The Bullroarer - Friday 7th November

SMH - Power, water, roads at risk: climate report

THE country's electricity and water supplies are at high risk from climate change, and immediate action is needed to prepare for the threat, a report presented to the Federal Government has warned.

NZ Herald - Gas-fired power plants provide fuel for heated debate

The third dry winter in a decade has thrown the spotlight on the security of electricity supply this election, where the key difference between the parties is where they stand on allowing new gas-fired power stations.

NZ Herald - $25b asset still waiting for the leash to be loosened

Two years ago, Cabinet minister Trevor Mallard made an interesting announcement in a speech to the Institute of Directors.

State-owned enterprises, he revealed, were going to be let off the leash a little more, as part of the Government's plan for economic transformation (ET).

Mineweb - Market paralysis ignores uranium's compelling projections

A study on the uranium market by Australia's BGF Capital claimed that any conventional analysis would overwhelmingly show the uranium price must move higher to underwrite the supply response needed for the growing demand for uranium and to fill the shortfall from exhaustion of stockpiles and weapons conversion programmes.

Analyst Warwick Grigor, a well known commentator on the Australian resources scene, said that right now the world is more concerned about what is happening this week than next year "as the drive for liquidity is causing a meltdown in asset and commodity prices.

ABC - Call for western NSW to share in coal levy funds

The New South Wales Greens are urging the State Government to pass on the extra revenue from a proposed increase in coal royalties to mining areas in the state's western region.

ABC - State to maintain funding for transport

The Premier John Brumby says the State Government is not reducing its funding for the Melbourne Transport Plan.

The Age - Uni seeks fuel from goo breakthrough

A university is testing everything from cooking oil to algae in a bid to find cheaper and cleaner fuels.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has opened Australia's first biofuel research facility to speed up the race to cut the nation's carbon emissions.

Otago Daily Times - Nevis oil plan prompts concerns

However, Central Otago Mayor Malcolm Macpherson said a resource consent application would be "enormously controversial" should the company wish to start mining oil shale.

Oil shaleFine-grained sedimentary rock, containing the tarry compound kerogen, which can be processed to extract hydrocarbons (used as fuels).

Xtract Energy is investigating a new Australian-developed technology to extract the oil from shale in enclosed vessels.

The Australian - Oil Search talks up Exxon Mobil's Papua New Guinea gas

LIQUEFIED natural gas buyers are still interested in fuel from Exxon Mobil's $11 billion venture in Papua New Guinea despite the global financial crisis, according to venture partner Oil Search.

The PNG LNG venture was "one of only a few projects progressing and actively marketing" for shipments that were expected to start in 2013-14, Port Moresby-based Oil Search said yesterday in a presentation sent to the Australian stock exchange.

The Age - Aussie mining expertise expands in India

Austrade senior trade commissioner in New Delhi Peter Linford said India's growing need for energy and resources gave Australian companies scope to increase their exports.

SMH - Desert regions 'key' to green economy

"One method to deal with climate change is bio-mimicry, where we look at nature and how it does various things, and mimic it," he said.

"Bio-mimicry is being pursued based on mother nature perfecting certain techniques over many years, so we could mimic nature first before going down other expensive paths to get to a greener future."