The Bullroarer - Monday 2nd February 2009

Solar Energy - A Solution To Australia's Heatwave Blackouts (a favourite theme for your TOD ANZ editors)

The southern Australian states of Victoria and South Australia have been enduring a gruelling heat wave for over a week - and it looks set to continue for some days to come. While the sun is perceived as an enemy, solar energy could provide the solution to prevent a reoccurrence of the electricity crisis that has occurred.

I don't want to restart the debate about weather vs climate, but it is interesting to see what the rest of the world is writing about us (with thanks to Leanan and today's Drumbeat):

Independent UK: Parched: Australia faces collapse as climate change kicks in

Leaves are falling off trees in the height of summer, railway tracks are buckling, and people are retiring to their beds with deep-frozen hot-water bottles, as much of Australia swelters in its worst-ever heatwave.

Ministers are blaming the heat – which follows a record drought – on global warming. Experts worry that Australia, which emits more carbon dioxide per head than any nation on earth, may also be the first to implode under the impact of climate change.

Railpage: Public transport meltdown

Why does Melbourne's public transport lurch from one crisis to another? This week's spate of train and tram cancellations in relentless 40 degree heat made the national news. But it's hardly the first such crisis to embarrass those in charge. Two years ago, technical problems with the new trains bought for the privatised network caused a record number of cancellations. And the failure to plan over many years has created a seemingly endless problem with overcrowding in peak hour.

Politicians and managers blame the weather, the unions, their predecessors and almost everyone but themselves. Yet Melbourne's problems seem almost uniquely bad. In Perth, extreme heat slows the trains, but the system doesn't fall in a heap like in Melbourne. Even Adelaide, which has invested much less in its train system, came off better in the heat this week. And around the world, in places like central Europe and Canada that are vulnerable to extreme weather, public transport bears up under pressure. What is it about Melbourne?

AIE: Electric Vehicle Show and Tell - Melbourne, 3-7pm 25th February

Come and see some of the latest electric vehicles (a range of scooters and passenger cars) available in Victoria; talk to their owners/developers; and hear from expert presenters on the theme Outlook for electric vehicle technology applications in Victoria.

If you are interested in attending, you can make sure you receive a flyer by sending an email to joy.claridge@westnet.com.au with subject line: Expression of interest in electric vehicle event.

feedintariff.com.au: Let's get Australia moving on solar feed in tariffs!

Sign the petition and help Rudd choose a solar future!
Fractured and inadequate state run feed in tariff systems simply aren't good enough. They do not reward system owners suitably and do not recognise the true value that grid connected solar power systems can contribute to stimulating our economy and lowering our greenhouse gas emissions. Lend your support to a gross feed in tariff program that will actually work and make Australia a leading nation in the uptake of clean, green solar power!

Concerning Melbourne's public transport, it's worth mentioning that before the heatwave there were a rising number of cancellations.

Cancellations by day

Fri 2/01/2009 15
Mon 5/01/2009 27
Tue 6/01/2009 33
Wed 7/01/2009 11
Thu 8/01/2009 10
Fri 9/01/2009 13
Mon 12/01/2009 28
Tue 13/01/2009 93
Wed 14/01/2009 45
Thu 15/01/2009 40
Fri 16/01/2009 24
Mon 19/01/2009 64
Tue 20/01/2009 86
Wed 21/01/2009 48
Thu 22/01/2009 50
Fri 23/01/2009 36
Tue 27/01/2009 48
Wed 28/01/2009 234
Thu 29/01/2009 170+

(Sat 24 to Mon 26 figures unavailable)
The heatwave began on Tuesday, and ended Friday night.

Through most of 2008, 10-20 cancellations a day was normal. So while the heat can be blamed for many cancellations, we can see that they were already in trouble before that. Recently it's just been a mess.

Connex claims it's the union's fault. That's because the train driver is like a plane pilot, they make the decision whether or not the vehicle is safe to drive. If they reject it, it goes to the yards for repair. Connex claims that as the drivers try to get better pay, trains are being rejected for trivial reasons, like slashed seats. The problem with that claim is that if it's so trivial they ought to be able to fix it quickly. I mean a slashed seat is pretty quick to fix compared to a blown engine, yeah?

It's Connex. Five years ago they said they didn't have enough passengers so they needed more money. Two years after that they got more passengers, and said that as a result they needed more money. So whatever happens they're always in a crisis and desperately need more money to get them out of it.

All of us have from time to time had to work with a person who, whatever the situation, was always flustered, always stuffed things up, and always had a reason that someone else was responsible. The thing to do with that guy is to sack him.

The privatisation of the southern states' transport networks are brilliant examples of how not to do things.

Oh definitely :)

To be clear, the real issue is not whether it's public or private. It's whether the different companies or organisations are competently run or not, and whether they talk to each-other.

So for example here we have bus depots near the train stations, but nobody's responsible for co-ordinating the timetables - so while your bus journey might be 15 minutes and your train journey 15 minutes, the total trip could be 50 minutes. Which is just stupid. It's like when you go to a restaurant in a group and one end of the table is eating their desserts just as the other end is getting their entrees.

They're just clueless.

Further to my comments in the previous BullRoarer about the Green Car Innovation Fund consultation in Brisbane yesterday, I've written a short piece, and sent it onto Phil. If anyones interested in going to their local meetings, you can book online at AusIndustry, or call them on 13 28 46. The Sydney and second Perth meetings are already booked out.

boom to doom

I saw Matt Mushalik's diagram on TOD the other day and it got me thinking about the bigger picture - so i thought i would have a go at slapping together past present and future taking in the very beginning and end.

its work in progress and i know theres some links missing, but i have tried to use time as a constraint to an items effects. a full description would obviously go a long way - but im not made of time.

interested in what others think.

and yes, i understand that i have no positive ending in there currently.

cheers

Why does "green investment" only lead to "greenwashing" or an "economic recovery" that only result sin another oil shock ?

Couldn't enough green investment negate the likelihood of an oil shock ?

yeh thats a difficult one. green investment could also lead to continued economic crisis if the investments are poor and doesnt create enough jobs etc. but i put it to ecomonic recovery as it would be the positive outcome if its done right. but that is a tough call.

i recon that green investment will lead to poor allocation of cash to make alot of companies look green. which would be a failure. ie. biofuel, hydrogen, green labelling to ideas that still lead to climate collapse. ie green disposable batteries and prius's.

as to good investment leading to an oilshock, i feel that we will fall into decline of 10% annually globally on light sweet before the world can ramp electric car production to 10million units a year - which i think would be the MIN we could possibly hope for to offset the decline. so hence any green investment isnt going to replace ICE engines in time to not feel the shock. we couldnt possible replace 10% of the fleet a year. 1% of the global fleet is 8mil. considering we have no EVs in Mass production in any serious numbers, and the decline to hit us inside of 10years, very likely within 5years, but maybe even this year - it doesnt leave enough time.

so yeah. green investment leads to oil shock through economic recover . or . has no effect and continues the ecomonic crisis until the depletion catches up.

keep developing it damo and we'll make it into a post in its own right when you're ready..

cheers

Where's the box that says:

"And Then a Miracle Happens"

;-)