The commencement of the Strategic Energy Initiative (SEI) consultative phase marked by today’s release of the SEI Issues Paper represents an opportunity to work with the WA Government to develop the State’s energy vision for 2030 based on the goals of secure, reliable, competitive and cleaner energy outcomes.
The Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), WA Director Tom Baddeley said the oil and gas industry is critical to delivering reliable and clean energy for Western Australia and the Asia-Pacific.

“There is an abundance of gas in Commonwealth waters off WA – enough for both the domestic and export markets for many decades to come. In fact, there a number of projects at various stages of planning and development that could double the State’s gas supply capacity within the next six years and greatly increase supply diversity for customers,” said Mr Baddeley.

“We need to make sure the SEI delivers the policy settings that encourage further investment, attract new market entrants and deliver diversity of supply.

“It is important that the SEI is market-based and supports sustainable and efficient economic development.

“Some customers have exploited recent gas market tightness to argue for greater government intervention, including policy changes which would have the perverse effect of actually discouraging long-term investment in gas exploration and development. These customers should work with project developers to agree on long-term contracts that will assist new gas projects to proceed.

“We need to be very wary of subsidising uneconomic projects and justifying interventionist policy changes on the basis of unrealistic energy demand projections that are not supported by firm customer commitments.

“We also need to look at the whole of the energy supply chain and identify the barriers to investment, including capacity constraints on gas transmission pipelines,” Mr Baddeley said.

Source: http://www.appea.com.au/content/pdfs_docs_xls/NewsMedia/APPEAMediaReleases/091231_-_wa_sei_issues_paper.pdf

The Australian Direct Marketing Association supports yesterday’s decision by the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) to object to an increase in Australia Post prices which, if accepted, would have taken effect on 1 January 2010.

ADMA Chief Executive Officer, Rob Edwards said, “an increase to Australia Post’s prices, following so closely on the heels of one this time last year, would have been inappropriate. During this time of fledgling economic recovery such an increase would hardly assist industry.”

Rob Edwards was keen to stress that Australia is blessed with one of the most efficient and effective mail services in the world which had been integral to the success of commerce here. But, as a monopoly, Australia Post policies should be subject to review.

“The most substantial risk posed by a price increase was the possibility of it hastening substitution of letter services leading to a further decline in demand for Australia Post services. It’s an action which could create a cycle in which prices are increased again to offset falling revenues,” Rob Edwards said.

Australia Post may reapply for an increase in prices in the future, at a time yet to be determined by the ACCC, but will be required to provide additional information on its demand and cost forecasts.

Source: http://www.adma.com.au/data/portal/00000947/content/27662001260509525952.pdf

Advanced Cooks Stoves - To address the adverse health and environmental outcomes associated with the use of traditional open fire cook stoves, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) convened a Technical Consultation today to bring experts from civil society, academia, business, and government to discuss the potential and opportunities for moving forward with improved, cleaner, and healthier cook stoves in India.

Opening the Technical Consultation, U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer said, “India and the U.S. are working together on initiatives spanning the full range of human endeavor including a Green Partnership to develop clean technologies, which will provide us all with an environmentally-sustainable, healthier future while creating job opportunities for the citizens of both our countries.”

Urging everyone present at the consultation to work together to find a way forward for the health of the communities and the planet, Ambassador Roemer said, “today’s conference brings us one step closer to developing safe and affordable cook stoves that honor the cooking traditions so important to families throughout India while protecting the health and safety of these families and our environment.”

Facts about chulha use in India

• Nearly three-fourths of Indian households use open fires or chulhas (with or without chimneys) and depend on solid fuel (wood, charcoal, coal, dung cakes, etc.) for cooking.
• Two-thirds of Indian households (including 3 out of 10 urban households and 8 out of 10 rural households) use open fires or chulhas without a chimney. This is not just a rural issue.
• 44 percent of households use open fires or chulhas without a chimney inside the house, exposing women and children to high levels of toxic smoke from solid fuels.

Impact of indoor air pollution (IAP) on maternal and child health

• Open fires or chulhas without a chimney, used inside poorly ventilated houses are a major contributor to indoor air pollution (IAP). The majority of those exposed to IAP are women, who are normally responsible for food preparation, and their infants and young children, who are usually with their mothers in the cooking area.
• In India every year exposure to smoke from solid fuels may be responsible for nearly 400,000 deaths to children under 5 years of age and 34,000 deaths to women due to chronic respiratory disease.
• Substantial evidence has been generated associating IAP with health hazards such as childhood acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, perinatal mortality, low birth weight, and cataracts. It has been estimated that IAP contributes to 3- 5 percent of the national burden of disease in India.

Impact of open fires/chulhas on the environment

• Chulhas are a source of black carbon, which is being recognized as a significant contributor to global warming. Black carbon has been implicated in accelerating the melting of the Himalayan glaciers.
• Wood is the most commonly used solid fuel. The use of firewood results in significant pressure on local forests and woodlands, contributing to deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification.
• Globally, approximately one-third of net black carbon and carbon monoxide emissions come from household fuels.

Source: http://www.usaid.gov/in/newsroom/press_releases/dec10_9.htm