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[Due to the increasing size of the archives, each topic page now contains only the prior 365 days of content. Access to older stories is now solely through the Monthly Archive pages or the site search function.]
Chevron and Partners to Proceed with Gorgon Natural Gas Project; Resources Estimated at 6.7B Barrels Oil Equivalent
September 14, 2009
| Map showing an overview of the Gorgon Project. Source: Chevron. Click to enlarge. |
Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, will proceed with the development of the large Gorgon natural gas project offshore Western Australia. Development proposals for the project were approved on 13 Sep by the Western Australian State Premier, and production licenses were granted by the Australian Minister for Resources and Energy.
The Greater Gorgon Area—comprising the Jansz and Gorgon fields—has projected natural gas resources equivalent to 6.7 billion barrels of oil (boe). The Gorgon Project, operated by the Chevron (currently 50%) in joint venture with Australian subsidiaries of ExxonMobil (25%) and Shell (25%), is currently estimated to cost A$43 billion (US$37 billion) for the first phase of development. First gas is planned for 2014.
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Algal Fuels Consortium (AFC) Wins $2.724M Australian Development Grant; Commercial Partner Sancon Has Rights for Commercialization in China
August 20, 2009
The Algal Fuel Consortium (AFC) recently won an A$2.724-million (US$2.259 million) research grant under the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism’s Second Generation Biofuels program in Australia. The grant will support the development of microalgal mass cultivation systems to generate biomass from captured CO2 emissions. This will then be used as a feedstock to a pilot-scale second generation biorefinery for sustainable production of biodiesel and value-added products.
Sancon Resources Recovery Inc., an environmental services and waste recycling company with operations in both China and Australia, is the founding commercial partner to the AFC and has the right to commercialize the technology for China.
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Ford Australia Invests A$230M in Fuel-Efficient Engines; First Global RWD Application of New 2.0L EcoBoost, LPG and Diesel
July 24, 2009
| The Ford Falcon (XT model shown) will be the first global RWD application of the new 2.0L EcoBoost engine. Click to enlarge. |
Ford Australia is investing A$230 million (US$188 million) to improve the fuel efficiency and environmental impact of its Australian-made models, including the first global rear-wheel drive application of Ford’s turbocharged, gasoline direct-injection 2.0L 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine (earlier post) in a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the Ford Falcon, starting in 2011. (Ford Australia has produced Falcons since 1960, originally based on the North American Falcon, a compact car Ford produced from 1960-1970.)
Ford Australia is taking two other steps in addition to the EcoBoost deployment to offer consumers more choices for vehicles with better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. First, in 2010, Ford will introduce an advanced liquid-injection LPG system for the Ford Falcon, making the Falcon more attractive to private, taxi and fleet markets.
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Australia Reels From Split Weather System, Suffers Effect Of “The Big Dry” And “The Big Wet”
February 12, 2009
by Jack Rosebro
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| Land surface temperature anomaly across Australia between 25 January and 1 February, 2009, during the first of two heatwaves in the Southeast as well as flooding in the North. The darkest reds and the darkest blues show a 10ºC temperature differential from baseline (white). Source: NASA. Click to enlarge. |
As Australia’s record heat waves during the last week of January and first week of February overloaded urban energy, water, and transport systems in the southernmost states of South Australia and Victoria while intensifying hundreds of seasonal and man-made bushfires throughout the countryside, the northeastern state of Queensland has struggled to cope with the effects of tropical cyclones Charlotte and Ellie, which brought rain and “king tides” that have made two-thirds of that state a disaster zone, destroying livestock as well as key crops and amplifying outbreaks of disease.
As many as 260 to 300 people are feared dead from fire in Victoria, with 181 deaths confirmed. The projected deaths surpass the combined fatalities from all of Australia’s major bushfire disasters (e.g. Black Friday of 1939, Ash Wednesday of 1983) in recorded history. Full accounting of all human remains are expected to take several months.
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Australia Sets Target of 5-15% Carbon Reduction by 2020, Announces 2010 Carbon Market
December 22, 2008
by Jack Rosebro
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| Business-as-usual trajectory and 2020 target trajectories for greenhouse gas emissions, 2005-2020. Click to enlarge. |
Australia’s politicians, business groups, environmentalists, and citizens are debating the country’s first proposed carbon reduction and trading plan White Paper[1], which was announced by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd last week.
The plan calls for a reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 5% to 15% below year 2000 levels by 2020, with the 15% cut occurring only “in the context of global agreement under which all major economies commit to substantially restrain emissions and advanced economies take on reductions comparable to Australia.”[2] Australia’s long-term GHG emissions reduction target is 60% below 1990 levels by 2050.
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GM Holden To Build New Small Car Alongside Commodore
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| Concept sketch of the new Holden small car. Click to enlarge. |
GM Holden will build an all-new small car in Australia alongside the Commodore range. The second carline will start in the third quarter of 2010 with support from the Federal and South Australian Governments. It will be GM Holden’s first locally produced car beyond its current range of larger vehicles since the Asian economic crisis ended Vectra production in 1998.
The vehicle will be based on GM’s global Delta small car platform and feature new technologies to increase fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse emissions. Other applications of the Delta platform will include the next-generation Chevrolet Cruze and Opel, Vauxhall and Saturn Astra.
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Blade Electric Vehicles Conversion of the Hyundai Getz Picks Up Momentum
December 14, 2008
Australia-based Blade Electric Vehicles (BEV), a small start-up that converts the Hyundai Getz into a lithium-ion powered electric vehicle with a range of 120 km (75 miles), recently won a contract to supply 200 of the converted Getz (called the Electron) vehicles to New Zealand. BEV expects to have 18 of its Electrons on the road in Australia by the end of the year. (Blade Electric Vehicles was founded by Ross Blade, and has no relationship with the Blade bolt-on tailpipe filter marketed by Sabertec as an aftermarket system to improve fuel economy.)
BEV is targeting the four-seat Electron at government and corporate fleets that travel short commuter distances. The City of Melbourne, one of the original purchasers of an Electron, found that its fuel cost was A$1.00/100km—or A$0.01/km (approximately $US0.01 per mile at current exchange rates), according to Blade.
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Australia Publishes Aviation Green Paper; Precursor to White Paper on Aviation Strategy in 2009
December 07, 2008
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| Passenger air journeys within and to and from Australia. Click to enlarge. |
The Government of Australia has published an Aviation Green Paper, and is inviting comments on it to be considered in the development of a White Paper in 2009. The Aviation White Paper will be the first attempt to bring all aspects of aviation policy together in a single forward-looking statement.
Australia’s economy is heavily dependent upon aviation, given its vast internal distances and isolation from the rest of the world, says Anthony Albanese, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. The Aviation White Paper will be intended to deliver a blueprint for the long-term, safe and sustainable development of Australian aviation over the next 20 years.
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Australia Seeks Public Discussion of Measures to Encourage the Adoption of More Fuel-Efficient Vehicles
September 30, 2008
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| Projected average CO2 emissions of the Australian LDV fleet under a range of CO2 targets. Fleet-wide improvements take a long time even with aggressive new vehicle targets. Click to enlarge. |
The Australian Transport Council and the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Working Group, with support from the Australian Government, have released a public discussion paper on potential measures to increase the adoption of more fuel-efficient, low-carbon emission vehicles.
Among the measures considered are a CO2 emissions standard for new vehicles; standards for non-engine components; and feebate programs. Closing date for public comments is 7 November 2008.
