Significant progress on Australia's taxpayer donations to the Clinton Foundation - thank you for bearing with me
Friday, 05 August 2016
As you know I have been trying to get the information in this email to DFAT together for more than a week.
I can't tell you how relieved I am to have just sent this email off to the Department.
|
7:48 AM (0 minutes ago)
 |
|
||
|
||||
The Australian Government had specific agreements with the Clinton Foundation, as a technical implementing partner, to deliver aid projects with agreed outcomes, deliverables and budgets since 2006. We are aware that US legislation deems this agreement to deliver aid outcomes to be a donation.
And:
Australian funding to the Clinton Climate Initiative
In 2012 former AusAID entered into a contract with the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a program ofthe Clinton Foundation, for activities addressing climate change. Following the 2013 Australian Federal election, responsibilities for climate change and for this contract were moved to the Department ofthe Environment.
The scope of the documents sought under that FOI request included payments to the Clinton Foundation since 2002 and any MOUs, agreements, details of meetings with Clinton Foundation representatives and details of payments to the Foundation.
In relation to the Clinton Climate Initiative the table of payments released in answer included just this entry:
AusAID CCI Partnership THE WILLIAM J.CLINTON AUD FOUNDATION $2,000,002.30
REQUEST
Is the Department's statement under the heading "Australian funding to the Clinton Climate Initiative" and the payment in the table of $2,000,002.30 an accurate and complete account of Australia's agreements with and funding to the Climate Foundation for climate change?
I refer to the following Australian Government Departments and transactions.
1.Resources Energy and Tourism
- Department of Resources Energy and Tourism's 2009 file RET 09/01443 "Clinton Climate Initiative - Partnership Agreement"
- Department of Resources Energy and Tourism 2009 file RET 09/01231"Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute - Clinton Climate Initiative - Partnership Agreement"
Documents released on the former RET website refer to a "novated non-corporate contract" between the Commonwealth and the Clinton Climate Initiative. The FOI documents are explicit in stating that the funds were first remitted to the Clinton Foundation directly from the Commonwealth. Can you confirm that those files and the "non-corporate contract" novated by the Commonwealth to the GCCI relates to this disclosure by the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute Ltd posted on its website here:
William J. Clinton Foundation (CLINTON FOUNDATION)
The Institute provided AU$10 million to the Clinton Foundation to support the work being conducted through the Clinton Climate Initiative to accelerate key ‘Early Mover’ CCS projects around the world.
Established by former US President Clinton in 2001 the Clinton Foundation works to strengthen the capacity of governments and individuals to alleviate poverty, improve global health, strengthen economies, and protect the environment.
The Clinton Foundation work program includes:
- collaboration with ‘Early Mover’ CCS projects in the Netherlands and Australia to help overcome specific barriers;
- identification of potential future CCS projects and work to accelerate the development of these; and
- sharing ‘best practice’ and case studies from Early Mover projects that have been engaged.
Achievements
- Scoping work has been conducted in Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Poland and Australia to identify and select potential future CCS projects for engagement.
- Studies undertaken for the Carbon Net project, Australia.
- Collaboration on stakeholder activities, Netherlands.
- Malaysian CCS scoping study due to be completed in November 2010.
MOU with the Clinton Foundation signed in New York
In late 2008 the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet released a document titled "One Year Progress Report"
It included these statements:
Memorandum of Understanding with Clinton Climate Initiative
The Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see Australia and the William J. Clinton Foundation collaborate to:
- deploy carbon capture and storage technology to large scale projects;
- examine policies to encourage large scale solar power generation in Australia; and
- explore opportunities for collaboration on energy efficiency across government, business and the community.
Media coverage of his press conference in New York included these quotes from his speech:
Following the launch a week ago of Australia’s Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Clinton Climate Initiative agreeing to work together on climate change mitigation measures. This collaboration aims to accelerate the development of CCS technology and pave the way for its commercial deployment by the end of the next decade, according to the Australian Government. “A lot of people have said the great virtue of our Global CCS Institute is this: that when it comes to the impact of carbon pollution reduction scheme on strongly effected industries like electricity generators, this potentially represents significant assistance, significant support, significant adjustment for what for us is a critical sector in Australia,” said Rudd at a press conference at United Nations building in New York.
The Prime Minister also released this statement:
Australia Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Clinton Climate Initiative New York
Rudd, Kevin
Period of Service: 03/12/2007 to 24/06/2010
More information about Rudd, Kevin on The National Archive website.
Release Date: 25/09/2008
Release Type: Media Release
Transcript ID: 16141
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Clinton Climate Initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation.
Under the MOU Australia and the Clinton Climate Initiative will work together to help tackle climate change.
The MOU will see Australia and the William J. Clinton Foundation collaborate to;
* Deploy carbon capture and storage technology to large scale projects.
* Examine policies to encourage large scale solar power generation in Australia.
* Design collaborative policies in conjunction with large cities and other organisations on improving energy efficiency.
The William J Clinton Foundation will work with the Australian Government through Australia's Global Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Initiative announced by Prime Minister Rudd last week.
This collaboration will help accelerate the development of CCS technology and pave the way for its commercial deployment by the end of the next decade.
The Clinton Climate Initiative will draw on its experience in international collaboration and work with Australia and other nations to help achieve a balanced portfolio of demonstration projects.
The Clinton Climate Initiative is already working with a number of Australian states to develop solar power facilities. The MOU will enable the Australian Government to explore opportunities to draw on the Clinton Climate Initiative expertise in considering policies to encourage large scale solar power generation in Australia.
The Australian Government is developing a national energy efficiency strategy as one of the keys to successfully addressing climate change.
The Government will draw on the experience the Clinton Climate Initiative has in working with large cities and other organizations on improving energy efficiency in the drafting of this strategy.
Australia and the Clinton Climate Initiative will also explore opportunities for collaboration in the energy efficiency area across government, business and the community.
ENDS
2008/09 Federal Budget
http://www.budget.gov.au/2008-
http://www.budget.gov.au/2008-
The budget as delivered included this measure:
The development and use of new clean energy technologies will be assisted through the Government's Energy Innovation Fund ($150.0 million over four years), National Clean Coal Fund ($500.0 million over eight years), Renewable Energy Fund ($500.0 million over six years from 2009‑10) and Green Car Innovation Fund ($500.0 million over five years from 2011‑12). These funds will provide industry with support to accelerate the development and deployment of low emission technologies.
6 months later at the 2008/09 MYEFO PM Rudd's unannounced a new policy of creating a Global Carbon Capture Institute was included as a new measure.
The Budget Papers No 2 include an allocation to the National Clean Coal Fund of $15M which appears to be the source of the $10M paid by the Commonwealth to the Clinton Foundation.
http://www.budget.gov.au/2008-
- $100 million in 2008‑09 ($400 million over four years) to establish a Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute to accelerate the development of carbon capture technology by facilitating demonstration projects, and identifying and supporting necessary research on related topics; and
It appears from the MYEFO documents that that allocation from the Clean Coal fund (an election promise) was the source of the $10M payment to the Clinton Foundation. Can DFAT confirm?
Request for further particulars regarding the GCCI and the Clinton Foundation
The GCCI was incorporated as a public company limited by guarantee on 12 June 2009, ABN 92 136 814 465
The Clinton Foundation is recorded as being a founding member (shareholder equivalent in the company limited by guarantee).
Was the payment of $10M to the Clinton Foundation from the Australian Government (later novated to the GCCI Ltd) a related party transaction?
If it was a related party transaction, was it recorded in the financial accounts and disclosed in annual reports as a related party transaction?
The deliverables reported as being produced by the Clinton Foundation under the GCCI funding agreement appear to be matters the Clinton Foundation was working on already and independently of the GCCI.
