearse takes us behind the ‘Climatesmart’ branding and asks how much longer Queensland expects to tackle climate change by increasing spin rather than cutting emissions.

Last year the Queensland government released a glossy 424 page strategy called ‘ClimateQ: Towards a Greener Queensland’. There were lots of new ‘Climatesmart’ initiatives, but no timetable for cutting the state’s greenhouse gas emissions from their current level—the highest in the country. Instead, the government acknowledged that current policy would leave Queensland’s emissions 36% higher in 2050.

Though the emissions generated by the state’s coal exports are Queensland’s biggest single contribution to climate change by far, they were not mentioned in the strategy once. Meanwhile, the government is spending billions of dollars on infrastructure to help Queensland double coal exports over the next decade or so. The legacy of that is a state generating more than 50% more greenhouse pollution at home and abroad than Australia’s current national total. Seemingly en-route to becoming the ‘greenhouse ghetto of the South Pacific’, Queensland looks determined to fuel climate change as much as it feels it.

This event is free and open to the public

Light refreshments will be provided after the event.

Source: http://www.gci.uq.edu.au

It’s taking place again at the Novotel Brisbane on 21 October 2010. With 2 parallel conference streams: EVs and Smart Grid!

EV Conference 2010 is even more exciting!

After the success of EV Conference 2009, this year’s conference is expanding further to explore the short and long term impacts of EVs to all stakeholders and, in a parallel conference stream, will also focus on what Smart Grid really means to us.

Both subjects are closely linked and part of the overall energy puzzle that must be progressively solved by Utilities, councils, governments, developers, suppliers, consumers and many more to deliver a more sustainable society by improving its energy efficiency and reducing its dependency on fossil fuels.

With EV and Smart Grid experts from Australia and overseas, this is a unique opportunity to network and learn about these two fast-growing industries.

In addition, to maximise your day with us, our conference is also displaying exhibition booths within our break areas. 

http://www.evconference.com.au/