News

$4.5 billion for clean energy in Federal Budget

The Federal Government has committed $4.5 billion to clean energy in the 2009-10 budget, in an attempt to reduce emissions and boost employment.

Under the Clean Energy Initiative, which includes $1 billion in existing funds, the Government aims to have 20 per cent of Australia's electricity coming from renewable sources by 2020.

The funding will include $2.4 billion in low-emissions coal technologies – with most of the funding going to industrial-scale CCS projects under the Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships Program as well as $1.6 billion to position Australia as a world leader in solar energy technology with the establishment of a Solar Flagships Program.

The clean energy initiative will also provide $465 million to establish the Renewables Australia body, to support research into renewable energies.

Other funding initiatives include:

• The Government will contribute $387.7 million over the next five years to fund climate change infrastructure, including computing, marine observing systems, terrestrial ecosystem observations and the replacement of the Marine National Facility.
   
• An additional $300 million will be added to the Climate Change Action Fund under the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, however this funding will not be handed out until 2013-14 and will be rolled out over two years.
   
• $64 million will also be spent over 4 years as part of its contribution to the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency to help Australians choose more energy efficient appliances, homes and buildings, and make residential and commercial buildings more energy efficient.

[ top ]

Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme delayed

The Federal Government has delayed the start date of its proposed emissions trading scheme by a year to win Senate support for its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced a series of compromise measures in an attempt to win Green support for the scheme.

The package includes a very low fixed price on carbon for the first year of the scheme’s operation and extra assistance for each of the two categories of trade exposed industries for the duration of the recession. Industries eligible for 60 per cent assistance will receive a 10 per cent buffer, while industries eligible for 90 per cent assistance will receive a 5 per cent buffer. Eligible businesses will also receive funding to undertake energy efficiency measures from 1 July 2009.

It also includes the concession that the government will consider a tougher emissions reduction target of 25 per cent of 2000 levels by 2020 in the event of a global agreement designed to limit the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at 450 parts per million. If there is no such agreement, the target range of 5 to 15 per cent reduction will apply.

The government will also establish an Australian Carbon Trust to allow households to invest directly in reducing Australia’s emissions and to drive energy efficiency in buildings.

The amendments were agreed to by a Cabinet subcommittee after the Greens wrote to Mr Rudd requiring unconditional emissions reductions of 25 per cent and that the Government should consider cuts of 40 per cent if there was a global agreement signed off in Copenhagen in December.

[ top ]

COAG endorses renewable energy measures

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has endorsed the design of the expanded Renewable Energy Target and agreed to the introduction of new 6 star standards for houses and strengthened energy efficiency standards for commercial buildings at its recent meeting.

Work will immediately commence on five key measures to drive growth in the number of highly energy efficient homes and commercial buildings across Australia:

• Increasing the stringency of energy efficiency requirements for all classes of commercial buildings in the Building Code of Australia from 2010;
• Phasing in the mandatory disclosure of the energy efficiency of commercial buildings and tenancies from 2010;
• Increasing energy efficiency requirements for new residential buildings to six stars, or equivalent, nationally in the 2010 update of the Building Code of Australia, as well as introducing new efficiency requirements for hot-water systems and lighting;
• Phasing in mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance at the time of sale or lease, commencing with energy efficiency, from May 2011; and
• Reforming current building energy efficiency standard and assessment processes to achieve consistency across the nation.

These represent the first measures under the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency that will be finalised by COAG in mid-2009.

The Strategy will provide a clear complement to the Commonwealth Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme – helping households and businesses reduce energy costs, improving productivity of the economy and reducing the cost of greenhouse gas abatement.

COAG also endorsed the final design of the expanded national Renewable Energy Target which will see 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity being generated from renewable sources by 2020.

The RET scheme will increase the renewable energy target by over four times, to reach 45,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2020. To provide renewable energy investors with even greater legislative certainty, the 45,000 GWh target will be maintained until 2030.

The expanded national RET scheme includes ‘Solar Credits’ to assist with the upfront costs of installing small-scale renewable energy systems, including household solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.

COAG also agreed to provide partial exemptions to emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries. COAG recognised the impact of the RET on trade-exposed industries in the context of the CPRS and the additional pressures these firms are experiencing as a result of the global financial crisis.

