who pays Alcoa's power bill? : Melbourne Indymedia

Alcoa alluminium smelter, uses the cheapest dirtiest power, it's not just the sulphur dioxide, nitros oxide, mercury, thorium, radon, uranium and plethora of other heavy metals. But the CO2 produced to power alccoa, ANd who pays?

This action is in response to a recent waste of tax payers money telling Victorians to save small amounts of power at home while the big end of town has a blank cheque to pollute

The Balloons are mocking a recent series of Victorian Government ads, while Bracks asks consumers to make tiny savings at home, the really big polluters like Alcoa, owned by Alcoa World ALumina, CITIC (Chinese government) and a Japanese conglomerate, represents the single biggest consumer of electricity producing the most Greenhouse gasses in Victoria. Alcoa recieves subsidies of around $125 Million dollars a year, paid for by the people of Victoria through higher electricity prices and innapproriately directed tax money that could be better spent on health, education or solving our polluting energy supply problem through renewable energy and demand side reduction.

http://www.futureenergy.org/ (Beyond Zero Emissions)
http://www.greenpeace.org/
http://www.envict.org.au/

Press Release by Beyond Zero Emissions
matthew@futureenergy.org

Time for tough decisions on climate change

Melbourne, Australia — Greenpeace will today replicate the Victorian Government’s recent climate change advert by suspending 1,000 black balloons above Parliament House. The protest highlights the need for the Victorian Government to make tough decisions on the state’s big polluters; particularly Alcoa which wants to expand its Portland and Port Henry aluminium smelters. The two smelters already use about 15% of the state’s electricity, producing a massive quantity of greenhouse gas pollution.

The balloons, each symbolising 50g of greenhouse gas, represent just a tiny fraction of the CO2 produced by Alcoa. 1,000 balloons, printed with the message ’50 grams of greenhouse gas proudly brought to you by Alcoa’, will be attached to a giant cheque for $125 million: equivalent to the annual tax-payer funded discount on its electricity bill Alcoa receives from the State Government.

“The Bracks Government’s ads have been really effective in raising community awareness about climate change and urging people to save energy in their homes. However to make real progress in cutting greenhouse pollution the State Government needs to take on the big polluters like Alcoa,” said Mark Wakeham, Greenpeace energy campaigner.

“The average Victorian household produces around 12 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year, or 240,000 balloons. But if Victorians could see the amount of greenhouse gas Alcoa produces they would be stunned: Alcoa uses almost a fifth of the state’s electricity, which produces greenhouse gases equal to 240 billion balloons per year. We only have 1,000 balloons here – Alcoa emits nearly eight times this number of balloons per second just from the electricity it uses.” (1)

While the Bracks Government has taken some positive steps forward on climate change, like introducing its renewable energy target, it has shied away from the tough decisions: like allowing Hazelwood to expand; ruling out the expansion of Alcoa’s aluminium smelters and setting a target for reducing Victoria’s greenhouse pollution.

“By legislating a target to reduce the state’s greenhouse pollution by 20% by 2020, Premier Bracks can set the bar for assessing new developments and encourage cleaner industry. Alcoa and other polluters will then know what targets they need to meet if they want to expand their operations,” Mr Wakeham said.

“Our current political leaders are making decisions about how much our climate will change. It’s time that they started making those decisions based on what’s best for Victorians, rather than what’s best for multinational companies like Alcoa.”

Notes:
(1) Alcoa currently consumes 8,200,000 MWh of electricity per annum at an average greenhouse intensity of 1.467 tonnes per Mwh = 12,029,400 tonnes per year. The Victorian Government’s ads use balloons to visually represent greenhouse pollution. One balloon represents 50g of greenhouse pollution. Therefore there are 20,000 balloons per tonne of greenhouse pollution.

Therefore Alcoa emits the equivalent of:

240 billion balloons per year or
659,145,205 balloons per day or
27,464,383 balloons per hour or
457,739 balloons per minute or
7,628 balloons second

Note this only represents the emissions from its electricity consumption. When point-source emissions from the smelters are included the number is likely to be at least 10% higher.

