Page 248 - Week 01 - Thursday, 24 February 1994
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CONSERVATION, HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT -
STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on Solar 93 Conference
MR MOORE (11.35): I present the report of the Standing Committee on Conservation, Heritage and Environment on the Solar 93 Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society. I move:
That the report be noted.
Madam Speaker, the Solar 93 Conference was attended by me as chair of the committee and the secretary, Mr Bill Symington, at the behest of the committee. This report could be considered a supplementary report to our report on cogeneration of electricity that was tabled in this Assembly. We have decided to continue this process because in the area of solar energy and other forms of energy it seems to us that change is so rapid that occasionally it is worth updating what has been happening. It seems to our committee that quite a number of our environmental problems are associated with energy and energy consumption as well as energy generation. Madam Speaker, not only have we had the benefit of attending that conference but also Mr Westende, from his visit to Europe, has provided more information to the committee. We also had the benefit of some information that Ms Szuty brought back after visiting a wind farm at Esperance over the Christmas holidays. While members obviously are aware of this issue, I think that we should ensure that the issue continues to be dealt with appropriately.
We draw attention to the work being done by ACTEW on this issue. I have had a number of meetings with officers of ACTEW who continue to look at how they can become involved in energy generation other than through the coal-fired or hydro-electricity sources from which we currently buy our electricity. We refer also to the energy efficient house that ACTEW has and their work in producing yet another of those houses to demonstrate what can be done in terms of using less electricity rather than just the notion of: How can we produce more? That is consistent with the general conservation policies that the Government emphasises in everything other than their own garbage collection system, where reduction is the most important thing, then reuse, then recycling.
Madam Speaker, solar buildings are an issue that is drawn attention to in the report, particularly in terms of demand. We refer to the Australian Conservation Foundation's green home and the notion that the ACF has licensed preferred green builders. It is an issue that Mr Wood may well consider taking up as part of his process in terms of a star rating for energy efficient houses. We also looked at solar thermal applications, both the range of styles of solar heating and solar energy. They are being used in places like Yulara at the moment, and there are proposals for Tennant Creek. The Australian National University has been at the world forefront of solar energy in terms of its big dish technology. That is something that I think the ACT could look at, although our situation is not ideal for that method.
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