Emissions-intensive, trade-exposed industries will continue to support renewable energy, as exemptions will only apply above the existing Mandatory Renewable Energy Target of 9,500 GWh.

Legislation to implement the expanded target design will be in introduced by mid-2009, with new targets due to commence in 2010.

Details of the draft National Strategy on Energy Efficiency and the RET are now available on the COAG website at http://www.coag.gov.au

[ top ]

Prototype hybrid electric car to feed power back to energy grid

A prototype hybrid-electric car that can feed power back into the electricity grid during peak energy demand periods has been launched.

The prototype car, named SWITCH, has been developed by researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) with funding from the New South Wales Government.

The SWITCH car has the potential to boost to renewable energy by storing energy produced from renewable power sources, such as wind and solar power, and then supplying the green energy back to the grid when demand is at its peak.

Research Project Director Chris Dunstan, of UTS, says the car has been adapted from a standard Toyota Prius by adding extra batteries, controls and connections so that it can charge from, or feed into, household mains power supplies.

He said the extra batteries can store energy at off-peak times and feed power back into the grid at times of peak demand.

While the vehicle is only at the trial stage, it is possible that new smart grid technology could control a whole fleet of cars so that they charge or supply energy at different times.

The SWITCH car has the capacity to save up to 2.8 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions a year, compared to an average car. Based on a 30km per day commute it’s estimated that SWITCH would cost as little as 50 cents per day to charge with off-peak power.

The SWITCH car will now be trialled as a fleet vehicle by staff at the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change.

[ top ]

Green office retrofits could boost construction industry jobs: report

Retrofitting Australia’s office stock to become more environmentally-friendly could create more than 10,000 construction jobs, while ultimately leading to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a new report has found.

The ‘Retrogreening Offices in Australia’ report, released by consultancy firm Davis Langdon, estimates that refurbishing a significant quantity of office stock across Australia would create jobs for more than 10,000 people in the construction industry - which would translate into almost 27,000 new jobs across the broader economy.

The report finds that for every job created as a result of retrofitting existing office stock, there is potential to save about 130 tonnes of greenhouse gas annually.

Further, the report states that if the green retrofitting program was to take place across a 10-year period, annual greenhouse gas reductions of 1.4 million tonnes could be achieved. In order to obtain these reductions, the report finds the buildings would need to consume 42% less power than their present levels.

The report proposes the green retrofitting program as a way to create jobs in the nation’s construction sector, where there are limited opportunities for new construction as a result of the economic downturn, while also achieving a positive environmental outcome.

According to the report, Australia has 21 million square metres of existing office stock, with 81% of stock more than ten years of age, and in potential need of refurbishment. To view the report, visit
here.

[ top ]

Sydney aims to set up energy generator network to supply city's power

The City of Sydney is seeking expressions of interest for the development of a master plan for a network of green energy generation hubs that could ultimately provide up to 70% of the city’s energy needs.

The council is seeking to reduce ithe city's reliance on coal-fired power generation though the development of a system of gas engines that generate electricity for entire precincts and capture waste heat for use heating and cooling office buildings and homes.

Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, says because such systems have been successfully operated overseas, the council is confident the system will lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce potable water consumption and guarantee a level of self-sufficiency for the city’s energy needs.

The City of Sydney has estimated that when combined with other demand reduction measures, the ‘Green Transformers’ system will progressively provide 70% of the electricity requirements for the city. This target is expected to be reached by 2030.

The by-products of this co-generation system could provide hot water, heating, and cooling to approximately 35% of all dwellings in the city and 43% of all non-residential buildings in the city, which would lead to an overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and electricity consumption.

The council estimates the system could reduce Sydney’s carbon emissions by 20% compared with business-as-usual projections for the city’s greenhouse gas emissions to 2030.

The City of Sydney is hoping to commence the scheme by no later than 2010. Expressions of Interest for the development of the master plan for the Green Transformers system close on May 19. For more information, visit here.

[ top ]

Conferences & Events

The WasteQ 2009 Conference and Exhibition

The WasteQ 2009 Conference and Exhibition provides an invaluable opportunity for all resource recovery and climate change stakeholders to find out about the latest issues facing Queensland’s waste management industry.