(2) Alcoa has two aluminium smelters in Victoria – one older plant at Point Henry in Geelong and another larger operation in Portland. It has been estimated that the Portland smelter currently emits four times more greenhouse pollution than the aluminium industry world average. (Source: The Aluminium Industry’s Sustainable Development Report states the world average GHGs from aluminium electrolysis is about 3.6 tonnes CO2e/tonne p.7)

(3) Any expansion of Alcoa’s operations must not increase Victoria’s net greenhouse pollution levels. To ensure the expansion of Alcoa’s operations does not derail Victoria’s transition to a clean energy mix, the Victorian Government must:

- Rule out Alcoa’s expansion being powered by coal
- Publicly announce Alcoa will not receive any protection from future climate change policies (e.g. an emissions trading scheme, renewable energy target etc)
- Ensure Alcoa’s Portland and Point Henry smelters operate to world’s best practice, by building energy efficiency requirements into the approval process
- Stop subsidising Alcoa’s electricity bills to provide the company with some incentive to reduce its energy use

The supposed 'remediations' based on 'greenhouse suppositions' can have NO beneficial effect, there NOT possible any 'CO2 based' warming effect to begin with, and can only then be seen as potentially DETRIMENTAL to the NATURAL course of Climate events and the persistence of those NATURAL alterations to Climate being observed in their irregular but otherwise reasonable GENTLE style. The 'arrangement' organised in Kyoto was not at all an 'environmental remediation', those materials constituting the actual environment with their actual behaviours going unregarded. There are NOT infact any 'greenhouse behaving' (as per the 'greenhouse theory' describes') gases within the Atmosphere & thus there CANNOT be a 'greenhouse effect' even existent. Attempts to present measure of CO2, or supposed 'greenhouse gases' generally, as a 'proxy' for Temperature ignores that fact that such measure do NOT indicate the actual induction of Kinetic Energy by those materials actually present. Attempts to fabricate 'authenticity' for such proxy generally rely upon use of other 'greenhouse calculations for otherwise 'unknown periods' which cannot be presented in FACT or accuracy. One guess does NOT validate another when there is NOT any reality in either.

It is NOT possible for the 'greenhouse theory' to produce in reality a 'warming effect' as it is supposed, with manipulation of Energy within the 'Infrared Region' with regard to the real materials present (including those materials involved/contained in 'life forms'. In case of ANY further 'confusion' as to which 'material' is the most involved in the ENERGY interaction concerns of the surface Bio-forms, it is their content of SALINE WATER which makes ANY fluctuation in Energy within the Infrared Region UNABLE to present any sufficiency of ENERGY to 'control' a 'warming process' as is made within the 'greenhouse theory'. That the HUMAN Bio-form is NOW 'traceable' to ~7 Millions years into the Past and is NOT in that time showing ANY consistent traits TO the persistent presence of a supposed 'greenhouse effect' within that 'period'.

If is noticed the reality of the warmer ocean surface (slides in link * below), you will see that this trend follows the present Land Surface rise in 'shape' even, lagging by 15 years due to the productions of Conduction and Convection transporting that Kinetic Energy TO the Ocean Surface whilst the muting of that displayed trend is due to internal production of Turbulence in the Ocean surface as reaction to those inputs of Kinetic Energy (this trend is seen in plots at the link * below). There is nothing UNNATURAL seen as yet in the production of the overall Climate Oscillation, and ONLY the cumulative effect from the production of Human Habitat Sprawl upon the land surface (related to Human Population growth in its rapid rise from 500 Million to over 6 Billion in ~400 years) can be seen (see slides at link *).

There is not any valid link either for CO2 (noticing its actual behaviours) to any possible warming process. So apart from pollution, there is not any reason to consider existent a 'greenhouse warming & climate altering' process. Isotopical analysis is not able to discern more that the spread of Isotopical forms, and these are well known to present identical Chemistry. This FACT is used widely in SCIENCE (Medicine especially) and cannot tell where the Carbon atom 'came' from with regard to 'fossil fuel combustion' in otherwise non-unique molecules (again CO2 is not unique). The 'Fossil Oil' combustion is only proffering a large sample of Carbon Atoms, but from a Natural source originally. 'Post Combustion' Products only contain only the same 'distribution' of Carbon Atoms in their molecular structures, but it is only those MOLECULES that are UNIQUELY produced that could then be linked to Combustion Processes. CO2 is NOT 'unique' in any manner in its potential production and even exists in the inflowing 'air' to the 'combustion process.

Next, the 'date' for the Ice Sheets is VERY interesting as the present Primary Trough is only ~3 Million 'years old' and so there was NOT any seeming 'permanent existence' of these sheets within the previous ~200 Million years of the Primary Crest. See link (*) below. Attempts to present measure of CO2, or supposed 'greenhouse gases' generally, as a 'proxy' for Temperature ignores that fact that such measure do NOT indicate the actual induction of Kinetic Energy by those materials actually present. Attempts to fabricate 'authenticity' for such proxy generally rely upon use of other 'greenhouse calculations for otherwise 'unknown periods' which cannot be presented in FACT or accuracy. One guess does NOT validate another when there is NOT any reality in either. Temperature measure is not either any valid manner of determining 'climate change' either, again see outlines in link (*) below.

