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Lighting : April 2007
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20 Who’s Who of Lighting April 2007 It is proposed that electricity generators with a capacity of more than 30 MWe would be covered from the scheme’s outset. This would cover an estimated 190 Mt of emissions under business as usual (BAU) from around 100 facilities in 2010. Additional emissions from other sources of stationary energy emissions (over 25,000 t CO2-e a year, including imputed emissions from retail natural gas sales), plus fugitive emissions from gas pipelines, could be phased in at the end of the first five years of the scheme. Extending coverage to these sectors would increase coverage to around 275 Mt under BAU from around 250 facilities in 2015, or around 45 per cent of national emissions at that time. “Buildings wouldn’t be liable parties in their own right,” said Anthea Harris from the NETT. “Energy efficiency measures wouldn’t be counted as offsets in the national scheme, but possibly might come under other types of programs.” This means that the kind of energy efficiency measures employed by companies such as Investa Property Group would not constitute a tradeable carbon offset under the NETT’s proposal. However, what many people don’t know is that an emissions trading scheme is already operating in New South Wales, under the Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme. Investa is able to participate in this scheme and has created 18,348 certificates in total, selling its first tranche of 10,337 last year. The GGAS establishes annual statewide greenhouse gas reduction targets, and then requires individual electricity retailers and certain other parties who buy or sell electricity in NSW to meet mandatory benchmarks based on the size of their share of the electricity market. If these parties fail to meet their benchmarks, then a penalty is assigned. Since 2003, 37 million carbon certificates have been created under the scheme, each of which represents one tonne of CO2 emissions reduction. The current market value for certificates under the GGAS is around $12-14 each. There are rules under the scheme which allow companies to accredit projects such as energy efficiency measures that might use rating tools like the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating - there are currently 180-200 accredited projects across all rules. It also said: Carbon markets will become more widespread during the 2008-2012 first Kyoto commitment period. A national carbon trading scheme is likely for Australia, perhaps from 2010. Initially, an Australian scheme may contain provisions to shelter export exposed industry and some power stations from negative financial impacts. The financial impact on companies depends critically on scheme details. Longer term, a widespread global cost of carbon is likely. The Discussion Paper released by the NETT, in August last year, outlines a possible design for national greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme, including considerations of how impacts on regional areas and trade-exposed, energy-intensive industries can potentially be minimised. Stakeholder views on the effectiveness of the proposed measures are sought. IMAGES Top: Investa has replaced the tower lighting at 120 Collins Street in Melbourne, from upward facing metal halide floodlights to an LED tube and narrow LED wash lights. The new installation, by Laservision, is more energy efficient, saving 26 per cent on energy costs, does not create light pollution or safety issues with maintenance, and has a lamp life 100 times longer than the previous technology. Bottom: Beijing National Stadium Image courtesy of ARUP and Martin Saunders
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