rosetta moon

One of the best episodes of the television series, Yes, Minister, featured a beleagured Jim Hacker, trying in vain to make progress - any progress - towards the goal, enshrined in the Treaty of Rome, of devising an integrated transport policy for Europe. He eventually learned what every civil servant knows - that transport is one of the most intractable, thankless subjects in government. Are we witnessing an episode of “Yes Minister” in the current chapter of Australian politics? All eyes on costly distractions like Fuelwatch while too few scanning for opportunities or examining the current risk and future issues facing transport in Australia.

Maybe we are, Rosetta moon has drafted an Integrated Transport Plan now available for comment and use by the Australian government, private industry and and members of the public who would like to see an integrated approach to policy making and energy reform in this country.

One of the features and benefits of an integrated plan, is that once adopted, the noise and interference coming from vested groups can be filtered out and planning and policy can proceed on the basis of what makes sense for the economy, environment and the public of Australia.

Guide to Plan:

• Pencil = get on with it
• Exclamation = watch out
• Gold key = key to problem
• Magnify glass = look a bit closer…and so forth

References:

John Ditchburn for cartoon

Despite the significant risk to workers of exposure to polonium, the Radiation Protection branch of the Environment Protection Authority agreed to reduce BHP Billiton’s reporting requirements in 2006. Since then, the number of reports of workers exposed to unsafe levels of radiation has plummeted, despite no change occurring to production processes at the plant, raising serious questions about the level and type of testing currently undertaken by the company.

The Government is failing in their duty to adequately monitor and protect the health of workers at Olympic Dam. Documents I have obtained through FoI, after much struggle, raise serious concerns about how often testing occurs. For example: sampling of airborne radiation levels is not done when workers are at greatest risk, and personal radiation monitoring devices, that often record readings above the allowable level, are only worn part of the time by some, not all, exposed workers. Govt failing Roxby workers over radiation risk: Greens Media Release June 19, 2008

 

South Australian Greens MP Mark Parnell, is proving himself to be the hardest working Green on the turf, working effectively to protect the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary after the dumping of radioactive waste materials by Marathon Resources, a company still listed on the ASX and therefore potentially able to export uranium from this country, highly unlikely however, having consistently proven themselves to be an ‘irresponsible person‘ under the Act, negating the possibility of obtaining an export license under current guidelines of the Department of Natural Resources, Environment and the Arts (dont ask?). This is again confusing as Marathon continue to mislead shareholders and still have not been fined or repaired damage, including theft of rare fluorite deposits from the site.

And now the caped crusader takes up cause again with Australia’s largest Uranium mine, Roxby Downs, currently soaking up in excess of 33 million litres of water per day from the Great Artesian Basin, extending under the current expansion plan to in excess of 42 million litres per day . BHP say publicly they propose to increase copper production from the current 200 000 tonnes per year to 730 000 tonnes and have applied to the South Australian and Federal governments to extend this up to 1,000,000 tonnes per day, requiring an extra 120 million litres per day above the figures just quoted. The current flow of water into the Great Artesian Basin into South Australia (its final resting place) is estimated to be 425 million litres per day. Or put in more simple terms the ACF describe the situation thus:

That’s 60 Olympic swimming pools of water a day, for the lifetime of the mine, for free.

Already the biggest industrial user of underground water in the southern hemisphere, the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine at Roxby Downs takes 33 million litres a day from the Great Artesian Basin.

The additional take would see the company extracting more than 150 million litres a day - around a third of the artesian water that flows into South Australia.

ACF is deeply concerned that drawing this much water would damage the Great Artesian Basin, cause a significant reduction in groundwater pressure and cut off the natural flows to the unique and fragile mound springs.

These figures, and I welcome clarification, suggest that a single mine is proposing to use the equivalent of one quarter of Australia’s greatest inland water resource on the expanded project. If anyone should doubt the impact on vegetation and wildlife habitat I urge them to distract themselves momentarily from the amazing tourist attractions and drive down the bore field road, the long stretch of bores tapping the ancient resource, part of a delicate ecosystem, serving the natural springs and pastoral leases in stations which have either been bought or otherwise taken over by the mining consortium seeking this expansion. Look at the contraction of the famous Coward Springs wetlands sanctuary since the capping (preservation) and ask what this type of water management means truly in terms of ‘conservation’?

