Page 282 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 December 2016
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Two of the large-scale renewable projects from our award-winning reverse auction process were producing electricity this year. Royalla Solar Farm increased production on last year, producing 38 gigawatt hours, and Coonooer Bridge wind farm began producing for the first time with 19 gigawatt hours. Additionally, ACT rooftop solar generation has increased remarkably, with output increasing from 66 to 89 gigawatt hours. This increase in renewables offset the slight increase in demand of electricity between years and demonstrates the importance of this policy in reducing the ACT’s emissions.
Electricity continues to be the largest single source of emissions in the ACT, accounting for 55 per cent of emissions. From next year, another large portion of ACT-procured clean energy generation will come online, helping commence the dramatic decrease in ACT emissions.
Total gas emissions also decreased by a considerable five per cent, which almost completely reverses the rise seen between 2013-14 and 2014-15. This decrease may reflect the shift from gas to electricity on the part of residential consumers, but more time will be needed before this trend can be confirmed.
Transport emissions increased by around four per cent on 2014-15 models and show a continuing upward trend. Transport emissions are 8.5 per cent higher than 2012 levels and now account for 27 per cent of total ACT emissions, increasing from 26 per cent previously. While the consumption of unleaded fuels appears to remain static, diesel fuel sales have shown an upward trend across fuel retailers in the ACT, reflecting a trend towards the increased fuel efficiency these vehicles offer.
Additional sources of transport fuel data have been included for the second time, beyond those collected under the Environment Protection (Fuel Sales Data) Amendment Act 2007. This act includes only fuel sold from retail service stations in the ACT, but does not account for bulk storage facilities. This accounts for an initial accelerated increase in transport emissions since 2013. However, an upward trend in diesel consumption continues between recent consecutive reporting years.
Waste emissions increased the largest of the reported sectors by 15 per cent between 2014-15 and 2015-16, albeit from a relatively small base. Waste emissions comprise only three per cent of the ACT’s emissions profile. This increase is a tribute to the ongoing emissions from legacy waste that has accumulated and continues to decompose from previous years; it is not from an absolute increase in waste to landfill between years.
Also, waste emissions are partially offset by the amount of landfill gas captured and used for electricity. This figure decreased slightly this year, adding to the increase in net emissions. Various factors can affect capture volumes, including accumulation of groundwater in the lower levels of the landfill, possibly accelerated by above average rainfall.
The final sectors contributing to ACT emissions are industry and agriculture. Agriculture emissions make up less than one per cent of the emission profile. Industry
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video