Issue 63 - December 2009 Systems
From Energy Matters
Greetings everyone and welcome to all our new subscribers!
Business tax incentives run out soon!
Do you have a business or know of someone who does?
Small businesses can benefit hugely from the Small Business and General Business Tax Break when they install solar power systems, but time is running out!
The incentive allows an additional tax deduction of 50 per cent of the cost (after Solar Credits rebates) of a solar power system purchased up until 31 December 2009. Small businesses will be also able to depreciate 100% of the cost of the system over the life of the system!
When you add to that existing rebates and feed in tariffs, there's never been a better time for a business to make the switch to solar power.
However, taking into account the upcoming Christmas break, this means there is less than 3 weeks left to take advantage of this initiative! Learn more about tax and other solar business incentives here.
NSW solar bonus scheme - it's official!
Legislation for the New South Wales Solar Bonus Scheme has been passed! New South Wales residents, small business and community groups will be paid a whopping 60 cents per kilowatt hour for all the electricity a system produces starting January 1, 2010. The feed in tariff is in addition to existing rebates.
According to information provided by the NSW Government, a standard 1.5kW solar power system would generate around $1500 return each year through the Solar Bonus Scheme!
The New South Wales solar gold rush has started - so if you're a resident of NSW and are interested in installing a solar power system; use our instant online quoting tool today. Beat the rush and maximise your returns!
Solar credits special
A top quality grid connect system at a tiny price - check out our solar credits maximiser deal!
Renewable energy news
Solar Power Boom In New South Wales
While the New South Wales Solar Bonus Scheme doesn't kick off until January 1 next year; home solar power providers are already seeing a sharp increase in orders for systems.
The Silicon Air Battery
Most of us would be more familiar with silicon being used for computer chips and solar panels - now the substance looks set to become a vital component in the next generation of batteries.
Insulation Name And Shame - Solar Next?
Now that a formal "name and shame" list has been established for Australia's insulation industry, is it time for the government to implement a similar list for another sector seeing its fair share of shonky operators - solar power?
Solar Bonus Scheme Legislation Passed
It's happy days for solar power supporters in New South Wales. Legislation for a gross solar feed in tariff has been passed, making the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme one of the most generous feed in tariffs in the nation.
100% Renewable Energy By 2030?
Is it physically and economically possible to run the entire world, including transportation, off renewable energy by 2030?
Solar Sails And Space Travel
The Planetary Society recently announced its new LightSail project, a program to sail a spacecraft on sunlight alone by the end of 2010.
Solar Farm For Western Australia
Expressions of interest are being requested for the construction of a 50MW - 150MW solar farm in Western Australia.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Posting to this Blog
No anonymous posts please. I would be happy to post your info, but you must identify yourself and/or your organization. Thanks, blogger, who received anonymous info for publishing to this blog
Kathleen Gidney
Kathleen Gidney
Turbines in Industrial/Commercial Districts, Not Neighbourhoods
From Wind Action.org
Council to revisit proposed wind turbine ordinance
Having been tabled during a council meeting last month, a proposed ordinance that would allow wind turbines in industrial and commercial districts - but not in residential neighborhoods - is set for more discussion Monday. City council will meet with the city planning commission to begin working kinks out of the draft law, which would allow turbines in certain zones.
December 7, 2009 by Mike Rose in Austin Daily Herald
Having been tabled during a council meeting last month, a proposed ordinance that would allow wind turbines in industrial and commercial districts - but not in residential neighborhoods - is set for more discussion Monday.
City council will meet with the city planning commission to begin working kinks out of the draft law, which would allow turbines in certain zones, given that the builders meet specific regulations regarding height, rotor width and distance from other structures.
However, at the Nov. 16 council meeting, a couple of people spoke out against a different stipulation that the planning commission had added in by amendment.
The commission had decided Nov. 10 to add a stipulation that towers will have to be at least 350 feet away from any residential district, in addition to not being in the neighborhoods themselves.
Two members of the commission that voted "nay" to the ordinance on Nov. 10 - Kathy Stutzman and Lynn Spainhower - said at the Nov. 16 council meeting that the 350-foot number was arbitrarily added in at the last minute.
Both Stutzman and Spainhower said more research should be done before adopting that regulation.
They also said the ordinance is all-around too restrictive, limiting places like schools in residential areas that may want to build towers someday.
Jim Stiles, co-owner of Super Fresh Produce in Austin, wants to put a turbine on his property and also said he is opposed to the 350-foot stipulation.
However, for Stiles it is simply a practical matter - if he had to build at least 350 feet away from the nearest home, he wouldn't be able to build at all, he said.
Currently, Stiles can't build because a moratorium is in place on turbine construction in Austin while details of a possible law are worked out. That moratorium could be extended another 60 days in a separate council action Monday night.
There were also some people opposed to wind turbines all together who voiced their opinion at the last council meeting, including Pat Reinartz.
The Austin resident, who said Super Fresh Produce is in her "backyard," is against all parts of the proposed ordinance because she is worried about noise, aesthetics and a decreased property value.
"I'm totally against it," she said outside the council chambers. "Even if it's 350 feet (away)."
Web link: http://www.austindailyherald.com/news/2009/dec/07/...