The balance of the final equation after the work of conservation groups (ACF) to preserve the basin will now shift to the impact of the proposed desalination plant at Whyalla and its impact on marine life and also the unknown embodied energy costs of delivering and processing such water from these under studied alternative sources. While people talk about the global climate change benefits of the nuclear power industry they should also be looking at the damage to ecological systems and the net energy input involved in extracting the resource in the first place…in short when it comes down to it, there really is no such thing as a ‘free lunch’.

Where is our water Minister Penny Wong (from South Australia) and why is she not crying out ‘blue murder’ as this resource is flushed down a radioactive drain, threatening the health of Roxby workers and countless generations of future Australians that may not have been presented with the truth. If she had replied to my emails and offered any sort of explanation I would be less alarmed but to date no response and I am still waiting.
As Australia faces the challenge of de-carbonising industry and quelling a period of absurd industrial and consumer consumption the question and reality of energy sources needs to be faced. If the consequences to our environment, health and global geo-politics is ignored who are we really kidding and in what delusion are we living in the mindless pursuit of the great Australian Dream?

If we as a nation fail to examine the effects of industry upon future sustainability, how do we propose to sustain ourselves into the future, prioritising the ignorance of factual reality in favour of short term commercial favour? All facts considered but publicly unknown, all our hopes and aspirations may well evaporate and that is the actual stark reality of the ‘bottom line’. We are fortunate in having a responsible Energy minister and Treasurer that are now halting the wholesale and de-regulated mass exodus of valuable (and undercosted) raw materials from Australia, a policy engrained and promoted since the early days by our recently lost hero of mindless consumerism and ’sell outs’ John Howard. Thank-you Ministers Swan and Ferguson for finally pushing the pause button to give Australia the opportunity to finally catch its breath and consider this past legacy and the ramifications of these worn out policies borne out of media promoted self interest driving waste, greed, and thoughtless desire.

Prior to any further discussion on the merits or otherwise of the nuclear industry and Australia’s role there is a need to consider the impacts on the physical environment of the Great Artesian Basin which has been conveniently tapped to the detriment of ancient natural springs servicing the natural environment and wildlife habitat of South Australia for many an aeon. The current situation that requires investigation is the collective spring area between lakes Eyre and Torrens which is now capped and funneling vast amounts of precious water to an industry that has escaped proper government and public scrutiny in favour of the not so well explained and nebulous concept of energy and export revenue..a process so wasteful of water and energy, its final destination serving perhaps a mission of over-valued credibility and in need of more scientific , economic and political scrutiny.

Whether one looks at this issue from the perspective of land and environment conservation or from one of pure economics the figures do not seem to stack up…being both destructive of unique and precious habitat and wasteful of energy in a complete and accounted for life-cycle cost - uranium is fast destroying the Great Artesian Basin and and appearing more and more to be part of the misguided apparatus of the Great Australian Dream.

And some wise words from the traditional custodians of the land:

The vast underground water reserve serves vast arid regions. It is the water supply of many of my people.

The Federal government last year approved uranium mining at Roxby Downs in South Australia despite the ALP policy to “phase out the uranium industry”.

A shaft has been sunk through an Aboriginal sacred site and several other sites have been bulldozed to put in roads and a pipeline corridor.

The pipeline corridor will supply 33 million litres of water to the mine every day. It is unknown how this will affect the underground water supply and plants dependent on the current water patterns.

Having said this other people share different views so they all go into the mix. Beverley Uranium and other expansions in the region have impacts of various a nature, so people need to look at the facts and form their own opinion. Vince Coulthard -Iga Warta Pty Ltd - says while all the traditional Land is sacred, he must note the benefits from mining:

“Let there be some benefit from it for the people. Where a mine don’t happen today it will happen there tomorrow,” he said. (Will it?, Should it??)

“The people have talked about where you can’t stop it you gan get something from it. I think Heathgate and Quasar’s developed, certainly Heathgate’s developed, a relationship with the Adnyamathana people over the years. (Cant be stopped?..must we always get something from it?…what do the stories say??)

