Permachar
Here's the link.
Pro fossil energy policies (both sides of Gov)->More approvals of fossil expansions and new fossil projects->more fossil mining eg.coal mines, offshore gas and land-based fracking->more domestic use of fossil (though some is imported) and fossil exports (world's third largest fossil exporter)->more fossil combustion domestically and overseas->CO2 increase in climate system->increased climate change/global heating->environmental change and extreme weather patterns->eg. Damage or destruction of naturally occurring freshwater sources (rainfall, lakes, glaciers, rivers, streams, groundwater, wetlands and more)->water insecurity eg.potable water for drinking, sanitation (leading to more water-borne and other disease), growing systems and more...
but there is a new 5 point strategy offered by the 'Global Commission on the Economics of Water'. (1)
What can be done in Oz?
Why not pull the 'water trigger' that still could be pulled on a number of current and future fossil projects? Alternatively, the ol' 'Ancient sunlight lever' (blogged previously) could be pulled
which could build a moratorium on new fossil fuel project expansions and mines and no more Gov subsidies for existing or new projects. With a Federal 'Just Green Transition' plan, jobs can be
found in the renewable energy sector and where reskilling/training is needed for ex fossil workers, it should be free, for the future energy industry/'future of energy'.
Why be distracted from the Global 'Climate Emergency'?
'Water Wars' can happen anywhere! In fact, we've got our own local water wars happening at Beetaloo Basin in the NT (2) where there's escalating fracking development and the Doongmabulla Springs
in QLD (3) where there's the Carmichael coal mine that's poisoning the Springs and draining the water. There's also the Murray-Darling basin, which has been fought over since Federation (a
favourite topic of mine at Flinders University). Water is not just a precious resource for survival but is deemed Sacred by many Indigenous peoples for probably as long as human existence. More
recently, by Non-Indigenous farmers, which includes my family for 7 generations in Victoria and more than 300 years in Ireland. Though, there was land clearing that happened but that's a whole
new can of worms.
Desertification expansion is predicted with global average temperature increases above 1.5 degrees with a small likelihood of increasing to around 4 degrees Celsius and 'stabilising' which would
be a disaster for all living species.
I'm on a 'Sustainable adaptation' mission to harvest water via 'Carbon negative' Biochar technology from the atmosphere (Atmospheric Water Harvesting), polluted or brackish water or even from
seawater. Biochar has some remarkable properties in addition to permanent Carbon Removal that makes it a highly suitable candidate for these applications including a high (variable) surface area
that is hydrophilic with a very high (also variable) Water Holding Capacity and robust solar thermal/absorber properties for steam generation, water pipe heating etc. I suggest trawling the
Internet, including frontiersin.org and researchgate.net/search and mdpi.com (and more) to update your knowledge on this broad topic.
Maybe you could design and build something and share it with the world?
ENDNOTE
It's that special time again for Queensland's State election never failing to raise an activist's eyebrow so here goes. But - let's talk about what the top of the political system is doing...
According to Australia Energy Market Operator chief Daniel Westerman (in an interview with Sophie Vorrath at reneweconomy.com) "Australia’s operational paradigm is no longer ‘baseload-and-peaking’, but increasingly it’s a paradigm of ‘renewables-and-firming’.”(4) So, why is the Federal LNP still supporting "baseload-and-peaking" power eg.Nuclear and unnatural methane gas, when it's no longer relevant to the upgraded renewable energy grid that most of the Country is building for dispatchable power on demand using grid "firming" with batteries for intermittent renewable energy sources?
Regarding nuclear power, there's also the problem of expanding the nuclear fuel cycle, training up nuclear specialists, dealing with the toxic waste and the time taken to build the nuclear power plants eg. 2040+. In my opinion, nuclear power is a 'dead argument' with some media networks prepared to flog the idea to anyone who cares enough to either believe it, laugh at it or groan (my reaction). But the thing is, there's a lot more money to make from the 'future of energy'. And if it's Carbon negative, hello Carbon Dioxide Removal credits, or if you're smarter than that, Biochar Carbon Removal credits. Denmark wouldn't disagree - in fact, Denmark is rolling out the world's first Biochar Carbon Removal strategy! Maybe we should follow suit? But- that would imply a consistent policy to renewable energy which neither major party has indicated. Maybe there could be a major difference on energy policy (a nuclear energy smokescreen for more fossil fuel and no 2030 Carbon emissions target don't count) between the two major parties for the next Federal election? Show me something exciting, innovative, sustainable and honest.
I've more or less accepted that I'm going to devote the rest of my life to the arse end of the fossil fuel water insecurity causality. However - TLUD stoves eg.Navigator (see web page above) and cogeneration of power from biochar kilns eg.Algorithm (see web page above) could change the game but the uptake needed is staggering though not impossible! Potentially, one application of biochar for water security is using it for a paintable 'hydrogel' (using Sodium Alginate as a binder) for water adsorption and desorption and collection in an 'Atmospheric Water Harvesting' (AWH) system. It could be a game changer but need to prototype it, possibly joining forces with MIT. On an energy note, thermal energy is the main problem for biomass to biochar whether it be from cogen (process heat or power) or using biochar for thermal storage for water or electricity (but would have to compete with graphite). And there's wind eg.offshore in Japan, wave and solar PVs eg. Perovskites or a combination of all 3 eg.Noviocean. Batteries too in the mix eg.Iron-air, Sodium-air etc. Many more brilliant ideas to (almost) replace fossil for good.
Australia is part of the problem and part of the solution.
REFERENCES
1. https://watercommission.org/#report
- a new report available
2. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-28/beetaloo-fracking-legal-challenge-ecnt-nt-government/104404794
- fracking in Beetaloo Basin
3. https://amp.abc.net.au/article/104456500
- Doongmabulla Springs research finds link between the spring water and deep aquifers used at Carmichael mine
4. https://reneweconomy.com.au/baseload-coal-and-peaking-gas-paradigm-no-longer-fit-for-modern-grid-says-aemo-chief/amp/
Write a comment