Energy efficiency, not nuclear – theme for July 19
“Australia could cut greenhouse gas emissions halfway to its Paris agreement target, and save $7.7bn a year in bills, by adopting existing global standards on energy efficiency.
From new hot water heaters to better standards for appliances, a new report has found Australia is missing an opportunity to “easily” meet its emissions targets and fight the looming climate crisis.
The report, from the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC), found that adopting the measures used in Germany would save the average Australian household $790 a year on power bills.
It would also create 70,000 extra fulltime equivalent jobs – from advanced engineering to plumbing – as houses are fitted with new boilers, draught-sealing and new lights, and factories invest in efficient equipment.
A YouGov survey commissioned by the EEC found that “investing in energy efficiency” is one of the most politically popular actions the government can take on the climate crisis – with more than 85% support among both Labor and Coalition voters.
However, Australia is not on track to meet its target of a 40% increase in efficiency by 2030, according to the EEC’s head of policy, Rob Murray-Leach.
Since 2015, Australia has only improved an average of 0.7% a year, according to the EEC’s figures – well below the 2.3% rate needed.
Murray-Leach said the levers of change were controlled by the states and territories – meaning Australia could still “crack on” even if the federal government was inactive.
The report said Australians should start thinking of energy efficiency as a form of energy generation – adding capacity to the grid and reducing power bills.
“Energy efficiency is just another form of supply,” Murray-Leach said. “When I look at Germany, their bills are 30% lower”.
According to the report, Australia has “barely begun to tap the potential of energy efficiency”, and was the worst developed country for efficiency, out of the top 25 energy-consuming countries. …… Naaman Zhou
Hi Christina. I was driven to a determined place by that appalling 60 Minutes piece. So much so that I have spent the week typing. Which means lots of typos to go back and correct. Combined with the IPCC stating that all CO2 release into air must stop by 2050, I attempted to calculate certain things. How many solar home panels would needed, how many other forms of generation would be needed and so on. I’m pretty convinced my arithmetic is incorrect due to my confusion about capacity of various generation. The problematic post is here: https://nuclearexhaust.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/electricity-generation-in-australia/ If you or anyone else would be able to check the thing over and come up with accurate figures I would greatly appreciate it. I dont trust my own arithmetic or ability to come up with the right answer. Apart from saying its a big job which doesnt need the waste of time nukers are imposing on the problem via blatant propaganda in the mass media. Regards
Paul Langley
If you don’t trust your own arithmetic, Paul, – I am flattered and amazed that you think mine is OK. I am asking a couple of friends to check it out, too.