SA energy crisis needs EE scheme expansion immediately, 10 Feb 2017

Media Release

As the South Australian peak demand energy crisis unfolds and that Government prepares to announce major intervention to deal with the ‘broken National Electricity Market’, more proven energy efficiency policy must be included in the demand side mix.

“We encourage the SA Government to immediately expand its successful Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES) to make available to larger businesses financial incentives for activities such as air conditioning, lighting and refrigeration,” President of the Energy Efficiency Certificate Creators Association (EECCA), Hamish McGovern said.

“In the current extreme heat, inclusion of air conditioning is an obvious first choice. Inclusion would help ensure that the most energy efficient, quality systems are rolled out quickly: enabling customers to purchase product that will provide many years of effective cooling, lower energy bills and also ensure downward pressure on peak demand.

“We commend the SA Government on its successful rollout of the REES since 2009 focussed on residential and small energy customers with over 250,000 premises having participated in the scheme. Over 100,000 of these have been vulnerable households. A lifting of the current 900Gj cap on commercial lighting would also see rapid uptake of lighting upgrades for commercial customers.

 “The REES provides incentives for customers to invest in more energy efficient solutions by helping to offset initial capital investment. This cost saving is then compounded as ongoing running costs are reduced immediately and well into the future. Another example is LED lighting which can reduce energy consumption by over 80 per cent. Insulation, also included in the REES, helps keep household temperatures down.

“Peak demand and wholesale electricity prices are set to soar across the Eastern states today. Most of those states have market-based energy efficiency schemes which can be further expanded with additional activities that can significantly reduce pressure on peak demand. A major new activity onboarded recently in New South Wales and soon to be launched in Victoria is ‘project-based activities’. The category will enable large, complex projects to be rolled out that can significantly reduce peak demand.

“The EECCA is calling on all governments across Australia to establish much more progressive policy, based on proven market mechanisms, to ensure that energy efficiency plays a more immediate, critical role in the energy supply and demand mix. We look forward to working constructively with all governments to introduce and/or, expand and extend these proven market-based energy efficiency schemes,” Mr McGovern concluded.

… Ends

Media please contact:  Hamish McGovern - EECCA President, m 0416 296 827, Ric Brazzale - EECCA Board Member Policy Sub-committee, m 0419 522 659 or Jessica Lynch, EECCA Communications, m 0417 539 377, comns@eecca.org.au. Website www.eecca.org.au

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