There doesn't appear to be any provision for ownership or transfer of distinctive IP or other notional asset transfer or distinctive service provided. The GCCI reports that the Clinton Foundation delivered:
- Studies undertaken for the Carbon Net project, Australia.
I can announce today that our Government will sign a landmark agreement with former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s foundation to collaborate on large-scale clean energy projects and new vehicle technologies.The Clinton Climate Initiative was launched by President Clinton in 2006 and has access to $US5 billion in finance. Under the MOU, Victoria and the Clinton Climate Initiative will work together to explore a number of opportunities to further cut emissions and improve energy efficiency across the State.The Clinton Climate Initiative have chosen Victoria as the place to drive carbon capture and storage because they clearly see Victoria as the place most likely to make this new technology work for brown coal. That’s good news for Victoria – and, down the track, potentially good for other countries, such as China, that are dependent on brown coal.
What mechanisms and due diligence did the Commonwealth adopt to ensure there was no double payment for what appears to be precisely the same work submitted by the Clinton Foundation and reported by the GCCI and the Commonwealth as being services rendered as a result of the $10M taxpayer payment to the Clinton Foundation?
Austender records of contracts with the Clinton Foundation.
These are the contracts listed by the Austender.gov.au website for the Clinton Foundation relating to Climate Change.
|
CN ID |
Title |
Agency |
Publish Date |
Category |
Contract Start Date |
Contract End Date |
Value (AUD) |
ATM ID |
Supplier Name |
LastUpdated |
|
CN396492 |
MRV workshop for African and Mekong countries |
Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency |
10-Jun-11 |
Project administration or planning |
18-May-11 |
30-Jun-11 |
55000 |
|
Clinton Foundation Clinton Climate Initiative |
10-Jun-11 04:39 pm |
|
CN435828 |
CCI Expenses Incurred by MoU |
Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency |
05-Oct-11 |
Professional procurement services |
15-Sep-11 |
30-Jun-12 |
25000 |
|
Clinton Foundation Clinton Climate Initiative |
05-Oct-11 09:36 am |
|
CN905651 |
Design National Carbon Accounting System in Kenya |
Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency |
17-Sep-12 |
International relations |
19-Jun-12 |
01-Feb-13 |
550000 |
|
Clinton Foundation Clinton Climate Initiative |
17-Sep-12 10:35 am |
The Austender.gov.au website is presented by the Commonwealth as being an accurate and complete record for the purposes of complying with the Senate standing directive that all Commonwealth agencies publish the details of all contracts entered into on behalf of the Commonwealth. Is the above record accurate and complete?
The Kenya Contract land based emissions SLEEK project announced by the DFAT
On 18 February 2008 Climate Change Minister Penny Wong announced that the Clinton Foundation had selected an Australian technology solution which, from the minister's press release, we sold to them.
PW 13/08 18 February 2008 AUSTRALIAN TECHNOLOGY CHOSEN FOR CLINTON CLIMATE PROJECT Australian technology will now be at the forefront of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, has announced a new partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative to develop global carbon monitoring system that can assist in recognising sustainable forest management and reforestation within global carbon markets. “I am very pleased that following a global search of forest carbon measurement systems, the Clinton Climate Initiative selected Australia’s National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) as the platform for a global roll-out in developing countries.”
The following departmental file appears to refer to the above - however it is disconcertingly a Procurement Advice in which we appear to be paying the Clinton Foundation.
In 2014 DFAT made the following announcement in Kenya:Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency 2009 file DCC2009/2284 Procurement - Advice - International Forest Carbon Initiative - Joint activities with the Clinton Foundation and the Carbon Accounting System
The following entry on the Senate disclosure site for contracts entered into by the Australian Government appears to record another payment we have made to the Clinton Foundation that's been omitted from the DFAT FOI statement.February 2014 - MoU Signing of SLEEK Program
High Commissioner H.E. Geoff Tooth witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Kenya and the William J. Clinton Foundation’s Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) for a national system to track emissions and removals of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the land sector on 14 February 2014 at the Panafric Hotel. The proposed System for Land-based Emissions Estimation in Kenya (SLEEK) – a data and modelling system - will enable the Government of Kenya to quantify and report its land sector emissions as well as allow Kenya to evaluate different land-use scenarios for sustainable development and inform policy decisions on resource use, including planning for forest restoration, protection of forest resources, improved agricultural productivity, and enhanced water availability. The Australian Government has provided A$14.2 million over 5 years and technical & policy support for the SLEEK design since 2008, drawing from the experience of developing its own National Carbon Accounting System.
High Commissioner H.E. Geoff Tooth (back centre) witnesses the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Kenya and the Clinton Foundation
|
WILLIAM J CLINTON FOUNDATION CLINTON CLIMATE INITIATIVE |
Contract in relation to developing a system for land based emissions estimations in Kenya (SLEEK) |
$13,322,460 |
14-Jun-13 |
30-Jun-16 |
Yes |
A(ix) |
Yes |
B(ix) |
If the purpose of our foreign aid program is to show that Australia is a decent global benefactor, how is it that we permit the Clinton Foundation to take our money, to use a program we developed and paid for in 2008 - and then to add insult injury watch the Clinton Foundation take the entire credit for the venture as if we had nothing to do with it?
I refer to the Clinton Foundation's annual report for 2013/14
http://fliphtml5.com/wyis/tllv
Page 19 refers to the above foreign aid provided by the Australian taxpayer, however we don't rate a mention. Page 92 contains the Foundation's limited financial statements - again Australia is not mentioned.
This press release about the Clinton Foundation's 'work' in Kenya states that their "work" has been "informed" by lessons learnt from us and Canada. "Informed"?
What is your future outlook on SLEEK?
I believe that SLEEK could provide a model that could be replicated all around the world. Our work in Kenya is informed by lessons learnt from Australia and Canada but we are very excited by the possibilities of expanding this model to other countries. Each country has a unique set of challenges, but the goals are the same: we want to empower governments and communities to achieve sustainable land-use practices, improve the livelihoods of the communities, and adapt to the effects of climate change.
We paid for the satellite information, we paid for the carbon accounting applications, then we paid the Clinton Foundation a further $14M for the privilege of having them take all the credit.
How does that fit in with our strategic goals of advancing Australia's interests through foreign aid?
SUMMARY
Is the DFAT disclosure of documents under the FOI application under the DFAT provided heading Australian funding to the Clinton Climate Initiative accurate and complete? If not what else have we handed to it?
Given the referral of the Clinton Foundation malfeasance to the US IRS and FBI may I suggest that the Australian taxpayer's interests would be advanced by a Whole of Government audit in Australia of our payments to the Clinton Foundation.
My deadline is COB Tuesday next week. I'll be writing for my website and US publications.
Michael, I don't know how you do it...working through this labyrinthine complexity. I am amazed at your tenacity!
Posted by: Truth_Will_Out | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 11:33 AM
Fantastic work Michael. Keep it up, please.
Posted by: chris | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 11:34 AM
Michel,
I can see, why it was so difficult for you to work through these money-amounts and to find what you were looking for, especially as this $l0M was incorporated in the 15M'
Apparently at present with a lot of money-transfers in various countries being queried, especially in the US, I was given by a friend some ways in which they can make some amounts of money obscure or disappear.
Apparently there are columns of figures, which after some years of being there a certain amount will be lifted out, but the total remains the same, as people do not check the calculations anymore of course after many years.
There seems to be an amount of $400. Mill US dollars which has been sent to Iran by Obummer, but not for the reason OB has given.
There is also supposedly an amount of 8 Billion US dollars sent to one or other Brotherhood probably Egypt by OB.
The Clinton Foundation seems to be under a lot of pressure as you are not the only one finding these amazing deficiencies.
