Wave technology

Finally we may see a Fremantle inventor, Carnegie Corporation put to good use. They are looking at powering the Department of Defence's Garden Island operations with wave energy, after signing a deal which could see the group become the first in Australia to commercialise the renewable technology. It could lead to it supplying Garden Island naval base with both power and water supplies using its CETO Wave technology.

Like most of the Western Australian coastline, Garden Island gets a world class wave resource on tap, plus the naval base is a significant user of both power and water. Carnegie will bear the costs of the feasibility study, but they also hope to to secure funding from the State Government's LEED (Low emission energy development) research grants program.

The group did not quantify the potential scale of the project, the size of the facility would not be limited to the Defence Department operation's requirements due to the potential to supply power to the South-West Inter connector System. Detailed assessment on the technical and commercial viability of the project will soon begin, and is expected to be completed by the years end.

Carnegie is conducting trials of its CETO Wave technology, which purifies sea water for drinking use as well as converting wave power into emission-free energy, in Albany. Government should be behind this company all the way, time will tell.

Lib's Power plan

The Barnett government's plan was to merge Verve with retailer Synergy, it seems it has been shot down by a damning report prepared at the request of the premier. The analysis by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy warned that the amalgamation would cost more money than it saved. Leading to increased electricity prices as well as scaring away possible private investors, leaving the state to fund desperately needed new power stations.

It was said that Verve's losses are largely because the generator sells most of its power to Synergy, at well below cost. What happened to the lower prices when Western Power was split up? When our state experiences 37 degrees and above, how do people get cool when power is too expensive to use. Who's financial difficulties are being taken into consideration ? With Global Warming, higher temperatures are becoming a regular thing so where does the government believe people will find this extra money for the power bill?

While the liberal government are making their long term decisions they need to ask, with everything on the increase where does choice lay for constituents. Full details of the OOE REPORT by "Frontier Economics Regulations Authority" outlining the methodology to determine the tariff levels http://www.energy.wa.gov.au/


7/2/08
Have you ever questioned an inexplicably high power bill, you could be one of the millions of consumers whose bill is done on guess work rather that actual consumption. A practice know as as " estimated reading" where your utility company(power, water or gas) guesses, if they believe meters are harder to access or due to more homes having security measures.

They are the 3utilities that we will receive increases, it's believed that bill estimates led to over and undercharging but that overcharging was more common. The Energy Ombudsman in WA received 28 bill estimate complaints in 2007-'08, it has fielded a further 16 complainta since July '08. If you don't check your bill you'll never know.

Liberals so caring!

It's so nice that our new minister for finance is so caring, it seems his main concern was if the closure of Ravensthorpe happened would it effect Royalties for Regions. Why should we be expected to place our trust in this liberal government, West Australians should remember their performance in their last term of office.

.Their failures in the social areas of health and justice, they disposed of many of the State's valuable assets. In their wisdom they sold SGIO, Bankwest, the Dampier-to-Bunbury gas pipeline, Alinta Gas and Westrail. They closed the Midland Workshops even after their promise to upgrade and expand, to guarantee its long term future. State Ships, hospitals and nursing homes. Not forgetting government maintenance, construction and other services that were providing the State with hundreds of tradespeople through the apprenticeships available. So much for the liberal government's privatisation policies.

.What's come about since Mr Barnett has been in; they have lifted the ban on uranium mining, as well as the "No GM". They have delivered their spin about safely removing the remaining lead stockpile, the polluter are being allowed to export with the aid of the WA taxpayers. Magellan will pay 9 million towards the clean up which is far from adequate, then who will pay compensation to families who's health and lives have been affected. When will Magellan be taken to court?

.To top it off the liberals would have people believe that Nickel is harmless to our health, maybe they can explain how that's possible when it's a known carcinogen. The Esperance Port Authority concluded last year after extensive investigation that no engineering solution could make bulk nickel exports safe, so I guess that makes the so called license not worth the paper it's written on. They intend exporting Nickel through the Port of Esperance when BHP resume mining, so obviously Barnett has learnt nothing. The sooner a full scale inquiry into the inadequacy of government agencies, and adequacy of our WA Ports to safely export highly toxic materials the better. The expectations should be for the Port of Esperance to operate at world's best standards.

.At present the liberals are gathering brownie points, but they are no different than labor before them. Although I don't remember Mr Carpenter going through $3.7 billion in their first 100 days, where still waiting to see any benefits or for that matter where it went.