It is that Climate Change is occurring always, the LIE is in the attempt to overlay supposition of a 'greenhouse effect' and 'unnatural alterations' form such by 'Humanity'. The sooner the PLATFORM of 'greenhouse fear' is removed, the sooner real SCIENCE can again 'get on' with determination of the most major mystery needing attention. The focus on 'politics' still avoids notice of the paucity of 'greenhouse issues' to address the REALITY that Humanity lives within, trying to focus instead on aspects of HOW humanity 'lives'. The irreverence of 'greenhouse warming opinion' FOR the NATURAL ENVIRONS (& the real materials composing such) that Humanity lives WITHIN highlights the disjunction of 'greenhouse science' (along with the "Kyoto Treaty and other 'related platforms') from the REAL world and presents ONLY a danger of 'blind tinkering' within ANY 'attitude & opinion' exceeding 'POLLUTION regulation' made regarding 'manmade' CO2/CH4, there NOT being any real 'greenhouse capable gases' otherwise present, or UNNATURAL 'climate change' being displayed.

Climate Change is natural, produced within a Natural & Irregularly Periodic Progression, the LIE is in the attempts to overlay 'greenhouse opinion' and label such as 'science'. The PUBLIC is not listening (hence the effort to continue with MORE 'Movie & Book' platforming) to the 'environmental lie' being platformed. It is very easy to understand if one steps away from the 'greenhouse wagon' and looks back at that 'vehicle', it remains a POLITICAL platform where 'advocates in white coats' are STILL advocates. One wonders why still 'these greenhouse few' would be demanding attention?

Your's,
Peter K. Anderson a.k.a. Hartlod(tm)
E-Mail: Hartlod@bigpond.com
(*)- http://hartlod.blogspot.com/

Dear Sirs, & 'the team' at 'futureenergy.org',
It is not possible to base on OPINION only a Nation scale Generation and Distribution grid for Electrical Energy. It is NOT possible on observed REAL performance to use any combination of "Renewables" to act as 'base load' generation either'. I notice the attempt to mention Germany produces 10% of its national power from 'renewables', what was NOT mentioned was that the bulk remainder is produced from Uranium fuelled utilities, with dwindling use of Coal and Gas inline with internal supplies issues.

Nor can Coal/Gas utilities be removed, there is little apart from Uranium that can otherwise fuel the required production of Electricity. Certainly WIND FARMS cannot do so and are not capable regardless of OPINION to the contrary, this ascertained by observation of established systems indicated the REAL (lack) of ability for these Wind Farms. Wind farms producing a rated 20 MW input even less to the grid after rectification and so cannot be used to replace 1000MW inputs otherwise 'not needing' such rectification for placement to the Distribution Grid system. There is not any need for 'denser living', nor for 'the people' to be crowded about 'mass transit lanes'. Infact people seemly NOT do wish to do this, and thus it is pointless to demand they do so. It is especially pointless to demand such alterations with only justification being from 'supposition of greenhouse doom and woe'...or 'peak oil opinion' rhetoric.

Biofuels are the fuel of the future, it is that Humanity has had the 'technology of the future' for near 100 years and has forgotten 'the past'. There is no need for specific 'new engine design' even, the Turbine and 'Diesel process' are all in wide use AND have good multi-fuel (oil) abilities, even ethanol/methanol can be combusted. Notice the quote attributed to Rudolph Diesel from 1912:- ["The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may become in course of time as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time."]

There is especially NOT any 'greenhouse concern' involved any REAL remediation of an actual, existent problem, pollution WILL be reduced significantly without any 'demand for social alterations' in driving or travel needing to be heeded by altering the 'engines' used in too many 'personal vehicles' AWAY from a 'spark ignition process' towards the 'compression processes' using 'bio-fuel oils'. We HAVE had the 'technology of the future' for near 100 years, all that remains to do is to give use to CLEAN bio-fuel oils. The 'spark ignition process' was only engineered as 'compression process' engines at the turn of the 20th Century where too large for use in small vehicles. The COMPRESSION based combustion process is very friendly to the Multifuel situation and can NOW be built small enough for inclusion into even private personal vehicles, so no longer is needed the petroleum using 'spark ignition process' Internal Combustion Engine..

Australia isn't running on a "sheep's back", but in a 'Diesel' hauled trailer. Look then at transport mechanisms worldwide; the 'Long Haul' Truck, the Train and Maritime propulsion systems. Realise the futility of attempting even to propagate use of the spark ignition process when the compression process is so deeply entrenched in the majority of use World Wide...then realise that such bio-fuel oils could ALSO be used to power Electrical Generation AND reduce particulate pollution by up to 70%.

All that is needed is the production of the fuel, we have no need for anything else 'new'. The FUTURE has been with us for 100 years gentlemen, so long in fact it has been forgotten, along with the past...