Let us hope, that this time you will receive a reply.
In the meantime congratulations, you must have nearly gone bonkers to put all this together.
Congratulations on a terribly difficult job well done, I have always said, that I am proud to be on your blog, we can certainly be that now!
I also believe, that it should be made clear to Turnbull, that as prime minister, he should not be using his private server, as we then get the same as with Hilary who deleted thousands of emails and therefore she may get away with murder (the Benghazi event). We should demand that he uses the same server as other politicians. And as from now.
As Brandis is useless, I wonder who I should contact and I would suggest that all of us on this web-site do the same.
There comes a time that we need people-power, and I believe that time is now.
Posted by: Liz of Vic | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 12:40 PM
unbelievable...well done Smithy.
When our supposed free press farts and dies soon, I hope your around to rebuild a new one for us.
Posted by: andrewq | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 01:07 PM
Wow, how do you do it?
Amazing, do you think you will get an answer?
I won't be holding my breath, secretly hoping you will.
Thanks for all the hard yakka you are doing.
Take good care.
Jojo
Posted by: Jo Hendrikx | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 01:28 PM
Great work Michael, thank you again.
Posted by: .Dennis Thompson | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 01:44 PM
I wonder how much money was funneled through the Climate Change Institute as well I've no read through all of this as I don't have tie here is a Senate select Committee going into the ETS and Carbon Pollution schemes this must of been held after the ETS was canned by Rudd that happened at the end of April this hearing was on the 1st May 2009.. Clinton is mentioned once in it but they obviously consult alot with them on the global scale about working in other nations the poorer ones so they obviously use other governments money to push the agenda and to direct them in the one world government plan all under the different guises that the Clintons collect money under all in the name of helping to redistribute funds but also the rules and policy directions..
http://www.ceem.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/Hansard010509.pdf
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 02:00 PM
People who work in DFAT are no different than those who work
in twitter or facebook or some 'department of planning'
somewhere.
They are VERY technical in skills and knowledge and absolutely
are not 'dime a dozen'. You can't just sack them and get someone
else in because they don't suit the PM or Opposition Leader and
plus they kinda got 'Rights' that 'Human Rights Industrty'
can't exactly 'Max the Axe'.
So don't be surprise if you are pleasantly surprised out of
usual 'facade of ignorance' on FOI requests or similar
when you get 'disturbingly honest' answers.
People have free will -there would be MANY via public service
who are ALL to happy to dispense it because they know FULL well
they're on a winner EVERY time if they fight for free will -
and they also know that when Waleed Aly says 'free will is
outdated concept' on ABC - they say FUCK THE HELL OFF EVERY TIME.
Posted by: TazSpinZone | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 02:14 PM
It is now common knowledge all around the world, that misfit Krudd has a very serious personal problem, a flawed, defective character and this arrogant idiot Rudd and his disingenuous supporters, like that self-serving crawler Julie Bishop are making themselves look even more stupid. They expect people to tell lies so Krudd gets the UN job, when everyone already knows that arrogant Rudd is a freaking fool with crooked Hillaryous Clinton backing the Krudd,,,its a small world and delusional Krudd has been well and truly found out, no one wants this ruddy parasite.
Posted by: Muddy Kruddy | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 02:20 PM
A realistic US President Trump will not be conned by the globalist climate changers. Patriotic Trump is like our Pauline Hanson on steroids, Trump is obviously America's very last hope.
Yet devious radio 2GB jock Alan Jones hates Trump, preferring crooked Hillary instead? Alan was on the radio today again broadcasting more lies about Trump, falsely saying its over for Trump, he is gone and in the same breath singing the praises of Pauline Hanson? A wee bit of a contradiction from Alan, given Trump and Hanson are alike, singing from the same hymn sheet for their country, yet scheming Alan reckons Trump is shit and massages Pauline Hanson??
Full Event: Donald Trump Pounds Hillary Clinton in Portland, ME 8/4/16
https://youtu.be/-3kjWNhgIOc https://youtu.be/10USLAzk2vA
FULL EVENT: Donald Trump MASSIVE Rally in Jacksonville, FL 8/3/16
https://youtu.be/5e6vf02MbcI
Full Speech: Donald Trump Town Hall in Daytona Beach, FL 8/3/16
https://youtu.be/qait77O0DJs
Posted by: TRUMP 2016 | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 02:43 PM
Michael you are an amazingly persistent person. If it was up to me, instead of our powers-that-be handing out taxpayer grants to all their pet “causes”, they would allow us to choose some who we would like to support. Top of my list would be michaelsmithnews.com.
Posted by: Denise | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 02:54 PM
Think about it, you do the Census online why no voting online, look at all the pencils you would save?? All of this Clinton Foundation tomfoolery, corrupt politicians, generously donating our money with the intention of a nice personal kickback, like getting the UN Secretary Generals job because of it? This should not be done secretly, it should all be listed online for all to see and audit, after all it is our money being inappropriately used here?? Someone call the ruddy police,,,
Posted by: Judith | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 03:09 PM
Brilliant work Michael. Thank you for your immense efforts and for caring as you do that right will prevail over wrong in the end. You are a legend!
Posted by: Honestfromoz | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 03:30 PM
We are mugs for letting our intellectual property slip through our hands. The Victorian Government took on a crook in the Clinton Climate Initiative as a partner to use the NCAS technology developed by our own CSIRO to assist in the the CarbonNet programs in that State. Clinton Climate Initiative using our NCAS technology then sought funding from overseas countries and international NGOs eager to be involved in this climate change circus to carry out assessments in third world countries using our NCAS technology. We get no credit for it; we get no royalties and the Clinton Foundation gets rich. http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?paper=EC13112 While some may think Australia has been slow to embrace the carbon economy, in fact we were years ahead of our time in the late 1990s, having developed the world’s first scientifically-based carbon accounting system for estimating land-cover carbon emissions.
A key component of this national carbon accounting system has been the packaging and analysis of satellite imagery showing changes to land-cover over many years. The end-product is a series of maps, created by CSIRO and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, showing vegetation change over time, and at a fine scale, for the entire Australian continent.
The extent, time-scale and detail of the imagery assembled and processed have helped make our National Carbon Accounting System Land-Cover Change Program (known as NCAS-LCCP), the largest, and most intensive land-cover monitoring program in the world.
NCAS-LCCP is currently based on more than 7000 Landsat satellite images at a resolution of 25 metres (1 pixel per 25-square-metre quadrant), for twenty ‘epochs’ from 1972 to 2012. The system is updated annually.
The image sequences can be used to monitor changes in vegetation cover related to factors such as land-clearing, fire or disease. Natural resource managers call this enhanced capability ‘trends analysis’.
‘Forests and native vegetation usually appear static on maps. In fact these areas can be incredibly dynamic due to factors such as climate, fire, land uses such as grazing, and pests and diseases,’ explains Jeremy Wallace of CSIRO.
Posted by: seeker of truth | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 04:22 PM
Well done Michael. All power to you, I would like all of Australia
to read your work.
Posted by: Peter | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 05:10 PM
Well done, Michael, a sterling effort. Now that Malcolm Roberts is a Senator, he could be very influential in many ways from now on. This post above could start him off.
Posted by: Tom | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 05:32 PM
Andrew why not ask Julie Bishop direct.
She should be able to dig around and find some answers in a hurry especially after she slipped a lazy $140 million of taxpayer money in 2014 to the Clinton-affiliated Global Partnership for Education, chaired by our ex-PM Julia Gillard.
