Thursday, April 23, 2009

Hot Air Oscars nomination: A Clean Use for Australian Coal


Australian Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson, is hereby nominated for the Hot Air Oscar for highest-impact use of the words 'clean', 'ultra-clean', and 'low emissions'.


"This technology unlocks energy from Australia's significant stranded and uneconomic coal reserves."
"Technologies that convert coal and gas to ultra-clean diesel and jet fuel have the potential to replace Australia's declining oil reserves."
"The Australian Government is encouraging the development of coal-to-liquids in Australia through its election commitment to use the $500 million National Low Emissions Coal Fund to support projects generating minimal carbon emissions which utilise our extensive coal resources."


In a nutshell, they're investing government money in turning uneconomic coal that would otherwise have been left in the ground into CO2 in the atmosphere. Brilliant! Icebergs all round!

Thanks to Alexander Ac for the nomination.

1 comment:

Sustainawill said...

I would second that nomination. Every day I am reminded why I moved from Australia to the UK. Expat Aussies no longer have cultural cringe, it is now carbon cringe instead.

It makes me sad to think that when presented with the luxury of an excess of renewable resources (many times more than the UK) the Australian government keeps trying to turn back the clock and pretend that energy and climate is not an issue.

I wish someone would write an Australian version of your book.