18
December 2008 - It will be easier for prospective
buyers and tenants to find green officespace
under a new scheme proposed today by Environment
Minister Peter Garrett.
“Under this new mandatory
disclosure scheme, an energy efficiency
rating and advisory report will need to
be disclosed at the point of sale or lease
for any commercial officespace with a net
lettable area of 2000square metres or more,”
said Mr Garrett.
“More and more commercial
tenants and buyers are searching for energy
efficient premises.
“This scheme will help
them compare a building’s energy efficiency
when choosing to buy or lease office buildings.
“We want both buyers
and tenants to have access to credible and
meaningful information that will deliver
financial and environmental benefits for
business and the wider community.
“It will also create
incentives to stimulate investment in energy
efficiency improvements in office buildings.”
Office buildings contribute
the most significant proportion of emissions
for the commercial building sector, accounting
for around 27 per cent of emissions, and
emissions are continuing to grow.
The Australian Government
is working with the states and territories
through the National Framework for Energy
Efficiency to develop this scheme. A Consultation
Regulation Impact Statementand a Consultation
Regulation Documenthave been released for
public comment today, ahead of forums being
held early next year in all capital cities
to engage industry in the scheme’s development.
“We welcome comments
from interested parties on the proposed
scheme,” said Mr Garrett.
“This proposed scheme
complements more than $1 billion the Australian
Government has already committed to a range
of programs designed to improve both energy
and water efficiency.”
More information on
the consultation process is available from:
www.environment.gov.au
Building Australia's
Low Pollution Future with Renewable Energy
and New Solar Credits
Treasurer Wayne Swan, Minister for Climate
Change Senator Penny Wong and Minister for
the Environment Peter Garrett today released
details on the Government's 20 per cent
Renewable Energy Target and new 'Solar Credits'
as part of Australia's move to a low pollution
future.
"The Renewable
Energy Target (RET) will ensure 20 per cent
of Australia's electricity is sourced from
renewables by 2020, helping us build the
low-pollution economy and jobs of the future,"
the Treasurer said.
Draft legislation to
deliver the RET was released today, following
on from the release of the Carbon Pollution
Reduction Scheme White Paper on Monday.
While the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
will help bring renewable energy technologies
into the market over time, the policy announced
today will dramatically accelerate their
use.
"We are building
the low pollution economy of the future
by putting a cost on carbon pollution and
driving investment in renewable technologies
like wind, solar and geothermal energy,"
Senator Wong said.
The legislation includes
new Solar Credits that will provide powerful
incentives for people to install micro-generation
units, primarily household solar photovoltaic
(PV) systems.
The Solar Credits work
by allowing owners of solar panels to earn
five credits (called Renewable Energy Certificates,
or RECs) for each mega-watt hour of solar
energy produced by their solar panels. These
RECs will act as an upfront capital cost
subsidy worth around $7,500 for purchasers
of solar PV systems.
"Australians want
to do their bit to take action on climate
change. That is already clear with a record
number of households going solar this year,"
Mr Garrett said.
"These new Solar
Credits will help households, small businesses
and community groups get assistance with
the up-front cost of first-time new solar
systems into the future. This will provide
more Australian households with the opportunity
to go solar, and the industry with a strong
footing for long-term growth."
Mr Garrett said that
under the new arrangements, Solar Credits
would provide multiple RECs for new micro-generation
systems - primarily solar panels - up to
1.5 kilowatts.
The credits would assist
with up-front costs, providing a multiple
of five times the value of RECs from the
next financial year, and would phase down
to 2015-16.
"This builds on
the extraordinary success of the Solar Homes
and Communities Plan, which will transition
to 'Solar Credits' in 2009. We are continuing
to meet demand in the Solar Homes and Communities
Plan, and we will work with industry to
ensure a smooth transition to these new
arrangements."
Today's announcement
follows the Prime Minister's announcement
on Sunday that the entire $500 million Renewable
Energy Fund would be brought forward to
invest in cutting edge renewable energy
projects over the next 18 months.
"Strong investment
in renewable energy will help drive Australia's
transition to the low pollution economy,
creating new jobs now and into the future,"
the Treasurer said.
The Australian Government
has meanwhile been working cooperatively
with the states and territories to finalise
the RET scheme design through the Council
of Australian Governments (COAG).
COAG has agreed to consider
the final RET scheme design at its first
meeting in 2009.
"Legislation to
implement the RET scheme will be in place
by mid-2009 to ensure that the new, increased
annual target will commence from 2010,"
Senator Wong said.
"The proposed amendments
would legislate for a target of 45,000 gigawatt-hours
(GWh) of electricity to be sourced from
renewables sources, like solar, wind and
geothermal in the year 2020."
A number of renewable
energy projects have already been approved
under Victoria's renewable energy scheme
and these projects will be eligible under
the Rudd Government's RET. This ensures
no developments already approved in Victoria
are disadvantaged.
Eligibility requirements
for the RET would be the same as for the
current Mandatory Renewable Energy Target.
A discussion paper on
RET affected trade-exposed industries will
also be released before the end of the year.
The draft Renewable
Energy (Electricity) (Amendment) Bill 2008
and supporting regulations are available
on the Department of Climate Change website
at: www.climatechange.gov.au
Comments on the exposure
draft legislation should be sent to the
Director, Renewable Electricity Markets,
Department of Climate Change, GPO Box 854,
Canberra, ACT, 2601 by 13 February 2009
+ More
Energy efficiency a
win-win for home buyers and sellers
12 December 2008 - New
research released today by the Australian
and ACT governments shows a positive relationship
between a house’s energy efficiency rating
and its sale price.
Federal Environment
Minister Peter Garrett and ACT Minister
for the Environment, Climate Change and
Water Simon Corbell said the report, Energy
Efficiency Rating and House Price in the
ACT, was the first of its kind in Australia.
“What this report shows
is that by taking simple, practical actions
around the home you can make a difference
to your hip pocket in both the short and
the long term,” Mr Garrett said.
“Installing insultation
or retrofitting the latest in efficiency
products to your home now will help lower
your utility bills today and based on the
findings of this report potentially add
to the value of the home when it’s time
to sell.”
Minister Corbell said
mandatory disclosure of energy efficiency
had been in place in Canberra since 1999.
“While historically
home buyers might have focused on a new
home’s location like proximity to schools,
work and general amenities, this report
found that even taking location into account
in the ACT in 2005 and 2006, a higher energy
efficiency rating also delivers a good result.
“The findings of this
report provide real incentives for property
owners to invest in energy efficiency and
real encouragement for the housing industry
to ensure that new homes are as efficient
as possible.”
The Department of the
Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts,
on behalf of the National Framework for
Energy Efficiency and supported by the ACT
Government, commissioned the Australian
Bureau of Statistics study.
The report is at: www.environment.gov.au/buildings
and www.actpla.act.gov.au