Posted by: Grace | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 06:14 PM
The Brumby Government as a founding member received money from the GCCSI as well as putting $30 million into the CarbonNet program from the Victorian coffers..
http://www.aeol.com.au/databases/news/carbon_capture_program_wins_exte.htm
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 06:55 PM
Here is the Queensland Government in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative on Solar..
http://bze.org.au/media/releases/solar-state-queensland%E2%80%99s-world-leading-solar-resource-101216
A recent study by the Queensland State Government in partnership with the Clinton Foundation’s Climate Initiative highlights Queensland’s excellent potential for future large-scale solar generation projects.
Leading consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff were commissioned to investigate the technical feasibility for solar investment in the state, finding that “the quality of Queensland's solar resource is comparable to the world's best solar resources” and that “deploying large-scale solar projects in Queensland is technically and environmentally feasible.”
State Premier Anna Bligh insists that Queensland “can match the current world leaders in solar thermal development,” Nevada (U.S.A) and Granada (Spain).
Beyond Zero Emissions Director Matthew Wright says the report confirms many of the findings in the Banksia award-winning Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan: “Queensland’s solar resource for a state in an OECD nation is second to none, and contains locations with some of the highest levels of solar radiation on Earth. It is the perfect location for baseload concentrating solar thermal plants with storage.”
The Zero Carbon Australia Stationary Energy Plan also shows that many sites in Australia are endowed with levels of superior solar incidence compared to a number of international sites currently used for solar-thermal power plants. The BZE plan identifies Prairie, Roma, Charleville and Longreach as examples of highly suitable sites for potential large-scale solar power generation in the sunshine state.
To remain a world leader in innovation and technological advancement, Wright believes that Queensland must “shift its focus away from an antiquated coal industry, and embrace modern renewable energy technologies.”
By Josh G
Bligh media release
http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/Id/58661
NEVADA: In a new alliance the Queensland and Victorian Governments will pay for outstanding Queenslanders and Victorians to work with some the world's leading experts on solar thermal technology, Premiers Anna Bligh and John Brumby announced today.
Ms Bligh and Mr Brumby announced the alliance following the Solar Thermal Business Forum in Nevada - organised by the WJ Clinton Foundation Climate Change Initiative.
The Premiers also visited the Acciona Nevada One Plant.
Ms Bligh said the governments would contribute a total of $680,000 to establish the fellowships and create a 'solar atlas' to identify the best locations for solar energy generation with suitability and transmission network overlays.
"Solar thermal energy is a vital weapon in the global arsenal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Ms Bligh said.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 07:11 PM
On the 17 June 2008 Anna Bligh and John Brumby took a tour to Nevada to the Solar plants there and signed up with the Clinton foundation..
http://www.smh.com.au/national/brumby-planning-to-plug-victoria-into-the-sun-20080616-2rny.html
Mr Brumby made the comments as he and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh toured solar facilities in the US state of Nevada, which has a renewable energy target of 20% by 2015, of which 5% must be solar.
They visited a new Las Vegas factory for Ausra the solar thermal technology company founded by former Sydney University professor Dr David Mills and a 75-megawatt solar thermal plant in Boulder City.
After taking part in a solar thermal business forum in collaboration with the Clinton Foundation's climate initiative the two premiers jointly announced a $680,000 project to develop a solar atlas for Victoria and Queensland that would help companies identify the best locations for solar investment.
The atlas, due for completion by the year-end, would consider not only the amount of solar radiation but factors such as the suitability of land and proximity to existing transmission cables.
Clean Energy Council spokeswoman Irene Bukhshtaber said the prospect of additional solar plants in Victoria was "logical, do-able, necessary and affordable".
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 08:31 PM
The darkforce is being revealed all over the place the Australian Government were quick to act with this scandal but the Clinton's not so much, it is like trying to find a needle in a haystack all the money that has washed through our hands to fund the darkforce that has not been revealed yet with all this money going into not only the Clinton Foundation entities but Ausaid and many other NGO programs.. It will come out in this energy as one secret gets revealed it starts a domino effect in other nations where they will have those on the ground to also reveal their own nations dealings with this large organisations that are in corrupted countries ours is no exception as you have seen with so many years hard work on this site.. So much energy in these large entities and so much corruption, ego's and self service trying to create the illusion of fear amongst al the populations in society as you see the governments and world powers are all working together under a framework from the UN and the World banks including the IMF and its entities as well it is one big network of socialists/marxists and totalitarian control freaks..
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/foreign-affairs/world-vision-palestinian-funds-suspended-over-hamas-charges/news-story/1be956a14246aba1e80888ad71921f68
Australia has suspended funding for World Vision’s charity work in the Palestinian Territories after Israel charged a senior employee with siphoning millions of dollars from the Christian charity’s funds and transferring them to the military wing of Islamic political group Hamas.
Mohammed el-Halabi allegedly established a “systematic and sophisticated mechanism” to divert up to $65 million over the years to the militant group, which rules Gaza, creating fictitious humanitarian projects and doctoring inflated receipts in order to get the funds to Hamas, according to Israeli security agency the Shin Bet.
Mr el-Halabi, whose actions helped Hamas build illegal underground tunnels and purchase weapons for terror attacks, was charged on Thursday, the Shin Bet said.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s department revealed this morning it was suspending funding to the World Vision in the Palestinian Territories while it investigated the “deeply troubling” allegations.
“Australia’s aid to the Palestinian Territories is intended for vital humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian community,” the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
“Any diversion of the generous support of the Australian and international community for military or terrorist purposes by Hamas is to be deplored and can only harm the Palestinian people.”
It was not clear whether money provided by Australian taxpayers was funnelled to terrorists, although around $104,000 donated by the United Kingdom was allegedly used to construct a Hamas military outpost, “paid in cash, while salaries were paid to terrorists who worked in the construction of the base”.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 09:10 PM
(Selected quotes, with added emphasis):
"The Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will see Australia and the William J. Clinton Foundation collaborate to: ...
•EXAMINE POLICIES TO ENCOURAGE large scale solar power generation in Australia; and
•EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION on energy efficiency across government, business and the community.
:...
$100 million in 2008‑09 ($400 million over four years) to establish a Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute to ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT of carbon capture technology BY FACILITATING demonstration projects, and IDENTIFYING AND
SUPPORTING RESEARCH on related topics"
Typical BS and weasel words used by governments and public agencies when they want to APPEAR to be doing something but are actually just pissing money down the drain (or funnelling it to cronies).
Posted by: Senex | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 09:38 PM
The governments of the world can not be so blind with all the security and intelligence services world wide where do they think the darkforces are getting the weapons and the money to buy them from.. If they can have sites like Wikileaks and the group anonymous hacking computers to get all sorts of information it makes all those leaders look like fools.. Terrorists groups have to be funded from many sources once they find that out and stop the trades and services to those countries that fund or the money that gets funneled to, these groups will soon run out of ammunition, tools and manpower if they have no funds they can't do much..
Money is always a controlling power in war and this one is no exception as the countries that produce the arms are in the know who they get sold to..... So much corruption and greed makes humans do things that could be prevented....
It makes me so sad how humans can treat each other all life is precious and should be protected and all should have freedom.. love and light to those that abuse me as I mean no harm I just tell it like it is with the new energy that is coming in and how it makes humans act and what is being revealed is happening for esoteric reasons as well as what we see on the ground as humans it is not nice as I don't like to see any soul hurting xx love and light xx
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 09:44 PM
Mal and Mrs Mal can't win a trick can they check this out.. Bill Shorten is setting the agenda, he says something and Mal has to get one up on him so he plays the Shorten game..
This would have to be a move to start to control the banks..
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/margin-call/spilling-the-beans-on-coffee-club/news-story/3598b22fba0328b78c93d31646ba336f
Guess who first lady Lucy Turnbull was having coffee with at exactly the same time her husband, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, joined his Treasurer Scott Morrison to announce a tough new “accountability” measure for the big four banks?