In stark contrast another Adnyamathana, Kelvin Johnson said of the Beverley Mine operation in 1999 that the Native Title claimants are acting on behalf of all Adnyamathanha people but are failing to consult with them:

“The Native Title claimants are not talking to the rest of the Adnyamathanha people. We think they are doing the wrong thing not speaking to us.” he said “They (Heathgate Resources and the Native Title Claimants) just contact one another and they just meet with out the rest of the people.” He said his group is not concerned with royalties, but wants to protect their sacred Adnyamthanha Dreaming and traditional bush tucker foods found on the Beverley mine lease.

Further Information:

Ancient Mound Springs

Further Information:

Help us halt the great artesian water grab - ACF online

Roxby Downs Indenture Arrangements for Water Management

Miscellaneous Purposes Licence - YES!…such a thing exists in…South Australia (Sorry, link lost post publishing!)

Uranium Mining and Aboriginal People

Bad Developers website

Recent Media:

Aboriginal Communities bullied into Native Title signoffs

Miners’ $500m policy bet

Japanese and Canadian miners’ $500m bet on uranium

Radiation can be fun! Holiday fun for kiddies at the OZ Nuclear Reactor

The Plutonic Waters of the Great Artesian Basin

Time to account for our water - Nick Xenophon

THE Rudd Government has finally revealed that it will impose limits on Chinese takeovers of Australian mining companies as it grapples with a $30 billion wave of Chinese foreign investment proposals. (The Australian, July 8, 2008)

In a move that threatens to aggravate tensions with Beijing, Treasurer Wayne Swan said he would “more carefully” examine proposed takeovers of Australian resource companies by foreign companies that were buyers of Australian iron ore, coal and other resources, or were state-owned.

He called this policy “open, in the national interest”.

Congratulations to the Treasurer Wayne Swan and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson for starting the reform, which is truly in the national and the global interest - in terms of long term and sustainable management of energy. It raises the question on how the current government will manage the legacy of the Howard government and install practical policies with demonstrable and real effects in enabling us to now consider the merits of a national strategic energy policy.

The supply and demand questions facing the nation, in relation to gas, have been mapped out carefully on the Peak Energy site , Australian Natural Gas - How Much Do We Have And How Long Will It Last:

At present, there are 2 LNG plants in operation - the North West Shelf gas project (operated by Woodside Energy) near Karratha in WA, and the Conoco Phillips Darwin LNG plant in the Northern Territory. The North West Shelf project is the third largest LNG exporter in the world, with its fifth LNG train due to commence operation this year, bringing the capacity of the plant to 16.3 million tonnes (0.85 tcf).

To put the Australian figure in context, proven world gas reserves are estimated to be over 6200 tcf - Australia has around 1.4% of the total.

A sober reminder - what we have now wont last forever so we need to prioritise national interest, as does any nation, and such situations , as it happens align themselves to better management of global energy reserves. Should the embodied costs of cryogenically cooling natural gas and exporting by tanker be examined, we are presented already again with a dilemma which needs addressing, ahead of further motherhood statements, reports or emissions trading schemes that promise the world but are less pragmatic than logical policy making in consideration of the future, which we see slowly emerging as we grapple with a global energy rush - fueled largely by the continued expansion of the Chinese economy, which may need to re-examine its own future without recourse to under-cost subsidised industry policy, put in place by previous administrations, and well appreciated by an energy hungry world.

And as the federal government dis-entangles itself from these engagements opportunities will fast emerge for the Australian economy, which is well placed to manage itself locally and with less risk disconnected from the import of carbon fuels, which has been making constant headlines in the paper. The next step for Australia will be the improved management of its natural gas infrastructure to enable the vast western reserves to be tapped sensibly into the eastern grid which is a small task in comparison to what has been achieved so far.

The missing links in the puzzle are a pipeline from the Carnavon Reserves to Kalgoolie, diverting east to Whyalla in South Australia, completing a useful connection to the eastern grid. Follow that with completion of the network between Newcastle and Brisbane and a national grid is complete enabling the establishment of a national natural gas refueling network, ensuring clean and reliable transport into the future.

