10 reasons the proposed Road User Tax is bad policy
Here are the 10 main reasons why the planned Road User Tax is flawed and counterproductive for Australia.
Climate change
SA Industry Climate Change Conference
Very much looking forward to this week’s South Australian Industry Climate Change Conference. Last year’s event was very influential in increasing industry ambition on effective climate action, with an emphasis on practical outcomes. It was very well attended and brilliantly organised. Highly recommended.
Planet Talks at WOMADelaide 2023
WOMADelaide is best known as a glorious long weekend of music and dance from around the world. But Planet Talks also gives some special opportunities for sharing ideas with some of the world’s most inspiring thought leaders and activists who are working on key global environmental and justice issues.
Big ideas to share
For 2023 much of the focus will be on the First Nations Voice to Parliament, the Race to Netzero, Rights for Nature and Crimes Against Nature.
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From Ecocide to Eden: learning from luminaries
With WOMADelaide 2022 coming up fast, it made me reflect on previous festivals.
Might it be that – in simplistic terms – there are two types of people: those who use their talents to enrich themselves, and those who use their special skills to enrich the lives of others? My experience in media leads me to think so.
I’ve been very fortunate to interview some special people over recent years, people who have dedicated their lives to ensuring they contribute to safeguarding our planet and improving social equity, and have been guests at WOMADelaide as part of the superb Planet Talks series. Here are some of the best.
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A remarkable vision of our future on the planet
It’s finally happened. I’m reading a book that is living up to – and exceeding – the breathless accolades of commendation on the covers. It’s a particular joy for me. In the past, with quite a few books, I read a few chapters, become a little bored, and skip to the final chapter.
But not this one. I’m devouring every one of the 106 chapters over 563 pages.
It feels to me that the author has had so many ideas pent up that they decided to incorporate them all into one magnum opus. It’s fascinating.
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Episode 9 – Battery storage – adding a second Tesla PowerWall
2021 – Battery options modelling
In September 2020 we installed our first battery at Sturt Apartments, Christie Walk. You can read the story of our modelling, battery choices and lessons learned in Episode 7 – Battery storage – Tesla PowerWall 2
Everything had gone to plan with the installation of the battery; performance was as expected. The savings generated by our PV upgrade and the battery were flowing into our Green Fund, enabling us to begin planning for the installation of our second battery.
Our modelling indicated that our 21kW PVs were generating enough power to usefully support up to about 55kWh of battery storage, corresponding to 4 x Tesla PowerWall 2 batteries. In cost-benefit terms, a sweet-spot would be with 2 batteries. In the depths of winter in July – on many days – we’d still generate enough spare power to fully charge the batteries for use after sundown.
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Episode 8 – We need to talk about shower heads
How sustainable is your daily shower?
Most shower heads at Christie Walk are WELS 3 standard, running at about 9L/minute. They were the best that were readily available when construction of our eco-village was completed in 2006. Older shower heads could be up to 22L/minute.
But the latest Ultra Low Flow shower heads run at 5L/min, and still give a satisfying shower.
So what is at stake here?
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Episode 7 – Battery storage – Tesla Powerwall 2
2020 – Battery options modelling
In the middle of all that work on evacuated tubes, we learned that change was imminent in the SA Government Home Battery Scheme. To qualify for the maximum $6k subsidy, applications had to be lodged by 15th April.
Our modelling indicated that our 21kW PVs were generating enough power to usefully support up to about 55kWh of battery storage, corresponding to 4 x Tesla PowerWall 2 batteries. In cost-benefit terms, a sweet-spot would be with 2 batteries. In the depths of winter in July we’d still generate enough net power to fully charge the batteries for use overnight.
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Episode 6 – More evacuated tube solar hot water boosters
Adventures with an environment-conscious inner-urban community
2020
This was the crisis year for so many people – bushfires, COVID, job losses – and it also happened to be the year of our most adventurous emissions-reduction planning, carrying out 2 major projects a few months apart.
Stage 2 solar hot water boosters
The evacuated tube solar hot water boosters we had installed in 2018 were performing well, so it was time to build the second stage. We’d completed the design work in 2019 and had commenced the Development Application (DA) process with the City of Adelaide in September 2019. DA is required by Council if solar collectors are not mounted flat on the roof. After 9 weeks of back and forth, providing additional drawings and details, we finally received Planning Consent in mid-November.
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Episode 5 – Finalist – Carbon Neutral Adelaide Awards
Adventures with an environment-conscious inner-urban community
2016 to 2019 – Carbon Neutral Adelaide
Since 2016 we’d had regular contact with the Carbon Neutral Adelaide team, culminating in our carbon emission inventory for the 2017 year. I’d also attended the Carbon Neutral Adelaide Awards nights in 2017 and 2018.
I’d found the Awards nights to be highly motivating. To be in the room with such a mix of corporates, NGOs, SA Government and Adelaide City Council people, all focussed on working more efficiently and will less emissions was memorable and inspirational.
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BrianLoffler 