Queensland’s Climate Smart Future
It involves the phasing out of electric hot water systems from 2010
If you heard the Premier’s interview on television last night you might have thought you heard him say that electric hot water systems would be phased out by 2010. However, the press release clearly states that electric hot water systems in homes would be phased out from 2010.
Other key points of the government’s plane include:
Key initiatives of the strategy include:
• A $300 million Queensland Climate Change Fund to develop new technologies like hydrogen fuel cells. The fund will be financed from the sale of government-owned wind farm assets (mainly located interstate) and the remaining gas assets of the Enertrade business.
• A $55 million Smart Energy Savings Program to help business get energy smart, saving an estimated 3280 kilotonnes in greenhouse gas emissions and an estimated $78 million in energy costs.
• Providing $50 million for a Renewable Energy Fund to promote research and development in to renewable energy and are commitment to a renewable and low emissions energy target of 10% by 2020. This target will reduce emissions from the energy sector by requiring electricity retailers to purchase a set amount of their energy from Queensland-based renewable or low emission energy sources.
• Climate Smart Homes rebates - $7.25 million to help people living in remote areas of the state to install greenhouse friendly hot water systems, more efficient refrigeration and insulation etc. This will help lower emissions and lower power bills.
• Increase the percentage of Queensland’s energy generation being produced by gas under the Gas Scheme from the current 13 percent to 18 per cent by 2020. Generating power by using natural gas produces up to 50 per cent fewer emissions than coal.
• $10 million to identify future geosequestration sites to allow the safe storage of carbon dioxide emissions over the long-term.
• New planning standards for commercial buildings by 2010 and the phasing out of electric storage hot water systems.
• All Queensland Government office buildings to be carbon neutral by 2020.
• Establish a Queensland feed-in tariff for solar power to pay people whose home solar systems put power into the system.
• Phase out electric hot water systems from existing homes from 2010. It will be mandatory for homeowners replacing hot water systems to use greenhouse friendly hot water systems. Rebates will be offered for solar and gas systems.
If you want to start making your home energy efficient then check out your lights. We replaced all the globes in the rooms where there were a lot of lights that are often on with flourescent globes that screwed straight into the existing fittings and we could notice the drop in the amount of our electricty bill.
