Yet another story from the South Burnett Times. There are several more to come & they get better!!!
Friday 10th December 2010
Page 2 YOURS SAY COLUMN
UCG IS A "NECESSARY EVIL"
In response to letters from Shana Miller and S. H. Scott in the South Burnett Times of Friday, December 3, I feel compelled to point out that the loss of grazing land to energy projects and the spread of UCG despite protests, are realities we must face, no matter how unpleasant.
In the face of huge growth in the energy demands of China and India, the governments here, at both State and Federal levels have no choice but to seek every means to secure our comestic energy future against global shortages of crude oil and natural gas.
They will do their best to pacify local opposition to energy projects, but will undoubtedly approve more than they reject.
Who is brave enough to predict that Cougar Energy will not be shipping gas by this time next year?
In the same issue of the South Burnett Times, there are stories on Tarong piloting carbon capture and on the proposed wind far near Cooranga North.
Tarong is trying to clean up its emissions because there is no affordable alternative to coal-fired generation of electricity in the quantities we consume, so the power station is not going to be shut down any time soon.
The wind farm is one of a range of feel-good renewable alternatives to generation, but the truth is green methods cannot match the 24/7 base load supply of a coal-fired station.
To support our lifestyles, the economy has to grow and that growth will be threatened by any future energy crisis.
Of course, the whole house of cards will come tumbling down when crude oil becomes too expensive, but until that time we will see governments scrambling after any measure that will postpone the inevitable collapse.
When petrol reaches $20 a litre, who in authority is going to care about a few unimportant towns disappearing under wind turbines and UCG plants?
If they told the truth about our energy future, governments would collapse and, tsk, tsk, that would never do.
All we mushrooms can hope for is that there no market for dirty gas, or for clean electricity, so the respective projects will not go ahead. (There appears to be a word omitted in that sentence - perhaps there should have been "is" after "there" in the first line.
Some hope.
The good news is that we are not at the energy crisis yet.
This is the only good news.
DOUG HUTCHESON
Kingaroy
ENDS
The author suggests Cougar could be exporting gas next year. That is news to me as I understand Cougar will be using their syngas to create much needed electricity for the domestic market.
The author also refers to the proposed wind farm South West of Kingaroy - guess what - farmers/graziers don't what it either.
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