Energy
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100% Renewable Energy Now!
Australia currently generates the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions of OECD countries.
Increasing numbers of Benalla houses have solar panels delivering renewable energy to the home --imagine all houses in Benalla had solar! Some rural communities are already working towards or achieving energy self-sufficiency reducing both electricity costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
However the Australian Conservation Foundation research Consuming Australia shows that only about 25 to 30% of our direct per capita emissions are generated in the home. The balance of our indirect per capita emissions are embodied in our consumption expenditure.
Approximately two thirds of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions comes from fossil fuel combustion in the stationary energy and transport sectors. Close to 90% of emissions from the stationary energy sector comes from the combustion of coal. This generates the electricity supplied to homes and businesses via the grid. The above live generation widget shows the high proportion of coal in Australia's electricity generation mix.
The indirect component of our per capita emissions will only be reduced with a transition to renewable energy in the stationary energy sector.
Beyond Zero Emissions has released a plan to transition Australia to 100% renewable stationary energy in ten years. The plan supplies base-load renewable energy at an affordable cost using a combination of wind and solar thermal power with molten salt storage.
Beyond Zero Emissions have made a presentation to the group on their 100% Stationary Energy Plan for Australia.
The Zero Carbon Australia 2020 Stationary Energy Plan outlines a technically feasible and economically attractive way for Australia to transition to 100% renewable energy within ten years.
BSFG held a most successful community forum 'Benalla's Renewable Energy Future' in October 2016. An action group of BSFG, Renewable Energy Benalla (REB) was formed which is now actively pursuing the objective that Benalla become a Zero Net Energy town. REB is also involved in other projects such as community solar. Check out the activies of Renewable Energy Benalla (REB) on the Renewable Energy Benalla website - https://reb.org.au
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Calculate your Carbon Footprint.
There are many online carbon footprint calculators. This one from UK Consultancy Carbon Footprint considers your country and in addition to household and transport emissions also allows for emissions from secondary expenditure, which can be a significant proportion of our carbon footprint. This calculator does lead on to offsetting your emissions which is argued by many as reducing the incentive to actually make changes to reduce our carbon emissions. You might be surprised to see where your personal emissions are coming from!
Note, once you have calculated your carbon footprint clear your data using the link near the bottom of the Results tab.
There are many online carbon footprint calculators. This one from UK Consultancy Carbon Footprint considers your country and in addition to household and transport emissions also allows for emissions from secondary expenditure, which can be a significant proportion of our carbon footprint. This calculator does lead on to offsetting your emissions which is argued by many as reducing the incentive to actually make changes to reduce our carbon emissions. You might be surprised to see where your personal emissions are coming from!
Note, once you have calculated your carbon footprint clear your data using the link near the bottom of the Results tab.