Through an agreement with the building sector, the Australian Government has resolved to eliminate worst energy performance practices through a national standard approach to minimum performance requirements for buildings, see Greenhouse Office website.
Based on this advice, the Australian Building Codes Board is set to consider the introduction of five-star energy regulations in all new homes when it meets today.
But the Housing Industry Association say it is all a crock. According to their media release:
The regulations will not deliver a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, nor making significant inroads into energy savings. By 2020 they will have imposed a $31.5 billion cost on Australian families for a saving of just 0.8 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
Australian Greenhouse Office
(The username and password are located in the members packs)The Greenhouse Unit also coordinates the implementation of the Western Australian G...
Ender - thanks for links. It's hard to get around the right device fit for purpose.
Some field ops need laptops to hold the terabytes of data from the seismic microarrays and neutrino flux anomalies.
A report from Queensland's Office of Sustainable Energy (circa 1998) revealed that stand-alone renewable systems in the Daintree were twenty-times more expensive than similar systems in Boulia.
My property operates a 24 volt (1700 A/H) hybrid system with a 24 panel solar array, micro-hydro turbine and engine-generator.
For in excess of $60,000 of stand-alone electricity infrastructure, we pay between 20 to 30 times the cost of other Queenslanders that benefit from (supposedly statewide) equalized tariffs.
Collecting field data - savvy field operators use PDA's which need even less energy than laptops.
Mining company types are therefore more expert at using and implementing sustainable energy than any one else.
But we ar usually criticised as profiteering.
Usually by idiots.
Boxer - have a look at both these Australian manufacturers:
http://www.selectronic.com.au/
http://www.latronics.com/
These inverters are designed for Australia. If you look in the specs they have 40deg ratings if not derate them 20 or 30%.
This site is a goldmine for mobile power
http://www.outbackmarine.com.au/
It has everything and is resonably priced.
BTW I have no connection with any of these companies - mores the pity.
On inverters - we use inverters in FWDs to run laptops. Normal ciggy lighter outlets don't do good enough job for long field work.