Page 3679 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 28 October 2014
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It is also worth noting that the prestigious international journal Energy policy has dedicated an article to a case study of the government’s solar auction process, because the approach that has been used has been seen as a benchmark for reverse auction processes internationally.
These are just some of the ways in which the ACT’s efforts and policies to make the transmission to a low-carbon future are being recognised. I welcome this response and will continue to engage with a wide range of stakeholders to further develop and effectively implement nation-leading policies for sustainability for our city. (Time expired.)
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, is there evidence that the government’s renewable energy policies are having an effect?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Berry for the supplementary. Yes, there is. Last month I tabled the ICRC’s—Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission’s—ACT Greenhouse gas inventory report for the most recent reporting period. This is the period 2011-12 and the report clearly shows an increase in renewable energy use and a decline in the territory’s greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy increased from 14.2 per cent of all electricity consumed in 2010-11 to 16.9 per cent in 2011-12. In that same period, total greenhouse gas emissions showed a decrease of 2.4 per cent.
These results are very pleasing. They confirm that we are on the right track to cut our emissions and reach our 90 per cent renewable energy target by the year 2020. It is especially pleasing as the figures used in the ICRC report pre-date the period when the government’s energy efficiency improvement cost-of-living scheme came into effect, which is delivering energy efficiency savings to over 70,000 Canberra households, and it pre-dates the introduction of the large-scale renewables initiative, which has led to significant greenhouse gas emission reductions as a result of the establishment of projects like the Royalla Solar Farm.
This really does highlight that we can make a difference, we can transition to a low carbon future, we can ensure that householders pay less for their electricity and we can do so in a responsible and manageable way.
The report from the ICRC confirms that our per capita emissions also have fallen by more than the equivalent of one tonne of carbon dioxide per person from a peak of 12.7 tonnes in 2005-06 to 11.6 tonnes in 2011-12. There can be no doubt that our policy settings—(Time expired.)
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Lawder.
MS LAWDER: Minister, are you able to tell us who nominated the ACT government for the award, and are you aware of the cost to nominate?
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