Beyond Zero Emissions has condemned Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's carbon copy of the Howard government's 'clean coal' lie.

"Surely, the major parties realise that 'clean coal' would not arrive for at least ten years, if ever, and that renewables on the market today are ready to rescue us from climate catastrophe," said BZE spokesman, Matthew Wright. "It is irresponsible of politicians to still be wasting public time and money on this unnecessary distraction from real pollution-free solutions."

[Australia has 24 power stations supplying 80% of our electricity produced by burning over a quarter of a million tonnes of coal every day to create steam that spins turbines.]

"The economic difficulty in switching to 100% renewables now is that the existing coal plants, which were capital intensive to build, are still operating. If clean coal ever works, the proponents of the technology have admitted they basically have to rebuild every power station in the country. The cost of doing this is comparable with renewables such as wind and concentrating solar, which we can build today," said Mr Wright.

Rudd's latest proposal to win over a public anxious for answers on climate change includes half a billion dollars towards research to invent Australia's 'clean coal' from scratch. This unimaginative plan culpably denies any prospect of an Australia liberated from the perils of continued fossil fuels dependency.

Steve Phillips, of climate action group Rising Tide Newcastle, cites "Modelling commissioned by the Australian Government, and carried out by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics, shows that even if the 'clean coal' daydream comes true, then greenhouse pollution from energy in the Asia Pacific region will double by 2050. This would condemn the world to an unliveable climate."

Environmental scientist Dr Tim Flannery has also warned that Australia does not have the right geological conditions to support the 'clean coal' process, which involves compressing carbon dioxide into liquid form then burying it deep underground.

"The risks of this method (geosequestration in the 'clean coal' plan) would take at least a decade for science to confidently identify - precious time that should be used to implement a comprehensive transition of all sectors to zero emissions," said Mr Wright of Beyond Zero Emissions.

"Clean coal is dirty and dangerous and, despite industry claims, no real environmental groups are supporting it nor should the Australian public buy into this lie," said Mr Wright.

For comment ring:
Adrian Whitehead - 0403 735 118
Matthew Wright ­ 0421 616 733

www.beyondzeroemissions.org
Beyond Zero Emissions is an independent Zero Emission Minus Climate Change campaign.

Wind power fully backed up

25 February 07

Today Beyond Zero Emissions launched its scoping document discussing the measures for Victoria's swift conversion to a near zero emissions electricity sector.

The document is the first of a portfolio of papers charting the fast transition of all sectors of the Australian economy to near zero emissions by 2020.

Beyond Zero Emissions' approach is to articulate how a transition is to be managed within Victoria and how to keep reliability of the electricity supply.

"In the plan, base load power is delivered by wind, fully backed up by existing gas and hydro, as well as a small amount of new gas," said Mr Wright.

"Of course, areas of demand are reduced or moderated to keep the overall economic impact of the transition to a minimum."

Part of the proposal describes an upgrade of the grid to a modern computer-controlled system that identifies, then responds to, the demand and supply of every consumer and generator on the grid. The estimated cost of a comprehensive transition to a zero emissions economy is 20 billion dollars.

"The danger is that we will waste billions of dollars trying to get somewhere with unproven technology, such as geosequestration with coal power and 4th generation nuclear power. Subsequently we would miss the opportunity to move in the time required to avoid dangerous run-away climate change," said BZE lead campaigner Adrian Whitehead.

"What is most exciting about this document is that its use of wind power is being backed up by so many other ground-breaking projects being announced around the world," Wright remarks. "These projects are arriving to effectively overhaul energy production through serious penetration of wind into electricity grids."

"Wind power is the only renewable generation technology that is ready right now on a massive scale and can be purchased commercially in the quantity required to convert Australia's economy before it's too late," said Mr Wright.

View the near zero emissions stationary energy sector transition scoping document here.

British Columbia, Canada 3000 MW wind farm (4 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

British Columbia, Canada 1750 MW wind farm

California, USA 2500 MW wind farm (5 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

Thames Estuary, UK 1300 MW wind farm (9 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

Texas, USA 783 MW wind farm (15 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

Lewis winds approved 651 MW wind farm.

Shetland Islands, UK 600 MW wind farm (20 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

Macarthur, Vic, Australia 550 MW wind farm (22 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

Offshore windfarm, Texas, USA 500 MW (24 for Vic of this size to go near zero emissions)

For comment ring:
Adrian Whitehead - 0403 735 118
Matthew Wright ­ 0421 616 733

www.beyondzeroemissions.org

Beyond Zero Emissions is an independent Zero Emission Minus Climate Change campaign.