Transcript Update on Australian Greenhouse Office Programs

The Role of Renewable Energy
in Addressing Climate Change
Australian Government Support for
Renewable Energy
Denis Smedley
Director Renewable Energy Technologies
Renewable Energy –
Part of the Solution
• Zero emission energy supply
• Australia has world class resources
• Capital cost high – fuel can be free
• Costs coming down
• Government funding support for technology
development
Ongoing AGO Programmes
• Photovoltaic Rebate Programme
• Renewable Energy Industry Development
• Renewable Energy Equity Fund
• Renewable Energy Showcase
• Renewable Energy Commercialisation Programme
• Renewable Remote Power Generation
Programme
Photovoltaic Rebate Program
(PVRP)
Payment from
Government to
home owners
to reduce the
cost of putting
PV on the roof.
Photo courtesy Citipower
Renewable Energy Showcase
• $10m Showcase
provided 5 grants of
up to $3m each for
demonstration
projects
Renewable Energy Commercialisation
Program
• $50m RECP run
through 6 competitive
rounds between 1998
and 2001
• Grants of up to $1m,
almost every RE
technology
Photo courtesy Solar Systems
Renewable Remote Power
Generation Program
• Up to 50% of the cost of RE generation equipment that
reduces reliance on diesel fuel in remote, off-grid areas of
Australia.
• Majority of projects wind-diesel and solar
Photos courtesy PSMC
June 2004 Energy White Paper
• Outlines the Government's
broader policy for prosperity,
security and sustainability of
energy supply
• Includes new initiatives
supporting renewable energy
and low emissions
technologies
www.pmc.gov.au/energy_future
Low Emission Technology
Demonstration Fund
• Building capacity, not subsidising penetration
• $500m to leverage $1b from private sector
– demonstrate commercial viability of new technologies
– includes renewables
– needs to have significant long-term potential
• Australia continues to be world-leader in energy and
energy technologies
Renewable Energy Technologies
Policy focuses on addressing barriers
• $100 million for R&D and commercialisation
(Renewable Energy Development Initiative)
• $75 million for Solar Cities
• $14 million for wind forecasting
• $20 million for energy storage
Renewable Energy Development
Initiative (REDI)
• $100 million over 7 years
• Targets R&D, proof of concept and early-stage
commercialisation
• First round closed 25 August 2005
• Decisions finalised, announced in December 2005
• Next funding round closing around March 2006
Solar Cities Trials
• $75m for trials in at least four cities
• To determine the impact a combination of cost
reflective pricing, clustered solar, energy efficiency
and smart metering technologies and planning has on
electricity supply and demand profiles
• To identify options for addressing barriers to
distributed solar generation and demand side
participation for grid connected urban areas
Wind Energy Forecasting Capability
• $14 million 5-year
initiative
• Addresses impediments to
higher uptake of wind
power on Australian
networks
• More predictable wind
power:
– Assists secure, cost-effective
management of networks,
and
– Enhances market value of
wind energy
Advanced Electricity Storage
Technologies Programme (AEST)
• $20.4 million 5-year initiative
• Aims to maximise the value of renewable energy from
intermittent electricity generation through the
development and application of advanced electricity
storage technologies
• Priority Applications
– On grid MW scale for large wind farms
– On grid kW scale residential solar
– Remote Area Power Supply
Climate Action Partnerships
• Australian bilateral partnerships with US, NZ and
China
• Scope for renewable energy projects
– greater information exchange with US and NZ
• Agreements were signed in 2004
– for stronger cooperation between US NREL and
Australian industry
– for specific renewable energy studies and projects
under US CAP
Asia-Pacific Partnership
• United States, China, India, Japan, South Korea
and Australia formed Asia Pacific Partnership on
Clean Development and Climate
– key developing and developed countries
– around half of global greenhouse emissions
• Australia to host inaugural ministerial meeting in
early 2006
The Australian Greenhouse Office
http://www.greenhouse.gov.au