GOOD NEWS!

* 'Rewiring Australia' - independent not-for-profit organisation headed by Dr Saul Griffith that aims to 'electrify everything with renewable energy' has just released a proposal for a no-cost installation of rooftop solar energy systems and storage batteries for 11 million households owned and rented in Australia!  [see Rewiring Australia/EELS for video and details]

* EELS stands for 'Electrify Everything Loans Scheme'

* In brief the EELS proposal to Federal government works like this:

            + Federal government provides (on average) a $20,000.00  loan to any household owner  (house or apartment)  applying to the scheme to install both rooftop solar and storage battery;

            +Householder generates, stores and uses the generated energy on-site which significantly reduces cost-of-living electricity bills  [generally accepted cost of electricity generated and used on site is 6 cents/ Kw (see Griffith.S., The Big Switch , Black Books Inc, 2022) - a significant reduction in the charges levied by central grid electricity providers and future proofed against any increases in prices by them;

           + Government owns the energy generation and storage equipment until the house/apartment is sold and then the loan is repaid from the proceeds of the sale - bear in mind a conservative researched estimate of increase in sale price of houses with rooftop solar and storage battery is 10%. - so the increased sale price would generally more than cover the loan amoun to be repaid. 

            + ADVANTAGES - The proposed scheme has a number: 

  • no upfront costs to households for installation and significantly  reduced energy costs to households;
  • significant decrease in electricity demand from an increasingly ailing central grid with inefficient fossil-fuel generating power stations increasingly closing or failing; 
  • reduced need for disputed transmission lines as the number of household generators increase;  
  • possible provision from domestic electricity storage to the central grid to rescue consumers when the central electricity grid is damaged [e.g., Victoria - it was domestic rooftop solar generated power diverted to the main grid that saved thousands more  Victorians from being blacked-out for days when the recent wild winds took down five Origin Energy towers and transmission lines - see Renew Economy, February ];
  • provides the necessary back up electricity storage that is generally agreed will be necessary as an ailing central grid fails [see Renew Economy 5th March, 2024 - Government's 'Clean Energy Council proposes $6500.00 for home batteries to 'soak up' excess electrical energy generation] ;
  • increases the essential transition to renewable energy by making households renewable energy generators, storers and users instead of consumers;
  • loan, as proposed, will also provide for the costs of transition from gas powered cooking and heating supporting installation of induction cooking, heat pumps for hot water, and reverse-cycle heating and cooling [NOTE: Ku-ring-gai Council already offers $500.00 rebate to do this - see Council 'Net Zero' website]; 
  • assures the most rapid transition away from fossil fuels generated energy and makes a significant impact on reduction of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions- very positive actions against factors causing climate change;   
  • NOTE: Fossil-fuel mining and power generation are the two greatest contributors to Australia GHG emissions.

  • COST? - less than the billions of $A that currently subsidises coal and gas mining companies - often owned internationally. 

    Australia is transitioning to use the cheapest, most efficient and reliable energy - that is the Sun!! - and it's FREE: we get 10,000 times the amount of energy we need in Australia every year from it!

     

  • WHAT WE NEED TO DO: if you would like to see the Albanese government legislate to make this proposal happen please familiarise yourself with the details of the proposal [go to Rewiring Australia/EELS  AND THEN WRITE/TALK TO YOUR FEDERAL MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT URGING HER/HIM TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED SCHEME.   Don't delay - discussions are already occurring in Canberra between Ministers and representatives of Rewiring Australia.

     

  • Something to think on - Rio Tinto, one of the biggest aluminium producers - and one of the biggest users of electricity in Australia - just announced that it is transitioning its power generators and smelters at Tomago (NSW) and Gladstone (Qld) from fossil fuel (particularly gas) to renewable energy (solar and wind)  .  [see 'Renew Economy' website - podcast by Vik Selvaraja, Executive, Rio Tinto] .  When the big corporates start going renewable it's time for you and me to do the same!!

     

    BAD NEWS!  The petrol/diesel truck and ute lobby has forced exemptions for utes and trucks from required emissions reductions standards!   

    Australia has finally emission standards on its cars and SUVs! Good! - BUT Pretty weak AND Nothing like the standards we need or were hoping for - or would  make us comparable with other developed countries in Europe - apart from Russia!! 

    BUT WORSE - the very big polluters on our roads have been given exemption! Once again the federal government  gave in to the petrol/diesel/ fossil-fuel producing lobbyists!

     

    [David Smith, for 'Electrifying Bradfield Inc.]

     

 

              

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