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Right now Australia faces a choice: we can continue our dependence on fossil fuels, keep mining and burning coal, keep polluting our air and water. We can keep damaging our farmland and heath, be left behind the rest of the world on investment and face an uncertain future with an unstable climate. Or we can make the switch to 100% clean renewable energy, creating a safer, healthier happier future for all.  Join us to ensure Australia makes this choice to help the turn the vision of a 100% Renewable future into a reality.

Renew Geelong's air, spirit and economy with renewable energy - Sign this petition! 48-hour petition - until Tuesday. Share on Facebook and Twitter. Forward this e-mail.  ________________________________________________________   We're hoping the citizens of Geelong will speak up and take a stand in this wind farm drama about community backing.  Let Hydro Tasmania know that there are community groups who object to these secretly funded anti-wind campaigners who allegedly have no worries about climate change. Support Hydro Tasmania in their $2 billion plan to combat carbon emissions and global warming - and to boost sustainability in Victoria.  The petition started today and closes on Tuesday 25 June. (Sign the petition and send a personal comment to the board of Hydro Tasmania:  https://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/board-of-hydro-tasmania-renew-geelong-s-air-spirit-and-economy-with-renewable-energy ________________________________________________________ Comments to Hydro Tasmania from the first signatories: "Geelong has relied to long on out dated technology and fossil fuels, renewables energy is our future."(~ Katharine Drummond-Gillett   "Renewable energy projects would revitalise Geelong's economy." (~ Vicki Perrett   "The Geelong and broader regional community are committed to moving towards a more sustainable lifestyle, evident through community actions, changes in manufacturing sectors, the Cleantech Innovations Geelong supported by Geelong Manufacturing, the City of Greater Geelong and community to transition to a renewable energy economy."(~ Suzette Jackson ________________________________________________________ This petition is organised by Parents for Climate Safety More information about the petition: www.climatesafety.info/?p=2970 ________________________________________________________

"Power generation from hydro, wind, solar and other renewable sources worldwide will exceed that from gas and be twice that from nuclear by 2016, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today in its second annual Medium-Term Renewable Energy Market Report (MTRMR). According to the MTRMR, despite a difficult economic context, renewable power is expected to increase by 40% in the next five years. Renewables are now the fastest-growing power generation sector and will make up almost a quarter of the global power mix by 2018, up from an estimated 20% in 2011. The share of non-hydro sources such as wind, solar, bioenergy and geothermal in total power generation will double, reaching 8% by 2018, up from 4% in 2011 and just 2% in 2006."

Investment in renewable energy infrastructure is outstripping that for fossil fuels. Investment was equal in 2008, but the balance has swung since. During 2011, globally, $40 billion was invested in fossil fuels. $260 billion was invested in renewables.  In the past year the price of photo voltaic cells has dropped by 50%. Peter Newman describes the growth of investment in renewable as exponential. He says we are living through one of the most dramatic periods in history as fossil fuels are being phased out.

"The way we generate, transfer and use energy is changing, and our energy systems and infrastructure have come under increasing pressure to cope. Black-outs strike where we would expect reliable supplies, energy costs are rising, pushed up by fossil fuel prices and the expense of renewing ageing electricity infrastructure. As the proportion of energy generated from renewables like wind, wave and solar power rises, part of the solution to such intermittently generated energy is technology that can store the energy until it is needed."

"The first sod was turned this week for what will soon become home to Australia's largest battery. The battery is an important component of the King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP), which aims to reduce the island's reliance on diesel fuel and increase use of renewable energy to supply the island's power needs."

Australia has world class renewable energy resources across a range of technologies, from solar and wind through to hot rocks and oceans. We have what it takes to lead the world into a 100% renewable energy future.

"A national survey on energy affordability carried out by CHOICE, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Energy Efficiency Council revealed 84 per cent of Australian households are concerned or very concerned about energy costs. The same percentage felt it was important or very important for their State Government to help rein in these costs.     However, instead of screaming for renewable energy support to be hit to cut the cost of power - a default choice it seems for many politicians - this was the least popular action in the survey. In fact, knee-capping renewables had a negative net approval rating in every state. "

"Renewable energy effectively uses natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, hydroelectricity/micro hydro, biomass and biofuels for transportation."

"Community renewable energy has significant political and economic benefits, but is often hindered by five major barriers. Watch this vividly illustrated presentation to learn how communities can overcome the barriers and advance more local renewable energy. ILSR Senior Researcher John Farrell gave this presentation as part of a Sustainable Economies Law Center webinar on April 30, 2013."

REN21 is a global policy network that provides a forum for international leadership on renewable energy. Its goal is to bolster policy development for the rapid expansion of renewable energies in developing and industrialised economies.

"Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power appear to be the impetus behind a South Australian proposal to substantially drop electricity prices, just as other states are hiking theirs. The Essential Service Commission of South Australian (ESCOSA), which regulates retail electricity prices, has released a draft price determination that proposes an 8.1% reduction in the electricity standing offer, (that is, the default retail price that must be offered to South Australians, at a minimum)."

"Renewable Energy Target"

"Good News Friday, April 25 {Solar Power, Extreme Green Buildings, Growth of Renewables}"

"Unsubsidised renewable energy is now cheaper than electricity from new-build coal- and gas-fired power stations in Australia, according to new analysis from research firm Bloomberg New Energy Finance. "

"We've been witnessing a quiet revolution in the wind turbine field with the unveiling at Geelong, in Victoria, of the first Eco Whisper wind turbine, developed by Queensland based company, Renewable Energy Solutions Australia (RESA). The unveiling in Geelong, yesterday, was particularly significant as the major Victorian regional city is making a big play to become a centre for renewable energy in Australia."

This interactive map shows the UK "Operation Renewable Electricity Sites" over 0.01 MW listed in the Department of Energy and Climate Change's RESTATS Planning Database extract, downloaded on 30 December 2013.

"Coal-fired electricity may have little or no economic future in Australia, a new analysis has found. While the new government seems determined to turn its back on renewable energy, our study shows that even without a carbon price, and even with the assumption that carbon capture and storage will eventually become commercially available, coal may not be able to compete with renewable electricity."

"The recent start of construction on the first of two large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants in outback New South Wales shows the importance of renewable energy targets and funding. The first, currently being built at Nyngan, will be the largest solar PV farm in the southern hemisphere, producing 103 megawatts at peak capacity. "

"Renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydro power could supply electricity at prices comparable to fossil fuels by 2030, according to a study commissioned by the federal government. Modelling by the Australian Energy Market Operator shows that 100 per cent of power from clean energy would be technically viable by 2030 - although with a price tag ranging from $219 billion to $252 billion."

"The Federal Government has sparked significant debate with the confirmation it intends to move from a fixed carbon price to an emissions trading scheme next year. But where is the description of the long term, low carbon future for Australia? Aside from the 90% renewable energy target proposed by the Greens, the major parties are slim on long-term vision."