National Conference 2010
Energy Efficiency Council National Conference 2010
2 December 2010, Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney
2 December 2010, Sydney Masonic Centre, 66 Goulburn Street, Sydney
The Prime Minister's Task Group on Energy Efficiency released its report on Friday 8 October, recommending sweeping changes to drive energy efficiency. While our political environment will mean a hot debate in energy and climate change, Australia's major parties all support energy efficiency and cogeneration because they can dramatically cut emissions and strengthen the economy. This event provided critical insight into our new energy future including:
- Bold strategies for big energy users: Political leaders discuss industrial energy policies
- Cogeneration and Energy Market Reform: What reforms do we need to unleash cogeneration?
- Moving beyond the office: Transforming retail, hotels and government buildings
- Designing a National Energy Savings Initiative: How can we design a national scheme to save energy?
Here's the latest news from our major sponsors
CITY OF SYDNEY
Achieving ambitious energy targets
The City is working hard to improve energy efficiency and ensure sustainable development in its own operations and beyond. The Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision set ambitious targets, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent over the next 20 years (based on 2006 levels).
Achieving ambitious energy targets
The City is working hard to improve energy efficiency and ensure sustainable development in its own operations and beyond. The Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision set ambitious targets, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent over the next 20 years (based on 2006 levels).
The City will meet these targets by using a network of green infrastructure aimed at reducing energy, water and waste demands especially on major renewal sites. Master plans are in development for trigeneration and renewable energy, and this year the City is developing a plan for energy efficiency. LED street lighting has been trialled and a tender is due out soon to install LED to all City-owned lights in public areas to improve energy efficiency by at least 50 per cent.
Helping the City’s office tenants reduce their CO2 emissions
CitySwitch Green Office is a tenant energy efficiency program which works with organisations committed to addressing their greenhouse impact.
Led by the City of Sydney, the national program aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by office tenants, significantly decrease electricity demand across our CBDs, and push for improved energy efficiency in commercial office buildings.
Tenants are encouraged to sign up to CitySwitch and commit to achieving and maintaining an accredited 4 stars or higher NABERS Energy tenancy or whole building rating. So far, more than 300 tenancies have committed to the program, with Sydney’s signatories accounting for 15 per cent of the city’s commercial office space.
Greening the City’s own portfolio
The City has already reduced emissions by 17 per cent across its property portfolio by retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient and increasing the use of renewable energy.
There are now 74kW of solar photovoltaic panels installed on City buildings which will soon expand across all City properties through a $12m renewable energy tender. Fleet emissions have been dramatically reduced by using fewer and more efficient hybrid and electric vehicles.
As part of an energy and water retrofits program, the City is now tendering for specialist energy and water services companies to deliver 20 per cent savings in energy and water across its building portfolio. This target is based on the City of Sydney’s 2006 baseline and is on top of the 17 per cent savings that have been achieved so far.
OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENT AND HERITAGE
ENERGY SAVINGS SCHEME
The NSW Energy Savings Scheme www.ess.nsw.gov.au offers a financial incentive to encourage investment in energy efficiency. By reducing their electricity consumption, participating organisations can receive Energy Savings Certificates which can then be sold to a NSW electricity retailer to meet their annual energy savings targets.
From July 2009 to April 2011, the Energy Savings Scheme has saved 1,046,000 MWh of electricity, equivalent to a reduction of 1,109,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Save Power Retailer Program
Customers can now learn about energy efficient appliances at many NSW electrical retailers as part of the NSW Government's Save Power Retailer Program
http://www.savepower.nsw.gov.au/households/retailer-program.aspx. Specially trained retail staff can help with questions about energy efficiency and the long-term running costs of appliances and electronics. Point of sale materials are also available to help people make informed decisions when purchasing energy efficient products. The Good Guys and Harvey Norman are the first retailers to take part in the Save Power Retailer Program, which will be rolled out to more than 150 stores and other leading retailers in NSW by June 2012.
Business making big energy savings
More than 300 medium to large businesses in NSW are participating in Energy Saver http://www.savepower.nsw.gov.au/business/medium-to-large-business/sustai... to save money, power, and our environment. Energy Saver provides businesses with a subsidised energy audit and technical support to identify and implement cost effective energy efficiency projects.
Energy Saver audits have shown that participating organisations could be saving an average of 23 per cent on energy costs each year. Combined, participants are already achieving ongoing savings of $12.5 million and 82,000 tonnes of carbon pollution per year.
Building an energy efficient workforce
The Energy Efficiency Training Program http://www.savepower.nsw.gov.au/business/save-power-in-your-business/ene... is providing subsidised vocational training to tradespeople and professionals in key industry sectors such as manufacturing and building management. It has also funded 54 projects that will develop innovative training to build the knowledge and skills of workers to improve energy efficiency practices, products and services.
This $20 million Program has established partnerships between education and training providers, universities, business and the NSW Government to develop and deliver industry-specific training. Since June 2010, more than $3.3 million has been invested.
Environmental Upgrade Agreements
The Local Government Amendment (Environmental Upgrade Agreements) Act 2010 commenced on 18 February 2011 and facilitates upgrading or ‘retrofitting’ of non-residential or multi-residential buildings (of more than 20 lots). The Act allows councils to enter into environmental upgrade agreements with building owners and finance providers as a way of funding works to improve the energy, water or environmental efficiency or environmental sustainability of those buildings. Guidelines which set out the rules in relation to environmental upgrade agreements are available at: http://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/No_16_of_2011.pdf
