SMH - Cue the sun: polluters back a solar system

A PROPOSAL to build the world's biggest solar power station in the outback within three years has been backed by some of the nation's biggest polluters, including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Woodside Petroleum.

The solar thermal plant would generate 250 megawatts of electricity at peak times, enough to power about 100,000 households, at a start-up cost of almost $1 billion.

National Business Review (NZ) - National says more gas burning power stations possible

National would overturn a ban on new thermal power stations so more gas-generated power could be produced to ensure the country did not suffer blackouts.

Labour said the party's announcement showed a lack of commitment to combat climate change.

NZ Herald - Backyard turbines in energy proposal

Backyard wind turbines could become more common in rural areas under a proposed national policy on electricity generation.

Environment Minister Trevor Mallard and Energy Minister David Parker yesterday announced the proposed statement for renewable electricity generation. It would encourage the small-scale development of renewable electricity generation projects to cut back on the reliance of rural communities on the national grid.

Transport and Logistics News - Fuel price drop may not save airlines

Qantas and Virgin Blue could expect a brighter future if oil prices stay where they are, while a weaker Australian dollar may cast some clouds over it, according to analysts.

Scoop.co.nz - The World's Economy Is Now An Internet Economy

Magnet - Fuel for thought

Today, the average trawler is spending about 30 per cent of earnings on fuel despite a rebate of around 38 cents per litre.
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Fritz Drenkhahn, President of South East Trawl Fishing Industry Association (SETFIA), said fuel is a huge issue, and ideas and input from fishermen were needed.

“Back in the mid 1980s we had a similar scenario where fuel was about 30 percent of costs, but we didn’t have any quota, so you could fish your way out of it.

“In the mid 90s successful operators had six to seven percent of earnings going back to fuel,” he said.

South Coast Register - Fuel prices put the brakes on family holidays

An NRMA survey released last week showed high petrol prices were having major impacts on holiday budgets, with families saying they would not travel so far, and spend less while on holidays.

“It was assumed that petrol prices would impact on the tourism industry but nobody expected the traditional Australian family holiday to have changed so much,” said NRMA president Alan Evans

The Australian - Less consumer anxiety about inflation as fuel costs ease

CHEAPER petrol in recent weeks has eased inflationary expectations away from the highest levels in 15 years.

ABC - New MLA Purick lashes govt over transport, research

One of the Country Liberals' new members of Territory parliament says the lack of public transport in Darwin's rural area is a contributing factor in youth depression.

ABC - The war in the Caucasus: looking underneath the propaganda blanket

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Another major consideration is the geopolitics of pipelines. Georgia plays a key role as a transit state in the US-led transnational Ceyhan energy project aimed at offering a transport route for Caspian and Central Asia oil that would bypass Russia. Adding to that, Georgian ports are also used for the transit of energy resources. This represents an economic challenge to the Russians who strive to become the energy superpower, by becoming the principal deliverer of energy resources.

ABC - Hopes for producing first local gas in Tasmania

A Brisbane company is hoping to become the first to produce gas in Tasmania.

Pure Energy Resources is exploring for coal seam gas at Fingal in Tasmania's north-east.

Results from drilling at Fingal last year show strong gas content in the coal.

But Steve Beardsall, of Pure Energy Resources, says it needs to be commercially viable.

"Tassie at the moment has no indigenous gas, so we'd be the first producer of gas in Tasmania," he says.

ABC - 20pc less water expected in 2030

A New South Wales Government report is predicting climate change could result in a 20 per cent reduction in available water in some areas by 2030.