Victoria’s environmental watchdog 'ignores big polluters, cracks down on oBikes’

Victoria's environmental watchdog is doing nothing to rein in global warming, preferring to crack down on dumped oBikes rather than regulate carbon emissions.

Victoria's environmental watchdog has been accused of
prioritising dumped oBikes over addressing climate change.

So argues a new report by Environment Victoria, which finds the Environment Protection Authority is letting the state's biggest carbon polluters off scot-free even though it has the power to make them cut their greenhouse gas emissions.

If the EPA continues to turn a blind eye, Victoria could ultimately fail to reach its goal of emitting no carbon dioxide by 2050, the report warns.

The 2050 target is integral to Victoria's plan to play its part to limit global warming to below two degrees of pre-industrial levels and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Read Adam Carey’s story in the Melbourne Age - “Victoria’s environmental watchdog 'ignores big polluters, cracks down on oBikes’.”

Energy prices are high because consumers are paying for useless, profit-boosting infrastructure

The preliminary report on energy prices released last week by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) suggests that the consumer watchdog is concerned about almost every aspect of Australia’s electricity industry. It quotes customer groups who say electricity is the biggest issue in their surveys, and cites several case studies of outrageous price increases experienced by various customers.

Infrastructure construction – including poles, wires
and substations – has far outstripped peak demand.

The report is long on sympathy about the plight of Australia’s electricity users. But the true picture is even worse – in reality, the ACCC’s assessment of Australia’s energy prices compared to the rest of the world is absurdly rosy.

Read the piece on The Conversation by the Director, Carbon and Energy Markets from Victoria University,  Bruce Mountain - “Energy prices are high because consumers are paying for useless, profit-boosting infrastructure.”

‘Held to ransom': Esso-BHP gas production drop to be examined by ACCC

The competition watchdog will demand ESSO and BHP Billiton explain in more detail why gas supplies from its Bass Strait joint venture will decline sharply next year amid concerns the nation is "being held to ransom”.

Under scrutiny: A big drop in expected gas
 supplies from the Bass Strait has the ACCC
drilling for more information.

There are also calls for acting resources minister Barnaby Joyce to make public a study into offshore gas resources he has had for more than a month that could shed light on the venture's future.

The Turnbull government has so far blamed soaring gas prices on governments in Victoria and NSW for blocking or stalling on new gasfields, and in Queensland for allowing excessive LNG exports.

But by far the biggest contributor to the projected national shortfall of 55-108 petajoules of gas in 2018 will be the 86pj drop from the Esso-BHP's record output of 330pj  this year, according to a recent  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission report.

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “‘Held to ransom': Esso-BHP gas production drop to be examined by ACCC.”

Turnbull government faces questions over Snowy Hydro 2.0 as firm banned over corruption allegations

An arm of the company tasked with advising the Turnbull government on its signature infrastructure project, Snowy Hydro 2.0, has been banned by the World Bank for alleged bribery and corruption, prompting further calls for a federal anti-corruption watchdog.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull poses for a
photo during his announcement of Snowy
Hydro 2.0 in March. 

Federal Labor has demanded the Turnbull government reassure taxpayers the project remains on track, and the Greens have suggested the matter underscores the need for a corruption commission to oversee government agencies.

Engineering company SMEC had five of its subsidiaries banned by the World Bank last week after an investigation into "inappropriate payments" linked to projects in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 

SMEC was chosen to undertake the $29 million feasibility study back in May and the work is due to be finished by the end of the year. The firm was selected by the state and federal government-owned Snowy Hydro corporation, which runs the current power plant.

Read the story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Turnbull government faces questions over Snowy Hydro 2.0 as firm banned over corruption allegations.”

Letterman learns about renewable energy

U.S. TV host David Letterman
learning about renewable energy.

David Letterman puts aside the frivolities of Hollywood for a moment to learn a little about renewable energy.

The U.S. television host who usually dabbles in celebrity chat and matters from a similar dynamic, changed speed recently to talk with a professor of civil and environmental engineering from Stamford University, Mark Jacobson.

Jacobson, who is also the director of the university’s atmosphere watchdog, said that more that more than 2.5 to four million deaths occur worldwide because of air pollution.