Step forward David Gonski, the chairman of ANZ — one of the big four banks with which the PM was apparently getting tough.
ANZ chairman David Gonski. Picture: Hollie Adams/The Australian.
So where would Lucy and Gonski elect to meet?
First lady Lucy Turnbull. Picture: Britta Campion/The Australian.
Where else but the coffee shop at 1 Bligh Street, home of the commonwealth government’s offices in Sydney — the very spot that the PM and his Treasurer held their press conference to make their supposedly tough-on-banks announcement.
No wonder the Labor Party is having such fun using bank bashing as a proxy for going after Turnbull, once the head of investment bank Goldman Sachs down under.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 10:01 PM
I think at every one of these world power shindigs (G8, G20, UN climate conferences, APEC etc) they invent a new scheme to scam money off the governments (sorry tax payers) of the world and the big multinational corporations..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Climate_Fund
http://www.cleanenergycentre.com.au/index.php/27-clean-energy-news/latest-news?start=12
The latest United Nations Climate Change Conference wrapped up over the weekend and again failed to renew what many commentators state as the ultimate objective; the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. Held in Cancun, Mexico, the conference outcome included the decision to hold further negotiations next year, as well as the delivery of "the Cancún Agreements", an agreement to create a $100 billion Green Bank through which wealthy nations would help finance climate change mitigation strategies in the developing world, along with an agreement to fight deforestation. The Cancun Climate Change Conference did not labour under the level of scrutiny and media pressure that the Copenhagen talks did; nobody really expected revolutionary outcomes that would change the face of world energy commerce, and the Conference didn’t deliver any. Clean Development Mechanisms have been strengthened to drive more major investments and technology into environmentally sound and sustainable emission reduction projects in the developing world. Renewable energy projects could include rural electrification using solar power panels or the installation of more energy-efficient boilers. Governments also agreed to boost action to curb emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries with technological and financial support. A Technology Executive Committee and Climate Technology Centre and Network has been established to increase technology cooperation to support action on climate change adaptation and mitigation
Posted by: Michelle Two | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 10:21 PM
from the William J. Clinton Foundation‘s Clinton Climate Initiative…
“Most developing countries lack the technology and tools to track emissions and estimate forests’ carbon absorption and storage abilities. CCI is helping partner countries design and implement their own National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS), giving unprecedented accounting rigor to national forest inventories, as well as individual projects. By working on a national scale, our approach helps to create a globally accepted system for measuring, monitoring, and verifying the carbon content of forests. This in turn supports the development of international agreements on deforestation, and facilitates countries’ access to carbon markets as well as other sources of investment capital.
“To this end, we have convened the Carbon Measurement Collaborative (CMC), a network of leading scientists and technical experts in forest carbon modeling, land use change monitoring and measurement, and satellite imaging. The CMC has developed a prototype, based on a system originally developed in Australia, which currently is being demonstrated. In each partner country, we aim to build the local capacity – the software, computer hardware, and personnel training – to manage the NCAS independently.
“Partners and participants of the CMC include: the Australian government, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), the world’s leading geographical information systems organization, NASA, and other space agencies through the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations, the Woods Hole Research Center, the H. John Heinz III Center, World Resources Institute, and the Green Belt Movement. We also are engaging with Google and other important technology providers as well as with end users, including members of the financial investment community and negotiators of the post-Kyoto climate treaty, to determine what the system will be able to deliver for their purposes.” https://gisandscience.com/2009/09/24/measuring-the-carbon-content-of-forests-the-carbon-measurement-collaborative/ If the Clinton Climate Initiative isnt stealing our CSIRO technology and marketing it as their own then I am a monkeys uncle. CCI is taking the cream for being a facilitator like any other greedy middle man.
Posted by: seeker of truth | Friday, 05 August 2016 at 11:04 PM
There is a new senator in town who might be very interested to investigate & shame all parties that are/were in Government for it's blatant misuse of our taxpayer dollars...Perhaps a copy of this should be forwarded to him? Start the fire.
http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/one-nations-new-senator-malcolm-roberts-thinks-climate-change-is-rubbish/news-story/2805253591061b450a424fb4eb11d9bd
Posted by: EJ | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 08:17 AM
Take care Michael... it is more than coincidental how many people with knowledge of, or who are researching the Clintons, their associates, or entities seem to have terminal events.
It's now extended to those trying to expose the corruption in the Democratic National Committee. Anyone who watched the Democratic National Congress would have noted the glowering expression on Bernie Sander's face during Hillary Rotten Clinton's acceptance speech.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/08/breaking-lead-attorney-dnc-fraud-case-found-dead-1-week-serving-dnc-papers/
Posted by: Gary | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 11:43 AM
As usual " Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was not available for comment." http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-05/world-vision-boss-gaza-accused-by-israel-diverting-money-hamas/7692594
"They visited an agricultural scheme and a strawberry farm, all part of World Vision aid work in Gaza that the Australian Government has given over $5 million to over the past three years.
But today Mr Halabi appeared in a courtroom in the Israeli town of Beersheba, wearing a prison uniform, flanked by two armed Israeli guards.
He has been charged with using millions of World Vision funds to pay Hamas fighters, buy arms, pay for Hamas activities and build fortifications.
[[ Note that ]] World Vision Australia chief executive officer Tim Costello said Mr Halabi has worked with World Vision for 10 years, and that they have "no reason to believe" the allegations against their employee are true."
Posted by: aleathea | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 11:51 AM
From my last comment Avera brought Ausra in 2010.. the project folded when the Gillard grant ran out as only $40 million was spent on the $6.4million must of been the Qld government contribution..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areva_Solar
http://www.areva.com/EN/news-8199/areva-acquires-the-u-s-solar-company-ausra.html
February 08, 2010
AREVA taps Ausra’s management team and proven technology to become a world leader in concentrated solar thermal energy
AREVA announced today the 100% acquisition of U.S.-based Ausra, a leading provider of large-scale concentrated solar power solutions for electricity generation and industrial steam production. This acquisition launches AREVA’s new global solar energy business. It reflects AREVA’s strategic objective to be the world leader in concentrated solar power (CSP) and will further strengthen and diversify its renewables portfolio.
Combining Ausra’s proven technology and AREVA’s world leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) skills, the group is committed to building the most cost-effective CSP plants for utilities, independent power producers and industrial customers around the world.
The market for concentrated solar power plants is expected to grow substantially in the next decade with an average annual growth rate of 20% and should reach an estimated installed capacity of over 20 GW by 2020. With this acquisition, AREVA is poised to capture the leading position of this attractive and growing market.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 01:46 PM
So the company founded by Dr David Mills Solar Heat and Power Pty. Ltd moved back to the states in 2007 and changed its name to Ausra..
In 2008 Bligh and Brumby go on a tour to Nevada to inspect the solar plant in the US link above..they sign the partnership with the Clinton foundation..
I'm sure a lot happened in between but then in September 09 Bligh announces the project with an American company after they had signed a MOU they called on the Fed Government to help fund the project estimated to cost $200 million..
Dr Mills by the 7.30 report has been lobbying the government for a while so it would be interesting to see who he associates with both in the US and in Australia as in government bodies.. The 7.30 report was done in 2007 so about the time of Mills moving his company offshore back to the US .. (Same link as in my comment below I left earlier)..
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s1837616.htm
http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/em608/
In our article a few months ago, "Solar Power And Coal – An Unholy Alliance?", we reported on moves overseas to help make coal fired power generation more efficient using solar power.
In news from Queensland Premier Anna Bligh’s office just released, the State Government and an international energy company are endeavouring to establish one of these hybrid projects near Chinchilla in Queensland’s Darling Downs.