Further Information:

Treasurer slams gate on Chinese raids - The Australian July 8, 2008

NT chief calls early poll to help win $12bn Inpex plant

Australia LNG projects worth $58b at risk: Woodside - Reuters

Australian Natural Gas - How Much Do We Have And How Long Will It Last ? Peak Energy

The Global Liquefied Natural Gas Market: Status and Outlook (U.S. Dept Energy)

Consumer Protection Attorney Tim Riley warns about Liquified Natural Gas

Lloyds Insurance Underwriters outline LNG Risk

LNG Has 35% Higher Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Than Coal :

LNG industry safe: Kevin Rudd

In the September 2007 edition of the journal Environmental Science and Technology, Carnegie Mellon researchers show that liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from foreign countries and used for electricity generation could have 35 percent higher lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than coal used in advanced power plant technologies. The researchers point out that LNG has many indirect impacts compared to domestic gas. LNG is extracted in a foreign country, liquefied, put into a tanker to cross oceans, and then regasified and put into pipelines when it reaches the U.S. Each of these steps leads to indirect environmental impacts, such as carbon dioxide emissions from changing from gas to liquid and back.

Australian Gas Projects:

As the commercial sector and the public get excited about CNG Refueling as a long term solution to sustainable fueling in Australia, a big question has come up? How do I convert my existing car to CNG, buy a natural gas vehicle from the factory, or if I’m a fleet manager, organise a purchase of dedicated CNG vehicles?

In a recent post the ‘The Story of Natural Gas in Australia’, we referenced the myriad options now being used by countries all over the world. So while the solution is close at hand what specifically do we need to see in Australia to ensure these purchasing options move from tantalising possibility to tangible reality?

Hydrogen and gaseous fuels advocate Rob Janson identifies issues which need to be ironed out:

The use of emissions and standards testing regulations to prevent trade and free market activity seems to be a consistent pattern used by the government to maintain the status quo.

• CNG Conversion Certification required for each engine model. (2-10k???) no subsidies provided to get the CNG market going.
• Why a subsidy for LPG but none for CNG?
• New car prices kept high for Australians by preventing all imports except for models cars not sold here. (how does this sit with GATT?)Rob Janson - Greening Australian Transport

These are very relevant points which are current stumbling blocks preventing well intentioned individuals and organisations pursuing a carbon-less footprint for themselves, aligned to what we are told is a government wishing to reduce the carbon footprint of the nation discussing confusing concepts like emissions trading. However, we see that reform of trading opportunities at a micro-economic level will provide immediate results and benefits for people, business and the environment.

Logic would say we need to adopt quite quickly a strategic energy pathway which has zero emissions and fuel availability at a local and economic level at its core. Anything less is just tinkering at the ‘margins’ without providing traction to progress the situation further. If these regulations and limitations are identified as policy absurdity and perversity, instructions can be delivered via the policy framework * to ensure clean technology is not only available but also able to be purchased in Australia. At the moment 1000s of buses are running successfully on CNG in capital cities and several line haulage trucks can be converted to run on CNG. This is good indeed, but the next step is to open up the CNG reality to other relevant sectors of the transport sector to deliver environmental savings and diesel substitution easily and immediately. This would include but not be restricted to the passenger sector, light commercial, heavy commercial and industrial transport applications. The Honda Civic GX, the Toyota Camry, Mercedes Sprinter Van, the ISUZU NPR medium rigid truck, the list goes on but we are not seeing these vehicles on the road.

The lesson is quite basic..there needs to be some practical changes made to facilitate the transport fuel strategy required and this does not need to be abstracted by solutions which are not directly at cause with the problem. We have the gas distribution network, we have the gas, we have consumers and business ready and anticipating the change… what we need now is realistic changes to the regulations which embrace CNG and Hydrogen and other measures which will ensure the transport fuel mix is corrected for the benefit of Australians, the environment and the health of the economy.

* Looking at this policy template we can see that rigourous policy implementation can be enforced by adopting a development and implementation framework geared towards agreed societal, environmental and economic outcomes.

Typical vehicles running on CNG in Japan:

Further Information:

Why no CNG car subsidy in Australia?

