Sustainability

Solar – not so intermittent – Sustainable Engineering meeting 14/11

Join members of FOE-Adl’s Clean Futures Collective at this meeting hosted by Sustainable Engineering.

Solar – Not so Intermittent
Mon 14/11
5:30pm Flinders Uni building Vic Square
by Sustainable Engineering
SolarReserve – CSP with molten salt energy storage technology
SolarReserve is a leading global developer of utility-scale solar power projects headquartered in California, USA with offices in Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, Middle East and Europe. The company has commercialised a proprietary advanced solar thermal technology with integrated energy storage that enables firm, fully dispatchable, non-intermittent electricity to be generated from the sun, day or night. SolarReserve has successfully financed and constructed more than US$1.8 billion of large scale solar projects worldwide, with development and long-term power contracts for 482 megawatts of solar projects. Daniel will discuss SolarReserve Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) with molten salt energy storage technology, its operational Crescent Dunes project and provide an update on SolarReserve’s plans to build the Aurora Solar Energy Project in Port Augusta, the first of a number of projects planned for South Australia.

RSVP here

Divest from fossil fuels – Market Forces event 5 October

FOE members are invited to meet with Market Forces presenter Jack Bertolus at 5pm prior to the event.

Is your money making the world a better place? Or is it supporting the continuation of fossil fuel and other industries that contribute to climate change?

Sustainable Communities and Market Forces event

Wednesday 5 October
6-8:30pm
The Joinery
111 Franklin St Adelaide

Did you know that banks lend our money to large coal, oil and gas companies and projects, and super funds and insurance companies invest customers’ money in these industries.

Come along to learn more about how you can exert influence and make a positive change for sustainability by making sure your money is working for good. Divesting your money from fossil fuels is a powerful thing to do. It is the opposite of investment – it’s taking your money away from damaging industries and businesses that threaten our future.

Our speaker is Jack Bertolus from Market Forces, a Melbourne-based organisation that works with the community to prevent investment in projects that harm the environment and drive global warming.

A simple meal will be provided from 6pm, prior to the talk – we suggest a donation of $5 per person to help cover costs.

This is a DIVESTMENT DAY event. Saturday 8 October 2016 is Divestment Day. Meet at 11am in Hindmarsh Square to join with others to deliver a message to banks about their obligations regarding compliance the Paris Agreement to keep global warming to below two degrees.

Please book for this free event via Eventbrite to help with catering.

adelaide.office@foe.org.au

The Trans-Pacific Partnership: Undermining global efforts to address climate change

screen-shot-2016-09-15-at-9-16-27-pmLast weekend, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping officially signed onto the Paris Agreement on climate. Yet, President Obama is simultaneously pushing a trade agenda that directly undermines the U.S.’s ability to address climate change.

A new report from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy finds that the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) involving the U.S. and eleven Pacific Rim countries, totaling nearly 40 percent of the global economy, would benefit high greenhouse emitting industries like energy and agriculture, while restricting national and local policies that respond to climate change.

The report, The Climate Cost of Free Trade: How the TPP and other trade deals undermine the Paris climate agreement, finds that existing trade agreements and proposed new rules in the TPP would impact countries’ climate goals committed to as part of the global Paris Climate Agreement.

“There is a real blindspot for the climate within trade agreements, and particularly the TPP,” says Ben Lilliston, IATP’s Director of Climate Strategies and the report’s author. “Trade deals are driving a form of corporate-led globalization that is highly extractive of natural resources and completely ignores the damage it does to the climate. If we don’t reform our trade agreements and reject the TPP, it will be nearly impossible to reach our climate goals agreed to in Paris.”

National commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, covering sectors like energy, agriculture, and forestry, are at the heart of the Paris climate agreement. All TPP participating countries have submitted a climate plan as part of the Paris deal. Yet, the IATP report found that the TPP expands the reach of past trade deals that have struck down renewable energy programs supporting green jobs, provided agribusiness more opportunities to challenge regulations that protect farmers and consumers, and limited the ability of countries to regulate dirty energy production like coal mining, fracking, and off-shore drilling.Read more >>

Defend Renewables: Yes 2 Renewables info night

WANT TO DEFEND SOUTH AUSTRALIA’s RENEWABLE ENERGY LEADERSHIP?…

JOIN US ON TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13 TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN TO SECURE JOBS, INVESTMENT, AND OUR CLIMATE:

6:30-8pm The Joinery 111 Franklin St Adelaide

The fossil fuel sector has mounted an aggressive attack South Australia’s renewable energy leadership in recent weeks. These interests are trying to undermine renewable energy’s reputation and intimidate states who are taking leadership, such as the ACT, Victoria, and South Australia.

The fossil fuel lobby will do anything to stop our transition to 100% renewables. They’re prepared to sacrifice South Australian jobs, investment in regional communities, and our climate to protect their own interests.

Yes 2 Renewables are ready to defend renewables… But we can’t do it alone.

Please join us for an informal campaign info night at The Joinery on Tuesday September 13. You’ll meet fellow community members who want to rollout renewables. Snacks and beverages will be available. And no prior knowledge is needed.

SPEAKERS:

Attendees will find out about our strategy to defend South Australia’s renewable energy leadership, secure jobs and investment, and ramp up action on climate change.

* Leigh Ewbank, Yes 2 Renewables national coordinator
* Special guests to be announced.

Please feel free to bring family, friends, and colleagues along.

Any further questions, email leigh.ewbank@foe.org.au

Facebook event

An evening with Professor Ross Garnaut – Battery Storage Technology

An evening with Professor Ross Garnaut
Monday 18 July 2016

In conjunction with the Resilient South Councils of Adelaide, ZEN Energy is proud to present Professor Ross Garnaut – The Paris Climate Summit and the Emerging Role of Battery Storage Technology.

Hosted at the Tonsley campus in the new Flinders University building from 7 to 9pm on Monday 18th July 2016, please join us as Professor Garnaut presents a ‘Post Paris’ debrief on what is required for the global transition to a low carbon economy. Ross will highlight which countries are performing well, what this means for Australia and the economic opportunities presented for South Australia.

What role can we play as individual home and business owners in Southern Adelaide? Richard Turner (Founder of ZEN Energy) and Anthony Garnaut will introduce the latest technologies for utilising solar energy both day and night in our homes. They will discuss how households and businesses can radically reduce their electricity costs by installing a solar power and battery storage system. The presentation will also cover financing, rebate, and tax benefit options. Deputy Mayor of Marion, Jason Veliskou, will speak on behalf of the Resilient South councils and their role in supporting community action on climate change.

Spaces for this incredible event are limited, so please ensure you RSVP here via the City of Marion website by Friday 15th of July 2016 to confirm your place.

More information on this event can also be downloaded here.