“The project involves installing a solar thermal addition to power Kogan Creek’s feedwater system to increase the station’s overall efficiency and generate more than 23 MW of electricity per year." said the Premier.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Areva_Solar
Solar Heat and Power relocated to the United States in 2007 and was renamed as Ausra.[8] The company began operation of its 130,000-square-foot (12,000 m2) solar thermal power systems plant in Las Vegas in July 2008. The facility was the first comprehensive solar thermal manufacturing plant in the United States.[9][10]
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 02:47 PM
Ka-ching!!!! some souls were following the free money trail check out how much the labor government was giving to the CCS technology that was not viable in the eyes of the Chinese in this article... 4 corners did do a story on "Coal Nightmare"..
http://www.energymatters.com.au/renewable-news/em580/
n the United States, the major project to create clean coal is called FutureGen; China has GreenGen and Australia has NewGen coal.
The United States project, announced with much fanfare by the previous Bush administration, has been revealed to be little more than a public relations stunt and isn’t expected to become reality before 2040.
In China, clean-coal technology efforts are only just getting under way and according to a Chinese government advisor who spoke with 4 Corners, “carbon capture and storage is not commercially viable and probably will not be for 20 years”.
In Australia, the Labor Government has given $2.4 billion for research into clean coal.
One of the great ironies of clean coal is that CCS technologies require more energy to work – and that means the burning of more coal and other fuels to create that energy – and more mining of the filthy fossil fuel. That would be good news for the Australian coal industry, but perhaps not so good for Australia’s environment.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 02:57 PM
Interesting ...
http://www.thepoliticalinsider.com/wikileaks-confirms-hillary-sold-weapons-isis-drops-another-bombshell-breaking-news/
Posted by: .Dennis Thompson | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 03:46 PM
These leaders sure are blind to the bleeding obvious..
Of course Tim Costello doesn't want his gravy train tainted, every time there is an election he pops up with his hands out for more cash to divert to his mission the organization is to big in energy and corrupted, greedy souls that run it (not all but the above would not be the only case in this corrupted world).. but the amount of money that has washed through not only this aid organisation would feed the all the poor in the world. It seems nothing ever changes because the corruption starts at the head of any nation and as we are now seeing with all that is being revealed in that area every nation has been touched by it at the very top organisations and governments.. Is it any wonder the world is in chaos at the moment with the new energy coming it all that is and has been hidden will be revealed.. Michael and MSN souls will have his/their work cut out for him as plenty will land in his or our laps in the coming years..
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 03:48 PM
How ironic is that you have to burn more coal to make enough energy to make it clean coal.... dumbarses (sorry bit of ego energy today) or what they only take notice of the research they paid for not the truth or the facts associated with all the wasted money on things that the commercial world would not touch, no wonder the Japanese where doing surveys in how the public were reacting to what "Clean coal was".
Of course the ego's in charge of our government wanted to be with the in crowd of the UN so signed us up to be a leader in this technology which has gone arse up in advancement and no money can be made from it..
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 04:53 PM
Another interview by the 7.30 report starring David Mills of Ausra..
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2047734.htm
KERRY O'BRIEN: And tonight we bring you a story that promises to strengthen the claims by supporters of solar power - that with proper backing, it can become a viable alternative to coal-fired power; with news from the United States that two of America's biggest power utilities have unveiled plans for a multi-billion dollar expansion of solar power supply.
The company at the heart of their strategy is the one started by Australian solar expert Davíd Mills - the former Sydney University professor - who left this country for California earlier this year to pursue the further development of his ground-breaking work.
What makes the announcement more significant is that the utilities are confidently predicting that their solar power will soon be providing base-load electricity - that is, day and night - at prices competitive with coal.
Those associated with the project believe it could signal a paradigm shift in electricity generation.
Matt Peacock reports.
MATT PEACOCK: The power of the sun. After decades as a fringe player in the energy industry, solar power is finally taking off in the world's largest economy.
VINOH KHOSLA, KHOSLA VENTURES: It's very, very exciting. There's a real sense of exuberance in belief in this new technology.
DAVID MILLS, CHAIRMAN, AUSRA INC: My hope is, my dream if you will, is that this will become a mechanism not only for the majority of the electricity generation in the United States but the majority globally.
MATT PEACOCK: As world leaders gathered in New York last week to focus on climate change, across town at the Clinton Global Initiative, giant US power companies were pledging billions of dollars of investment into solar power.
AL GORE, FORMER US VICE-PRESIDENT: We face a genuine planetary emergency, we cannot just talk about it, we have to act on it, and we have to solve it urgently.
MATT PEACOCK: For David Mills, it's vindication of a lifetime's research. Only nine months ago the former Sydney University professor was packing his bags for California's Silicon Valley, where the venture capitalist who made his fortune in IT, Vinoh Khosla, was prepared to back him.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 06:25 PM
Here is the backer and other co-founder of Ausra when it moved back to the US..
From the other 7.30 report dated 1/10/07
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2007/s2047734.htm
MATT PEACOCK: The solar technology developed by Mills already exists here in Australia - small pilot plants attached to the Liddell coal-fired power station in the NSW Hunter Valley. Its emphasis is on simplicity. Near flat mirrors on giant hoops track the sun.
PLANT OFFICER: Sunlight, on a clear day like this, strikes those mirrors and is gathered up onto the tower, and there's an absorber underneath that tower.
MATT PEACOCK: Out comes steam, ready to drive a conventional power turbine. This is on a small scale. Mills's and Khosla's new US company, Ausra, are now planning plants far bigger.
DAVID MILLS: Our first plant size, which is still small for us, but we have to start somewhere, is about a square mile in US terms, or more than two square kilometres in the terms used in Australia, and that would generate 175 megawatts. But really we want to aim for gigawatts style plants, and they're much bigger than that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinod_Khosla
Vinod Khosla (Gurmukhi: ਵਿਨੋਦ ਖੋਸਲਾ; born 28 January 1955) is an Indian/American businessman listed by Forbes magazine as a billionaire.[1] Khosla made his early fortune as one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems, where he was the founding CEO and chairman in the early 1980s.
Hmm!! Interesting where commitments can lead...
https://www.clintonfoundation.org/clinton-global-initiative/commitments/green-fund
Commitment by Stephen L. Bing, James Wolfensohn, Vinod Khosla, Ronald W. Burkle
In 2006, partners committed to create a $1,000,000,000 Green Fund to support investments in renewable energy across the developed and developing world to support drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and help stop global climate change
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 07:17 PM
Just a bit more information from the last link ..
https://www.clintonfoundation.org/main/news-and-media/press-releases-and-statements/press-release-second-annual-meeting-of-clinton-global-initiative-3-days-215-comm.html
President Clinton, Vinod Khosla, James D. Wolfensohn, Ron Burkle & Steve Bing
In connection with the annual Clinton Global Initiative, President Clinton, Vinod Khosla, James D. Wolfensohn, Ron Burkle and Steve Bing today announced their intention to team up to pursue opportunities in the areas of clean alternative and renewable energy sources. The group intends to promote the emergence of clean, alternative and renewable energy sources and technologies over the next decade. Through the leadership of its founders, the group will seek to help reduce world-wide dependence on fossil fuels, create jobs, lessen pollution, and aid in the reduction of global warming. The formation of this group is another tangible step for the Clinton Global Initiative and will enhance the work of the President's Climate Change initiative as well.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 07:32 PM
From the last link they must of seen Rudd coming on the 2nd annual meeting of the Clinton Climate Initiative was held in September 06.. The Third was the meeting at which this was agreed upon here is the press release 28 Sept 07..
https://www.clintonfoundation.org/main/news-and-media/press-releases-and-statements/press-release-opening-day-of-3rd-annual-clinton-global-initiative-brings-commitm.html
Solar Thermal Power
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and Ausra's $4 billion commitment will reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere by delivering utility-scale, zero-carbon power generated by solar thermal technology that is cost-competitive with fossil fuel generation. Over the next five years, Ausra will build at least 1,000 megawatts of solar power plants and PG&E will purchase at least 1,000 megawatts of solar thermal. These actions will eliminate over 36 million tons of CO2 emissions in California and neighboring states over the next 20 years.