The conference will focus on:

• the challenges and opportunities generated by council amalgamations
• the implications for the waste sector under the CPRS
• the interaction and similarity between resource recovery and carbon avoidance
• the legal and regulatory ramifications for the waste sector under the CPRS

The conference will provide a forum for businesses, consumers and regulatory authorities to examine future directions and best practice for waste management affecting Queensland and, in particular, newly amalgamated councils. Topics covered will include organics management, sustainable consumption and procurement and resource education. A wide range of speakers from local and federal government sectors; regulatory bodies and business will be delivering key insights, with Professor Jim Frederickson from the UK will discuss the relationship of organics to carbon emissions.

The program features an in-house exhibition showcasing some of Australia’s leading waste recovery projects and industry suppliers. Pre-conference tours include Mulgowie Farm, one of the country’s largest vegetable growing enterprises, which for the past four years has been making its own compost using residues from its packaging operations, Steelplas Recycling, the only company in Queensland to receive and reprocess high grade plastics, TiTree Bioenergy, Australia’s first purpose built bioreactor landfill and Visy Packaging.

Further information is available from www.wasteq.com.au or contact Kylie Hood at the Waste Management Association of Australia. T 02 8746 5044 E kylie@wmaa.asn.au

[ top ]

2009 Carbon Market Expo

104 speakers, 1100 delegates, 27 countries and 81 exhibitors over 3 days made Carbon Market Expo Australasia the event of 2008. Australia’s biggest and most respected carbon trading expo is returning to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, 26-28 October 2009.

The 2009 Carbon Market Expo is the most cutting edge carbon market intelligence forum in Australasia. Hosted by the two leading carbon market industry associations, the Asia-Pacific Emissions Trading Forum and Environment Business Australia and supported by government, this event is the premier gathering of industry experts.

2009 will feature a high level conference hosting leading international and Australian practitioners of the emerging carbon market, a major trade fair and in-depth technical workshops that draw on the skills and knowledge of experts actively participating in global carbon markets. The trade fair is Australasia's leading showcase of carbon market products and services.

This event is critical for businesses wishing to find out more about the Australian emissions trading scheme and how to measure, manage and offset their own emissions profile. There will be opportunities to discuss issues with global carbon market leaders and to survey the full range of carbon market products and services exhibiting in the trade fair.

Participants and exhibitors at Carbon Market Expo Australasia 2009 include:

• Carbon asset investors and managers
• Businesses with corporate or product emissions reduction strategies
• Government and/or private market-based emissions reduction initiatives
• Carbon offset projects, wholesalers and retailers
• Carbon accountants, auditors and verification services
• Research and education institutions
• Businesses manufacturing and retailing low carbon emission technologies
• Carbon market advisory and facilitation services (carbon pools, brokers, legal advisers and risk managers)

Sponsored by major corporations Barclays Capital, The National Australia Bank and international law firm Baker & McKenzie, whether you intend to come as a delegate or trade exhibitor, Carbon Market Expo Australasia 2009 should not to be missed!

The full program, online registration and exhibitor details are available now at www.carbonexpo.com.au.

If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact Liz Symmons on 07 5528 2501 or secretariat@carbonexpo.com.au .

[ top ]

Local Government Sustainable Development Conference

• Tuesday 18th - Wednesday 19th August
• The Sebel Albert Park, Melbourne

The peak national local sustainable development conference designed to assist local government practitioners to identify, plan and implement best practice sustainable development solutions, particularly related to reducing the carbon footprint.

The 4th Annual Local Government Sustainable Development Conference will showcase leading edge examples of outstanding environmental initiatives by Australian local governments, including the winner of Australia’s Sustainable Cities Award, the winner of the Excellence in Overall Environmental Management at the UN Environmental Awards, as well as presentations by the Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year, the President of the Local Government Association of Australia, and leading experts in the fields of water management, climate change, energy efficiency and waste management. 

