Alice wants substantial increase in solar: survey

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2476 RePower Alice Springs OK
 
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – The RePower Alice Springs community solar survey has received 816 responses, with the vast majority of residents expressing a desire for a significant increase in solar powered energy for the town.
The survey was conducted over four  months and was only open to Alice Springs, Santa Teresa and Hermannsburg residents.
 
Only 13% of respondents agreed with the Northern Territory Government policy target of 50% renewable energy by 2030, while 76% of respondents wanted 70% to 100% of Alice Springs’ power to come from renewable sources.
 
Less than 2% felt that there should be no increase from the current amount of solar energy generated. 78% stated reducing carbon emissions was the main reason for pursuing a solar future, closely followed by reducing electricity bills.
 
Promoting Alice Springs as a solar city ranked high in the responses by locals.
Lack of government political will (NT and Federal) was the key perceived barrier to increasing solar power in Alice Springs for 60% of respondents and the influence of the fossil fuel industry were also rated highly as barriers.
 
RePower Alice Springs is a volunteer community group with the vision of 100% renewable energy for Alice Springs by 2030.
 
With more than 300 sunny days a year and an isolated electrical grid, it is entirely possible. We are committed to working with the NT Government and other stakeholders to bring about this vision. 816 responses to the survey is a fantastic result and shows the level of community interest in solar power.
 
Harshini Bartlett
Alice Springs
 
 
 

8 COMMENTS

  1. That is a good sample size in a population the size of Alice Springs.
    I note that in the current environment the transition is happening house by house, business by business, town by town and state by state.
    For Alice Springs it would be good to read some individual house and business stories. 100% may seem ambitous but with tha 2030 time line I doubt it will prove as difficult as many think.

  2. @ Richard Bentley: Sorry, it’s a rubbish survey, it’s a survey of those who have/had a vested interest in the topic.
    What it really tells me is that only 3% of the population could be bothered to reply to the questionnaire. That does not make it a good sample size.
    Perhaps the other 24,000 are looking south of the border at the flagship state for renewable energy and are horrified at their cost of renewable energy.
    SA currently has the most expensive and unreliable power generation in Australia.
    I have a belief that most people actually do want a sustainable, reliable source of renewable energy but not at the price of selling their first and second born children to afford it.

  3. I think Richard is away with the fairies. Who would foot the bill for all this? Certainly not his group. Spot on Laurence. The survey is laughable.

  4. Solar and storage is very close to being the cheapest form of electricity. The networks are yet to adapt but it is on the horizon.
    Laurence obviously has no idea about statistical surveys and voluntary participation in them. I filled in my survey at the Show, and saw them approaching people at the markets regularly.
    816 responses in a town the size of Alice Springs is a commendable effort.
    The future is in renewables, there are no two ways about it.
    Pull your heads out of the sand – the sun is shining again today and we should be making and storing electricity from it. Most people in Alice Springs want us to be getting the bulk of our electricity from the sun.
    Expensive power on the east coast is driven by gas prices because the companies have exported it all overseas.
    The sooner and bolder our solar vision for this town is, the better it will be for us economically.
    Don’t knock people who are working for a brighter future for this town. Huge respect for the RePower crew. Thanks for your efforts.

  5. Wow – some of the comments on this page are really disappointing! Some people seem to prefer to rip apart the efforts of others who are trying to make the world a better place, and do nothing themselves to positively contribute to discussions and debate.
    I say a big thank you to the volunteers at RePower Alice Springs who are trying to raise the profile of this issue – 816 people is quite an achievement in engagement as far as surveys go in this town.
    Solar and renewable energy are now the cheapest forms of new energy generation, and the transition to renewable energy is happening really quickly, despite the best efforts of those in denial of climate change.

  6. @ Hunter Trolle: Thank you for confirming my opinion that this survey was/is as I described it:
    Your statement “Laurence obviously has no idea about statistical surveys and voluntary participation in them. I filled in my survey at the Show, and saw them approaching people at the markets regularly” confirms this: Hand picked respondents do not make a random sample, so any “evidence” gained from this exercise is flawed from the start.
    It seems to be a common practice to use statistical evidence to suit your purpose with either “Dorothy Dixer” questions or cherry picked statistical results. Neither of these options will give true evidence.
    As I stated previously I like many others DO want a sustainable, reliable source of renewable energy but as I also said not at the cost of my first and second born.
    I’m so glad this cheap form of energy is just on the horizon, so is regular space travel, world peace and the Wallabies winning back the Bledisloe Cup.

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