Federal Climate Policy Portfolio Based on Scale-Up of State Level Best Practices
The Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) will develop a blueprint for addressing climate change through federal government action. This $500,000 project, which is a scaling up of CCS' state and regional work, will seek to reduce America's emissions of green house gases to 1990 levels by 2020. These reductions will be made by implementing a cost-neutral to net positive portfolio of policy measures.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 08:11 PM
While on names I thought to just now google the dodgy consultants... here is a wiki page which lists controversy.. A US multinational company "surprise, surprise!!" .. What is the betting the Qld government have used them before for other engineering projects..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsons_Brinckerhoff
Parsons Brinckerhoff is a multinational engineering and design firm with approximately 14,000 employees. The firm operates in the fields of strategic consulting, planning, engineering, construction management, infrastructure and community planning. In 2013, the company was named the tenth largest U.S.-based engineering/design firm by Engineering News Record.[1] On October 31, 2014 Parsons Brinckerhoff became a wholly owned independent subsidiary of WSP Global,[2] a Canadian-based professional services firm. Together, WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff is one of the largest professional services firms in the world with approximately 31,500 employees in 500 offices serving 39 countries.[3]
Here is the Australian branch..
http://www.wsp-pb.com/en/WSP-au-nz/What-we-do/Power-and-Energy/
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 08:45 PM
One of the US friends on my FB page is always putting links up to do with Obama and the Clintons she had some of those news sites up stating the same thing..
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 08:51 PM
That's interesting.
Just so happens that Wolfensohn was Chairman of the advisory group for Global Carbon Capture and Storage Ltd
which was the vehicle used by the Commonwealth to disperse about $400m in funds related to CO2 storage research.
This Company provided Funds to the Clinton Foundation for business plans and scoping studies relating to Carbon Capture among other things.
Not always what you know is it!
Posted by: Steve J | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 10:36 PM
I'm not sure if I put up this link but this is where the Governor of California comes into it..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDxn0Xfqkgw
July 1 2008
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2008/07/ausra-opens-us-solar-thermal-factory-52936.html
Las Vegas, United States [RenewableEnergyWorld.com] Ausra has officially opened the reflector production line at its first North American manufacturing and distribution center in Las Vegas. The 130,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center will supply the reflectors, absorber tubes and other key components of the company's solar thermal power plants to the growing Southwestern solar power industry.
In November 2007, Ausra and California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced a power purchase agreement for a 177-megawatt (MW) solar thermal power plant to be built in central California.
Ausra's Las Vegas manufacturing center will make solar field equipment for the PG&E project, for other power projects throughout the American Southwest and for Ausra's process steam customers, who are adopting solar thermal power to lower their fuel costs and emissions in their operations, including food processing, enhanced oil recovery and refining and pulp and paper manufacturing.
"Nevada is poised to be a leader in the clean energy revolution," said U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). "This facility will help position our state as the premiere place to invest in these new technologies. As the factory expands operations and we continue to invest in clean energy, we'll create thousands of good paying jobs and keep our outdoors pristine for future generations."
October 2008
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2008/2008-10-23-092.html
BAKERSFIELD, California, October 23, 2008 (ENS) - Turning a long line of mirrors to catch the California sunshine, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today fired up the first solar thermal power plant built in California in nearly 20 years.
The new Kimberlina concentrating solar thermal power plant in Bakersfield was built by Ausra Inc., a large-scale solar thermal energy developer and manufacturer based in Palo Alto.
"This next generation solar power plant is further evidence that reliable, renewable and pollution-free technology is here to stay, and it will lead to more California homes and businesses powered by sunshine," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "Not only will this large-scale solar facility generate power to help us meet our renewable energy goals, it will also generate new jobs as California continues to pioneer the clean-tech industry."
Two years ago California passed a requiring a rollback in greenhouse gases to the 1990 level by the year 2020, an emissions reduction of 25 percent. The governor said the Kimberlina solar thermal power plant brings the state closer to achieving this goal.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Saturday, 06 August 2016 at 10:42 PM
Good morning xx I've started on the google search this morning with what happened in Nevada with the solar business it went bust and left the customers of the scammers in their wake, in this article they are calling political corruption.. It actually sounds similar to what has happened in Australia with the government subsidies for those clients that took out the investment of roof solar panels and the government were paying them for the energy going into the grid meanwhile the taxpayer take up the slack of those that are still paying for their solar panel as well as the price of the electricity that is no longer subsided at the rate they signed up for .. so they had been conned because most power is consumed in the dark hours after work when all family get home so they still rely on coal powered electricity to meet their needs of aircon/heating, cooking, washing, hot water, lights etc.
Sounds like AVERA (formerly AUSRA) pulled the plug on the solar manufacturing as it was losing money not making it once the government stopped funding it, the company sold out and folded so they made investment money while the going was good on the stock market with so much interest in the growing business of solar panels, but the lie can't continue so it lost out.. Sounds much like the investment games the high rollers and investment bankers make in boasting about a company and raising its profile so when it is sold they make a profit only for the business to fold in the end after someone gets rich while another player goes broke (usually the client or customer is left the loser and out of pocket)..
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/13/solar-panel-energy-power-company-nevada
There are 36 solar panels sitting in a row behind Richard Stewart’s home in north Las Vegas. The panels cost about $40,000 – most of his savings, he said. He made the investment with his wife, who has since died, hoping to save money heating and cooling their high desert home. The retiree worried then, as retirees on fixed incomes often do, about rising energy costs.
Now he regrets the investment entirely. “I’ll be lucky to get my money back in 20 years,” said Stewart, 69.
Although Nevada is one of the sunniest places in the world, there has recently been a dark cloud hovering over the rooftop solar industry in the state. Just before Christmas, Nevada’s public utility commission (PUC) gave the state’s only power company, NV Energy, permission to charge higher rates and fees to solar panel users – a move that immediately shattered the rooftop solar industry’s business model.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 10:06 AM
Interesting I wonder what other data Wikileaks contains with the liasons between Rudd and Hillary Clinton they had a pow! wow! just after Hillary became the Secretary of State after the election was won.. Hillary Clinton was given this position on 21 January 2009..
I'm adding things to the timeline today.. (so google is my friend)..
http://www.smh.com.au/national/explosive-wiki-rudd-cable-20101205-18lbz.html
It also reveals Mr Rudd offered Australian special forces to fight in Pakistan once an agreement could be made with Islamabad.
The cable details a 75-minute lunch Mr Rudd held as prime minister with Mrs Clinton shortly after she was appointed US Secretary of State in the Obama administration.
Related Content
Signed ''CLINTON'' and classified ''confidential'', it is the first of the Wikileaks cables so far released that includes a substantive report on Australia.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 01:21 PM
Thanks I haven't got around to googling the other names but figured they would be linked into it somewhere through Consulting firms was running through my mind I did google one firm that Anna Bligh used but didn't look in to who owned it.... Pretty sure I seen the name on Khosla's wiki page but didn't go back to check he sounds like he has his fingers in lots of pies and investment companies of influence in the US.. it is also linked back to the Silicon Valley mob of investors..
