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Energy options for remote islands

David Barton

OutlineSupervisorsClimate Change contextCase studiesUsing Social ScienceWhy this is important

Supervisors

Andrew Blakers - Engineering

Supervisors

Alden Klovdahl - Sociology

Supervisors

Gabriele Bammer - Epidemiology

Supervisors

David Dumaresq - Human Ecology

Climate Change:The single greatest problem facing humanity

Affects:Hydrology and Water ResourcesAgriculture and Food SecurityTerrestrial and Freshwater EcosystemsCoastal Zones and Marine EcosystemsHuman HealthHuman Settlements, Energy, and IndustryInsurance and Other Financial Services

Results in:• Decreased crop yields• Increased damage to building foundations caused by ground shrinkage• Decreased water resource quantity and quality• Increased risk of bush fires• Increased risks to human life, risk of infectious disease epidemics, and many other risks• Increased coastal erosion and damage to coastal buildings and infrastructure• Increased damage to coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves• Decreased agricultural and rangeland productivity in drought- and flood-proneregions• Decreased hydro-power potential in drought-prone regions• Increased flood and drought magnitude and damages in temperate and tropical Asia• Increased risks to human life and health• Increased property and infrastructure losses• Increased damage to coastal ecosystems

IPCC,2003

The solution:

Cut CO2 emisssions

Not a big step for mankind

So why isn’t it happening?

Case Studies:

Norfolk IslandLord Howe Island

c/kWh

coal 3-4

gas 4

nuclear 6-11

wind 7

biomass 20-40

solar pv 60

Costs of production

c/kWh

coal 3-4

gas 4

nuclear 6-11

wind 7

biomass 20-40

solar pv 60

diesel on Norfolk 35

diesel on Lord Howe 56

Costs of production

Strange?

Or is there just more to it?

What I do

I study why people do or don’t use

alternative energy

I use social science

Using social science

InterviewsFocus GroupsSocial Network AnalysisDocument AnalysisParticipant observation

A Social Network Analysis was conducted in the department in May, 2005

109 forms were handed out

98 were received back

90% response rate

Interview Data

Lord Howe IslandSeptember, 2005

People have very different ideas on what is best

People have been sold a dream

People have unreasonable expectations

People are disempowered by governance

People are ill informed

People do not participate in decision making

People are sick of nothing being done

People feel vulnerable and isolated

Some people think the government is corrupt

Some people never say what they think

Some people wanted to talk “off the record”

Some people think no ones got the guts

Is it really that strange?

Why is this work important?

If we cant get it right when the economics is good is there hope?

Its no good developing technology if people don’t adopt it

Questions?