What has become clear in the last six months is that Australia still dithers dangerously in the simple task of adopting a coherent national transport policy. The ALP continues to pull candy floss from the air, while a rather dull opposition slumbers ineffectively and quietly on the backbench. More reports wont fuel our cars, abate greenhouse gases or address the lack of past decision making which is the root cause of the pain. While such belly gazing once suggested concern and light at the end of the policy tunnel, recent pointed media satire reflects a growing sense of disquiet and alarm that our government lacks any clear direction despite the abundance of advice and available solutions.

Fortunately for Australia there are nations that have already experienced our pain (decades ago) after which they implemented well researched and considered policy to transit the fuel mix toward carbon-less energy forms. Given that our federal parliament has descended into the abyss of an unruly playground its timely to reflect on worlds best energy practice and fast-trek our defunct economy into a brighter and cleaner future. While Europe and the United States are not so well endowed with natural gas as Australia, they have adopted strategic clean energy pathways and roadmaps to ween their oil based economies off the dwindling supplies of liquid fossil fuel. As Hydrogen is accessible from renewable and non-renewable sources (and zero emission), pointing economies in this direction makes sense and bridging opportunities (such as CNG and biofuels) allows industry and government catchup time to provide sensible technologies which are aligned to the vision. The challenge for Australia is to adopt a strategic national energy policy in the first place and given the abundance of case studies and lack of policy action here, there is a strong case to promptly pull our heads out of the sand and adopt a hybrid energy policy based on borrowed success stories from elsewhere.

The San Francisco Chronicle article ‘Getting the Carbon Out’ discusses the policy direction for California to move away from liquid fossil fuels, and notes the limitations of carbon trading where costs will ultimately get ‘passed on to consumers’:

Eventually, consumers will have an array of low-carbon fuel and vehicle choices. low carbon fuel standard has two primary strengths. First, it creates a durable but flexible framework to guide the transition to a low-carbon future. Second, it stimulates innovation and investment in low-carbon and very-low-carbon fuels and vehicles. The first advantage is key to the second. Oil companies and automakers consistently tell us that they are amenable to carbon controls that are predictable and based on science. Indeed, several major oil companies tell us they support this proposal and believe it should be adopted broadly, beyond California. They say they prefer this approach over mandates for specific technologies and fuels. They appreciate the flexibility and certainty it provides, though they will undoubtedly quibble over the magnitude or speed of the emission-reduction requirements. The low-carbon fuel standard addresses not only global warming, but the intertwined problems of high oil prices and foreign oil dependence. It does so by stimulating private companies to develop new technologies and bring them to market. Thus, it will, for the first time, create viable alternatives to petroleum, which lessens the need for oil imports and undermines OPEC cartel pricing. The result will be less volatile and, yes, lower fuel prices. An alternative to this low-carbon fuel standard would be taxes or caps on carbon, possibly placed across the entire economy. However, these approaches would not effectively stimulate technological innovation in transportation fuels, an absolute necessity if we are to solve global warming and energy problems. Neither gasoline price increases in the United States in the last five years nor decades of very high fuel prices in Europe have caused the oil industry to begin to change their fuel sources. Under a cap-and-trade approach (emissions trading), fuel providers will almost certainly seek to buy credits elsewhere and pass the cost on to consumers.

In the process of re-teething the EPA to enforce air quality standards due diligence is required to ensure common sense and reason prevails above special interest and Schwarzenegger was aware of this:

The biggest problem that we have is that California is being run now by special interests. All of the politicians are not anymore making the moves for the people, but for special interests and we have to stop that.

In effecting policy progress in Australia it may well be worth adopting developed frameworks as well to ensure a ‘level playing field’ in relation to the issues we face and the emergence of a strategic transport fuel mix, for Australia, irrespective of the lobby groups we expected by now to be kept at bay. Australia is uniquely poised with its massive investment in natural gas pipelines and natural gas reserves, there is no need for us to endure a transport fuel problem at all. If our government and opposition cannot make sense of the obvious opportunities than it may be the time to stand aside and humbly accept guidance from countries that are taking real action to address greenhouse issues, clean air and the long term use and conservation of energy.

How easy to find a CNG Refueling Station in California

The Australian cartoonist Nicholson on the ball with bio-fuels