Page 86 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 25 February 2014
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The energy efficiency improvement scheme, or EEIS, is now in full swing with the first compliance here concluding on 31 December last year. As of 20 December last year it is estimated that installers have replaced 152,668 light globes, installed 34,025 standby power controllers and installed 11,966 door seals. This represents over 170,000 tonnes of abatement achieved in Canberra with over 25 per cent achieved in priority low income households.
Remarkable outcomes have also been achieved in the government’s pursuit of large-scale solar generation. In September 2012 the government set an Australian benchmark for low cost large-scale solar generation with the announcement that Fotowatio Renewable Ventures will build the Royalla solar farm, a 20 megawatt solar power facility in the district of Tuggeranong, with a feed-in price of $186 per megawatt hour.
To put this in context, this is less than the retail price of electricity and less than any large-scale solar development supported under commonwealth initiatives to date. Royalla solar farm will also be the largest photovoltaic power station in Australia when it becomes operational. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to sustainable energy as well as a capacity to make the transformation to more sustainable energy systems happen right here in Canberra.
Direct benefits of the Royalla solar farm include around 100 jobs during construction, the production of 38,000 megawatt hours of renewable energy each year—enough to power approximately 5,000 Canberra homes—and an approximate reduction of 700,000 tonnes of carbon emissions over the life of the project’s operation.
Of course, progress towards our renewable energy target has continued since that time with the announcement of two additional winners in the solar auction. In the second half of 2013-14 I hope to be able to set out the next phase of this investment process as we build on the successes and lessons learned from the solar auction program.
As with any major reform, government leadership by example is also crucial. This is why the government is working to achieve carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2020 through the implementation of the carbon neutral ACT government framework. Endorsed in August 2012, the framework enables and coordinates a whole-of-government approach to achieving carbon neutrality. The framework focuses on embedding sustainability into core business and investing in cost-effective energy efficiency, including through the carbon neutral government fund.
During 2012-13 two rounds of funding occurred. These rounds produced four successful applications with a total project value of $3.6 million. These projects are now in the implementation stage. They include $1.7 million to TAMS to upgrade 28 government sites to LED lighting, including libraries and office buildings; $1.5 million to Education and Training to upgrade to LED lighting at 10 of the highest energy using schools; $250,000 to EPIC for the upgrade to LED lighting at priority exhibition pavilions; and $72,000 to Education and Training to upgrade a solar hot-water system at Erindale College and Leisure Centre.
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