Council to revisit proposed wind turbine ordinance
Having been tabled during a council meeting last month, a proposed ordinance that would allow wind turbines in industrial and commercial districts - but not in residential neighborhoods - is set for more discussion Monday. City council will meet with the city planning commission to begin working kinks out of the draft law, which would allow turbines in certain zones.
December 7, 2009 by Mike Rose in Austin Daily Herald
Having been tabled during a council meeting last month, a proposed ordinance that would allow wind turbines in industrial and commercial districts - but not in residential neighborhoods - is set for more discussion Monday.
City council will meet with the city planning commission to begin working kinks out of the draft law, which would allow turbines in certain zones, given that the builders meet specific regulations regarding height, rotor width and distance from other structures.
However, at the Nov. 16 council meeting, a couple of people spoke out against a different stipulation that the planning commission had added in by amendment.
The commission had decided Nov. 10 to add a stipulation that towers will have to be at least 350 feet away from any residential district, in addition to not being in the neighborhoods themselves.
Two members of the commission that voted "nay" to the ordinance on Nov. 10 - Kathy Stutzman and Lynn Spainhower - said at the Nov. 16 council meeting that the 350-foot number was arbitrarily added in at the last minute.
Both Stutzman and Spainhower said more research should be done before adopting that regulation.
They also said the ordinance is all-around too restrictive, limiting places like schools in residential areas that may want to build towers someday.
Jim Stiles, co-owner of Super Fresh Produce in Austin, wants to put a turbine on his property and also said he is opposed to the 350-foot stipulation.
However, for Stiles it is simply a practical matter - if he had to build at least 350 feet away from the nearest home, he wouldn't be able to build at all, he said.
Currently, Stiles can't build because a moratorium is in place on turbine construction in Austin while details of a possible law are worked out. That moratorium could be extended another 60 days in a separate council action Monday night.
There were also some people opposed to wind turbines all together who voiced their opinion at the last council meeting, including Pat Reinartz.
The Austin resident, who said Super Fresh Produce is in her "backyard," is against all parts of the proposed ordinance because she is worried about noise, aesthetics and a decreased property value.
"I'm totally against it," she said outside the council chambers. "Even if it's 350 feet (away)."
Web link: http://www.austindailyherald.com/news/2009/dec/07/...
EU to Build Offshore Grid
9 EU nations to build offshore wind power grid
From Business Week.com
Nine European nations pledged Monday to build more links between wind power stations in the North and Irish Seas which could help them boost output of renewable energy.
Wind energy producers complain that the few links between countries and power stations allow little wind-generated electricity to be piped quickly where it is needed. The EU's executive also has called for more cross-Europe links to secure the power supply and prevent blackouts.
Energy ministers from Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland and Luxembourg promised to develop a new offshore power grid to link up electricity produced from sea-based wind power turbines.
The European Union is aiming to generate a fifth of all its energy from renewable sources by 2020 to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas, and to meet climate change goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind power will likely play the major role. The European Wind Energy Association says wind could generate up to 16 percent of all EU energy -- or a third of all electricity -- by 2020, if governments help fund more wind farms and power links.
Offshore wind farms use bigger and more powerful wind turbines planted in the sea bed and can generate around a third more power than land-based wind stations. They also are far more expensive to build and maintain.
From Business Week.com
Nine European nations pledged Monday to build more links between wind power stations in the North and Irish Seas which could help them boost output of renewable energy.
Wind energy producers complain that the few links between countries and power stations allow little wind-generated electricity to be piped quickly where it is needed. The EU's executive also has called for more cross-Europe links to secure the power supply and prevent blackouts.
Energy ministers from Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium, Ireland and Luxembourg promised to develop a new offshore power grid to link up electricity produced from sea-based wind power turbines.
The European Union is aiming to generate a fifth of all its energy from renewable sources by 2020 to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas, and to meet climate change goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Wind power will likely play the major role. The European Wind Energy Association says wind could generate up to 16 percent of all EU energy -- or a third of all electricity -- by 2020, if governments help fund more wind farms and power links.
Offshore wind farms use bigger and more powerful wind turbines planted in the sea bed and can generate around a third more power than land-based wind stations. They also are far more expensive to build and maintain.
I know a bit about space shuttle design...
From a hunter
(on a net forum)
To the others, I have my reasons for not liking certain calibers, its more to do with bullet design than speed or hitting power. I actually know a bit about space shuttle head design, which is similar to a bullet of course, sleek and pointy is good (like a .308, 300 Win Mag, .243 and many many others). Aerodynamic stability is important and I'm probably over analyzing it but its just what I do when I am selecting a weapon to buy. Confidence is a big thing in shooting and as long as you are confident in your weapon you should be able to bring anything down.
From the blogger: sorry. Sometimes I slip in a wild and wacky post that I find on the web- for your interest, of course!
(on a net forum)
To the others, I have my reasons for not liking certain calibers, its more to do with bullet design than speed or hitting power. I actually know a bit about space shuttle head design, which is similar to a bullet of course, sleek and pointy is good (like a .308, 300 Win Mag, .243 and many many others). Aerodynamic stability is important and I'm probably over analyzing it but its just what I do when I am selecting a weapon to buy. Confidence is a big thing in shooting and as long as you are confident in your weapon you should be able to bring anything down.
From the blogger: sorry. Sometimes I slip in a wild and wacky post that I find on the web- for your interest, of course!
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