When: Thursday, 12th February, 2009
Time: 6:00pm onwards for refreshments and a 6:30pm start
Where: The Banking Chamber theatrette, Ground Floor, KPMG, 147 Collins St, Melbourne. Disabled access via 161 Collins St.
Costs: $15, $10 for ATA members (ATA couples $15).
RSVPs required: Email Wendy Clarke at wendy@ata.org.au or ph:(03) 9631 5407.

We’ve heard a lot about desalination and pipelines [...]

A feed-in tariff is a premium rate paid for electricity produced by a renewable source such as a grid connected rooftop solar system or wind turbine, usually over and above the market rate. National gross feed in tariff programs have been established around the world, resulting in increased uptake of solar and wind power systems by home owners and businesses.
Sign the petition and help the Federal Government choose a solar future.
www.feedintariff.com.au

February 8th Home Visit – McKinnon House.
Following the pattern set on previous years, the first get together for the Melbourne branch was a visit to a sustainable house.  This one was the rammed earth house in McKinnnon of Tim and Hamer.
Their house is designed on passive solar principles with some active systems.
Passive solar features include [...]

ANZSES Brisbane Group, in partnership with the Alternative Technology Association, will be showing the “Telling the truth” documentary at its first meeting for 2009.
When:             Tuesday 10th February 2009
 6.00 pm          Presentation of film “Telling the truth”
                        The meeting is expected to conclude at 7.00 pm.
Where:           Queensland University of Technology, B Block, Ground floor, Room B124
(B Block [...]

Hello everyone,
 
Happy New Year for what promises to be an interesting 2009!
 
As discussed at the November ATA meeting, the first get-together of the Brisbane ATA group for this year will be a social gathering at my place in Wilston.  ATA members, friends and families are warmly invited to attend.
 
Attractions include:
*  First and foremost, socialising and [...]

The first meeting for 2009 will be at our new meeting time, 2pm on the first Sunday of the month – 1st February at 101 Wentworth St Blackheath (next to the Bakery!)
We’ll be looking at aquaponics and getting feedback from those who’ve already had their solar panels installed as part of the Community Bulk Buy [...]

ATA’s Energy Advocate, Damien Moyse, explains everything you need to know about solar electricity from government policies to the personal perspective.
Find out what it actually means to install solar PV, what benefits it will bring you and the wider community, what rebates are available, what feed-in tariffs are and whether you are eligible, and [...]

Honda Australia is calling on the Federal Government to use its new
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme to ensure that households using
renewable energy can directly contribute to a reduction in national
emissions.

Honda recommends that the Rudd Government implement a gross national
feed-in tariff scheme, as seen in Europe, which rewards households for
each kilowatt hour of clean energy they produce rather than how much
they feed back in.

Click here to read the full article.

When: Wednesday 11th February
Time: 6pm
Where: Uni Club, University of Western Australia, Entry#1, Hackett Drive, Nedlands

The Perth branch is looking at scheduling meetings on a regular basis. Come along and meet other members and have the opportunity to exchange information, experiences and ideas with those interested in sustainable living.

Regards
Jonathon Thwaites
ATA WA Branch Convenor
jthwaites@admin.uwa.edu.au
ph 0419 924 355

The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) welcomes the opportunity to provide comment on the New South Wales Solar Feed-in Tariff proposal.

ATA supports the adoption of feed-in tariffs as an incentive mechanism for all scales of renewable energy. Recent studies of incentive mechanisms in Europe have shown that feed-in tariffs result in lower-cost deployment of renewable energy than mandated targets schemes such as Australia’s Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET).

Click here to see ATA’s submission.