He claimed further that the government supported the development and expansion of the clean energy industry in NSW, such as:
• The Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) – new homes built in NSW to produce 40 per cent less greenhouse emissions than the current state average;
• The $200 million Energy Savings Fund that rewards projects and activities that led to reduction in energy and greenhouse emissions; and,
• The Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme (GGAS) that required electricity retailers to reduce the greenhouse intensity of the electricity supplied to customers.
Early results positive: Brazzale gave the following examples:
• nearly a quarter of new homes were now planning to install solar water heaters under BASIX;
• $20 million was offered to 28 projects under the Energy Savings Fund; and
• over 20 million Greenhouse Abatement Certificates were registered to date – accounting for a market in carbon abatement of nearly $300 million.
Aim to keep green building rules firm: "There are of course some teething problems with these schemes that we will be seeking to have addressed," he said. "Under BASIX our challenge will be to ensure that the initiative is not watered down in response to pressure from the building industry".
He said the Australian Business Council for Sustainable Energy’s aim was to ensure:
• GGAS was expanded and extended, and delivered more real clean energy projects in NSW; and
• the good results from Round One of the Energy Savings Fund were built on to ensure industry capacity and market transformation.
Reference: EcoGeneration (May/June 06, p. 6)
EcoGeneration, 5/2006, p. 6
Source: Erisk Net