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 01:41 PM
Looks like Mal and Hunt are in on the solar gig now an announcement was made in March 2016 of a Billion dollars to fund this with an American solar power company a delegation of MP went to visit the Nevada solar plant as well.. Sounds like the same pattern did Malcom also sign a MOU with the Clinton foundation?.. or more interesting would be who owns this American solar company has the phoenix risen in the investment caper....
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/port-augusta-solar-thermal-plant-likely-to-be-funded-by-1-billion-federal-clean-energy-fund/news-story/7be66ebf70e864e8a1a9cb9a95bd83bc
A LARGE solar thermal plant at Port Augusta is likely to be one of the first projects supported by a $1 billion Clean Energy Innovation Fund, to be announced by the Federal Government today.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Environment Minister Greg Hunt will today reveal plans for the fund, which will invest up to $100 million per year in emerging technologies.
The announcement comes after the federal and state government were urged to back the development of a solar plan at Port Augusta, where hundreds of jobs will be lost when two coal-fired power stations close in May.
It is likely to cause tension with conservative elements in the Coalition, particularly those who have aligned themselves with former prime minister Tony Abbott.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 03:43 PM
Mr Vinoh Khosla has interesting contacts .. here is an article on him and Tony Blair makes an appearance..
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/despite-setbacks-investor-is-bullish-on-clean-technology/
Mr. Khosla was looking into alternative fuel technologies at Kleiner Perkins when a business plan for an ethanol start-up crossed his desk in 2003. The plan “sat on a corner of my desk for nearly 18 months while I read everything I could about petroleum and its alternatives,” he wrote in an article for Wired magazine in 2006.
When he branched out on his own in 2004, Mr. Khosla invested millions in the ethanol start-up, Celunol. He soon established himself as a top venture capitalist in clean tech, attracting prominent outside investors like Microsoft’s founder, Bill Gates. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain joined the firm as a senior adviser.
Over the years, Mr. Khosla has experienced his share of blowups.
In September 2011, Khosla-backed Range Fuels, a wood-chips-to-ethanol company, went bankrupt after receiving a $44 million grant from the Department of Energy and $33 million under a Department of Agriculture loan guarantee. When The Wall Street Journal editorial page criticized Range Fuels as an “exercise in corporate welfare,” Mr. Khosla lashed back, saying the authors inhabited an “ivory tower” that was “full of people who don’t understand technology.”
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 03:52 PM
Interesting I just googled the name James D Wolfensohn he was the President of the World Bank for 10 years..
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/ORGANIZATION/EXTPRESIDENT/EXTPASTPRESIDENTS/PRESIDENTEXTERNAL/0,,pagePK:139895~theSitePK:227585,00.html
During 10 years as President of the World Bank, James D. Wolfensohn focused the spotlight back on the institution's true purpose — fighting global poverty and helping the world's poor forge better lives. Under his leadership, the World Bank implemented a range of significant reforms to help achieve its mission, and broke ground in several major areas including corruption, debt relief, disabilities, the environment and gender.
He drew attention to the importance of involving young people and the need to expand the development dialog to include civil society, indigenous peoples, faith-based groups and other non-government stakeholders.
On May 31, 2005, at the end of his second term, he left office and assumed the post of Special Envoy for Gaza Disengagement.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 04:21 PM
I googled Ron Burkle he seemed to have parted ways with the Clintons ..He once was very close to Bill not so much Hillary..
http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-ron-burkle-clintons-20160107-story.html
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120097424021905843
Former President Clinton stands to reap around $20 million -- and will sever a politically sensitive partnership tie to Dubai -- by ending his high-profile business relationship with the investment firm of billionaire friend Ron Burkle.
Mr. Clinton is negotiating to end his relationship with Mr. Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. as part of a broader effort to protect the presidential campaign of his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, from potential conflicts of interest. Details of Mr. Clinton's involvement in Yucaipa and his efforts to unwind it come from documents and interviews with people familiar with the matter.
The former president has had links to Yucaipa since early 2002, when Mr. Burkle -- a longtime friend and political contributor -- offered him a role there. Mr. Clinton's association with the firm began at a time when he was looking to earn large amounts of money, partly to pay heavy legal bills accumulated to defend himself and Mrs. Clinton from several investigations during his presidency.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 08:18 PM
I've just found another report by Nick Otter on the GCCSI.. in June 08 big promises were made.. A CSLF Policy Group meeting was held in San Francisco on the 29-30 June 2009.. Foundation members are listed also.. James Wolfensohn is the listed chair of the International advisory committee..
https://www.cslforum.org/sites/cslf/publications/documents/SanFrancisco2009/OtterGCCSIUpdatePGSanFrancisco0609.pdf
Basic rationale
“we strongly support the recommendation that 20 large scale CCS demonstration projects need to be launched globally by 2010, with a view to supporting technology development and cost reduction for the beginning of broad deployment of CCS by 2020” G8 Statement of June 2008
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 09:19 PM
Here is another associate of Bill Clinton & Burkles and he had a heart attack at 33 last year...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucaipa_Companies
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120097424021905843
Mr. Clinton is also looking to close out partnership interests in a Yucaipa fund that focuses on investing in foreign companies. This fund -- called Yucaipa Global Partnership Fund LP -- has raised several hundred million dollars from a range of investors. Unlike his deal to advise the two Yucaipa domestic funds, Mr. Clinton invested an undisclosed sum of his own money in the global fund and has a limited partnership interest.
Mr. Clinton is also one of three owners of the global fund's general partner. The others are Mr. Burkle, who is the managing member, and an entity connected to the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/dubai-ruler-eldest-son-died-heart-attack-sheikh-rashid-bin-mohammed-al-maktoum-10509862.html
The eldest son of the ruler of Dubai – one of the richest royals in the world – has died of a heart attack aged 33.
Sheikh Rashid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, eldest son of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, died on Saturday morning.
The young prince’s body has been laid to rest at the Umm Hurair cemetery in Dubai after funeral prayers led by his father.
Crown prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed paid tribute to his brother on Instagram, posting a photograph with the caption: “Today, I lost a best friend and a childhood companion...my dear brother Rashid. You will be missed.”
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 10:29 PM
In the stories I just linked, I recalled Julia Gillard went to Dubai on a few occasions here are the links to that visit and the name of Dubai Cares..
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/dubai-ruler-eldest-son-died-heart-attack-sheikh-rashid-bin-mohammed-al-maktoum-10509862.html
He also contributed to Dubai Cares, a charitable organisation that aims to tackle child poverty.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120097424021905843
Mr. Clinton is also one of three owners of the global fund's general partner. The others are Mr. Burkle, who is the managing member, and an entity connected to the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.
http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/education/julia-gillard-visits-uae-to-strengthen-gpe-partnerships-1.1325441
Dubai: There are 250 million children who attend school but are still unable to read and write, warned the former prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, during a visit to Dubai to focus on partnerships with UAE governments and organisations.
Gillard, who is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), stressed the importance of providing and measuring quality education, which she said was a goal shared with the UAE’s Dubai Cares.
GPE, which is a multilateral partnership devoted to providing the 57 million children not enrolled in school with a quality education, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dubai Cares in September.
“Dubai Cares is assisting in funding a project in Vietnam where they are rolling out an education model that provides very clear materials for teachers to fill education gaps in the less accessible parts of the world where you would not necessarily have a highly trained teacher,” Gillard said.
Posted by: Michelle Two | Sunday, 07 August 2016 at 10:49 PM
Julia from these links now collects money from governments and corporate bodies any body really that donates to this associated Clinton entity. Every conference and shindig these big elite powers have they start up new schemes and policy dorections for the mugs to follow through the UN treaties/convention that each government signs up to. The governments are also connected through the world banks and its entities as it has many branches and entities in each nation.
Posted by: Michelle two | Monday, 08 August 2016 at 03:33 PM