Your's,
Peter K. Anderson a.k.a. Hartlod(tm)
From the PC of Peter K Anderson
E-Mail: Hartlod@bigpond.com
(*)- http://hartlod.blogspot.com/

Social fascists are running this site.

Don't give them facts they just want money

It is good to see a protest such as this highlighting Alcoa's use of power. I was unaware until very recently that Alcoa uses one quarter of all Victoria's electicity. It adds insult to injury that they are getting this power virtually for free.

I thought of this issue again this week when I read in the paper that the Latrobe Coal Power stations use 115 billion litres of water each year. I assume they get this water hugely subsidized and virtually free. I wander if brown coal would be so cheap compared to renewable energy if they paid they same rate for water that domestic users are charged.

If would be extremely interesting to know the top ten users of water and electricity and the state and what proportion of these resources they use. Why isnt this information publically available.

I personally try to minimize my resource usage but at the very least the government can do is not subsize companies to trash the planet. If the subsidies were removed it would transform the economic realities and many destructive industries simply couldnt survive.

There is always been that major utility use is from major users, ALCOA are not special in any manner. They are not getting the power for 'free' however, 'virtually' or otherwise this is simply not truth. The issue of major water use for COOLING of utilities is more than well covered by water recycling, it is infact one of the FEW areas where such recycling makes any sense. The issue of 'public availability' of information is often confused with 'ready collation & presentation' also. The 'answers' can be found, but you cannot readily expect a simply 'web search' using 'Google' to find such', as example.
It is that major power users pay, it is that such users often are consulted before installation of Power Utility is made, to give a guaranteed minim 'sell' for the generated power. It is still that there is the POLITICAL effort to 'confront companies' but it is that the level of POLITICS involved is NOT match with any level of VALID SCIENCE. There is pollution, but there is NOT 'greenhouse climate change'.

The Policy needed is not so much of concern to 'stabilise climate', such a situation is NEVER going to be Natural with Climate always altering within a natural & irregularly periodic Oscillation set, and it is futile to expect any effort of Humanity could do such with any success. It is also that there is NOT any unnatural climate change, so again there is not needed 'stabilisation policy'. The effort being made to redirect resources TO 'climate change' is however allowing REAL issues to go not only unnoticed but 'unchecked' and the Potential for 'even sprawl' of 'new Human Population' within regions that are still NOW generally still under 'naturally materials' will see the present 'weather walking', produced form the past 400 years of accumulated surface alterations more rapidly become more 'severely presented'.

The last 400 years involved not only the rise of Human population from ~500 Million to ~6 Billion, but the lagging effect of technology development. The next 100 years will 'begin' with technology to RAPIDLY rematerial vast regions of surface with an expectation for a 'rise' in 'new population' to be ~5 Billion, or even more for a near doubling of the present overall population. So all that has already happened over 400 years CAN be expected AGAIN in the next 100 years....all within 'new regions' of so far still 'naturally materialed surface' and presently with only sparse Human Habitat constructions included.
See slide gallery at link '**', with slides pertinent to this issue, in outline with comments.

The supposed 'greenhouse climate remediations' formed from 'greenhouse supposition' can't have any REAL & beneficial effect. There isn't possible any 'CO2 based' warming effect, these 'greenhouse remediations' can only then be seen as potentially DETRIMENTAL to the NATURAL course & persistence of 'Climate events' in their production of NATURAL alterations as observed in their irregular, but otherwise reasonable & 'GENTLE style'. Weather patterning (including Precipitation) will continue it's 'move' whilst Humanity continues to rebuild the surface unchecked and unheeding of the REAL effects.

Your's, Peter K. Anderson a.k.a. Hartlod(tm)
From the PC of Peter K Anderson
E-Mail: Hartlod@bigpond.com
(*) - http://hartlod.blogspot.com/
(**)- http://hartlodsgallery.blogspot.com/

Hi,

The Beyond Zero Emissions Campaign website is now up,

The campaign is being run out of 'Kindness House', 288 Brunswick St Fitzroy.

The campaign brings together a group of experienced campaigners who have campaigned for manyu years with a number of existing well known Melbourne NGO's

The campaign is about switching to a Zero Emissions Stationary Energy and transport network now.

The people who aren't accepting Human Induced climate change are cranks, industry lobbyists (Tobacco and Petrochemical), Ted Bailleu, John Howard & co and George Bush. (And some nutter in the comment section above here).

It's time to move the campaign into the next gear, with Human caused climate change an accepted reality, we need to propose the right solution, and get the people calling for our governments to make the right change.

http://www.beyondzeroemissions.org/

A winding of words so wound one wonders if he has ever left his own backyard! NIMBY no no