17 September 2012

Insulation left out of energy efficiency scheme

| johnboy
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The Greens’ Shane Rattenbury is understandably outraged that the ACT’s Energy Efficiency Retailers Scheme has neglected insulation:

The Greens have expressed shock to learn that insulation hasn’t been included as an eligible activity under the ACT’s Energy Efficiency Retailers Scheme, which is due to commence in January, and have called for the list to be immediately amended.

“Insulation is the most cost-effective way to cut energy consumption and bills so it makes no sense that it should be excluded from the scheme,” said ACT Greens Energy Spokesperson Shane Rattenbury.

A notifiable instrument released last Thursday lists draught sealing, double glazing, energy efficient air-conditioners and hot water heaters, lighting and a range of energy efficient appliances but makes no mention of insulation.

“According to the Government, they plan to add insulation in mid-2013, however no formal commitment has been made. This leaves potential insulation delivery partners in the lurch.

“It is ridiculous that energy saving power boards and energy efficient freezers have made the first cut when the energy savings they’ll deliver are a tiny fraction of those delivered by insulation.

“Insulation is the sort of energy efficiency upgrade that will deliver lasting cuts to the cost of living for Canberrans. It can cut energy consumption and bills by up to 55%. Ceiling insulation alone can save a Canberra home $670 annually, so it’s unclear how the scheme will deliver on the ambitious energy saving targets and bill savings it promised without including insulation.

“The Greens sought to make the eligible activities list a disallowable instrument when the legislation was passed, but the ALP and Liberals rejected our amendment. The Assembly has no role now –whatever government is in place after October 20 must move to immediately fix this poor decision.

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DrKoresh said :

Grail said :

It was more important for Labor to get the icing out the door first. The actual cake will have to wait because it involves legislating for safe ovens. Is that about the shape of it, Simon?

How do we follow the development of the “appropriate rules” for ceiling insulation installers?

So you don’t want the govt. to try and weed out dodgy tradesmen?

How should the situation be being handled then, oh Great One?

We could weed out dodgy tradesmen, but then there’d hardly be any left.

Thanks for the link Simon, I had some trouble reading such dry and formal media copy, so sorry if I misinterpreted anything.

Included in the Policy (Measure 9) is a commitment to, ‘ subject to a
regulatory impact assessment, establish a new ambitious energy savings
initiative, funded by energy users, providing support to low-income
households and stimulating the broad-scale energy efficiency improvements
of homes and small businesses across the Territory’.

The general gist I am getting is that energy suppliers will be required to penalise high energy users, is this a fair assessment?

What I am failing to see here is how higher electricity prices for tenants will incentivise landlords to increase the energy efficiency of their property.

Won’t we end up penalising those least capable of effecting change? Anyone who can barely afford the power bill as it is, and is not in the financial position to increase their efficiency, will be stuck paying more. While those who are already rich enough to increase their efficiency will be rewarded.

Furthermore, isn’t the energy efficiency of households rather a small portion of our total energy use? Wouldn’t we be better off increasing the efficiency of industry and transport, rather than going after the low hanging feel-good but rather ineffectual fruit of consumer efficiency?

We are often told it is our fault the world is being destroyed, but at an individual level that is misleading at best. Agriculture and industry absolutely dwarf consumer energy and water use, and even the high cost of our consumption is mostly supply side.

We didn’t choose plastic bottles, coke did. We didn’t choose petroleum, ford did. We as demand-side individuals can not be expected to stop poor supply side decisions solely through our own exhaustive vetting of every product we are faced with.

If we need roof insulation but developers are skimping, take it up with them, stop trying to push the cost of their mistakes onto renters and consumers who had no choice in the matter.

Grail said :

It was more important for Labor to get the icing out the door first. The actual cake will have to wait because it involves legislating for safe ovens. Is that about the shape of it, Simon?

How do we follow the development of the “appropriate rules” for ceiling insulation installers?

So you don’t want the govt. to try and weed out dodgy tradesmen? How should the situation be being handled then, oh Great One?

Simon_Corbell said :

The Greens are wrong on this claim. The ACT Labor Government will include insulation in the energy efficiency scheme early in 2013.

Before it is included we want to make sure appropriate rules are in place to keep dodgy insulation installers out of the scheme, keeping workers safe when they work in roof and wall spaces.

Fair enough.

It was more important for Labor to get the icing out the door first. The actual cake will have to wait because it involves legislating for safe ovens. Is that about the shape of it, Simon?

How do we follow the development of the “appropriate rules” for ceiling insulation installers?

Well, that settles that then.

Simon_Corbell4:38 pm 17 Sep 12

The Greens are wrong on this claim. The ACT Labor Government will include insulation in the energy efficiency scheme early in 2013. Before it is included we want to make sure appropriate rules are in place to keep dodgy insulation installers out of the scheme, keeping workers safe when they work in roof and wall spaces.

Labor’s energy efficiency scheme requires the ACT’s electricity retailers to provide discounted or free energy services to their customers. The scheme is expected to achieve cost savings of approx $300 on average per household by 2015. It is expected to abate approx 742,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

You can find out more info on the scheme at http://www.environment.act.gov.au/energy/energy_efficiency

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