Topics will include:

• Expert analysis of Local Government's emissions trading obligations
• Climate change and energy efficiency
• Integrating sustainability into economic imperatives
• Future directions for asset management
• Practical approaches to water management
• Sustainable planning and urban design
• Waste management and resource recovery
• Community engagement in environmental initiatives
• Green purchasing and procurement

Speakers include:

• Geoff Lake, President, Australian Local Government Association
• Cr Colin Hampton, Mayor, City of Frankston
• Cr Geoff Ablett, Mayor, City of Casey
• Cr Peter Young, Gold Coast City Council
• Stephen Sawtell, General Manager, Coffs Harbour City Council
• Louise Hicks, Partner, DLA Phillips Fox
• Nick Bailey, Manager, Local Government, Sustainability Victoria
• Chris Newman, Manager, Councils Reforming Business, Local Government Victoria, Department of Planning and Community Development
• Peter Kinrade, Senior Consultant, Marsden Jacob Associates
• Gareth Williamson, Senior Waste Management Consultant, Meinhardt Infrastructure and Environment Pty Ltd
• Susan Staples, Manager, Sustainability, Climate Change and Water, KPMG
• John Gertsakis, Executive Officer, Product Stewardship Australia
• Steve Harrison, Director, Business & Economic Development, City of Prospect
• Geoff Withycombe, Executive Officer, Sydney Coastal Councils Group
• Peter Maganov, Manager Sustainability, Randwick City Council
• Michael Top, Group Manager, Sustainability, Bayside City Council
• David Lemcke, Senior Planner – Planning, Policy & Legal, Wyong Shire Council
• Rosemary Dillon, Manager, Corporate Planning and Community Outcomes, Blue Mountains City Council
• Matthew Trigg, Sustainable Design Officer, City of Port Phillip
• Robyn Evans, Research Director, RMIT Centre for Design
• Faye Adams, ESD Officer, Manningham City Council
• Simone Dilkara, Project Manager, Goulburn Mulwaree Council.

For further information, or to register for the Conference, go to www.halledit.com.au/lgsd09 or contact Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

PLATINUM SPONSOR

Ecosave has become the fastest growing energy and water conservation company in Australia. Our clients tell us this is because Ecosave offer FREE SITE ASSESSMENTS conducted by our engineers, because we offer a SAVINGS GUARANTEE with every project we install and because Ecosave only propose solutions with verifiable savings that meet their financial criteria. Judge for yourself www.ecosave.com.au

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSOR

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

[ top ]

Products & Services

Publication - Climate Change: The Science, Impacts and Solutions

It is widely accepted in the scientific community that climate change is a reality, and that changes are happening with increasing rapidity. In this second edition, leading climate researcher Barrie Pittock revisits the effects that global warming is having on our planet, in light of ever-evolving scientific research. Presenting all sides of the arguments about the science and possible remedies, Pittock examines the latest analyses of climate change, such as new and alarming observations regarding Arctic sea ice, the recently published IPCC Fourth Assessment Report, and the policies of the new Australian Government and how they affect the implementation of climate change initiatives.

New material focuses on massive investments in large-scale renewables, such as the kind being taken up in California, as well as many smaller-scale activities in individual homes and businesses which are being driven by both regulatory and market mechanisms. The book includes extensive endnotes with links to ongoing and updated information, as well as some new illustrations.

While the message is clear that climate change is here (and in some areas, might already be having disastrous effects), there is still hope for the future, and the ideas presented here will inspire people to take action. Climate Change: The Science, Impacts and Solutions is an important reference for students in environmental or social sciences, policy makers, and people who are genuinely concerned about the future of our environment.

For more information on this new release go to:
http://www.publish.csiro.au/pid/6010.htm

HOW TO ORDER:
CSIRO PUBLISHING
Ph. 1300 788 000
Email:publishing.sales@csiro.au

[ top ]

Photography Made Easy - Walking Tours of Melbourne

Photography Made Easy workshops and walking tours are a friendly easy going 3 hour ‘hands on’ experience that showcase the city of Melbourne in an informative discovery walk whilst learning techniques and skill sets that allow for the advancement of an enjoyable hobby or to gain better skills for professional and business use.

We spend up to an hour in discussing the fundamentals of photography, and then ‘hit the streets’ to discover and photograph Melbourne’s public and hidden beauties. Working together in a fun, hands-on experience, there is a lot to learn about photography and the great cultural city of Melbourne.

Topics is the workshop will include:

• Planning
• Exposure
• ASA/ISO - What is it and how does it work?
• Composition
• Smart shooting
• Wildlife
• Travel
• Sport 
• Portraits
• Light 

For further information, go to www.photographymadeeasy.com.au  or contact Martin Bonnici on 0411 041 948 or email martin.bonnici@bigpond.com  

[ top ]