Brisbane City’s Environmental Goals to 2026

The long term commitment and the shared vision of the local government and community have led to the development of nine strategic programs to achieve the city’s long term goal of a more livable Brisbane by 2026.

The council’s strong need to act was broughtabout by 4 important issues that have been present over the years, and had not been addressed yet;

·         A continual increase the number of people calling Brisbane home

·         Electricity and fuel prices continuing to rise

·         the global challenge of climate change

·         skill shortages across many industries

Under their new vision the city will be focusing on promoting energy efficiency and environmental protection with a theme of “Clean, Green City”.

The Clean, Green City sub program will focused on be protecting and developing our natural environment through; preservation of our native plants and animals, limiting pollution, and making the c the city “greener” with renewable energy and water conservation initiatives.

The primary goals of theprogram are as follows:

1.       To restore 40% of mainland Brisbane to natural habitat - By appointing natural reserves and enriching native plants by planting and cultivation with community engagement and mobilisation.

2.       To reduce Greenhouse gas emissions by 50% - Grants and programs were implemented in the city to encourage residents to install rooftop solar panels and replace electric water heating devices with solar hot water systems.

By adopting solar energy in Brisbane the city is expected to lessen the dependence on carbon intensive energy and so reduce the carbon footprint of the city.

3.       To reuse 100% of wastewater – The city promotes water conservation and the use of waste water by encouraging the use of rain water tanks and other water saving devices.

The program is directing many effective initiative in a well thought through and comprehensive plan for  the improvement of Brisbane, and it seems promising thatthe city can expect to achieve its goal as long as it gets sufficient support from the community.

Brisbane will continue to become one of Australia's most sustainable city with a pipeline of renewable energy assistive programs and continued support in behavioral changes throguh massive awareness campaigns.

Brisbane’s Green Office Program

The City council of Brisbane has launched a sustainability program called the Green Heart, which aims to transform the city into an environmentally friendly city in all aspects of the community and business. Its ultimate aim in conjunction with other projects is to reach carbon neutrality by 2026.

The program is an important part of achieving the city’s goal that is to increase the capacity of solarpower in Brisbane, reduce significant amount of carbon and foster behavioral change among its residents.

Part of the Green heart’s program is the City Switch Green Office Project which is encouraging offices and business across all industries to join the fight against carbon and increase their profits through minimising cost and increasing production at the same time.

 The city council of Brisbane has collaborated with the Queensland’s state government and related agencies to spread the project on a national level.

The city switch program offers free membership with a very minimal annual fee to National Australian Built Environment Rating Scheme (NABERS). Becoming a signatory to the program means that you acknowledge the serious threat that climate change will bring, and that you pledge that your business is committed to minimising these effects.

The city switch office program will assist your business in the following ways.

1.       Gives a 50% discount of free National Australian Built Environment Rating Scheme (NABERS) assessment.

2.       Provide a well-designed plan to improve your energy efficiency rating together with measures to reduce electricity bills and improve production process.

• 3.       Supplies your company with favourable positioning and promotion as an environmental leader
• 
  
• 4.       Provides a website resource for industry updates
• 
  
• 5.       Gives networking opportunities through business mobilisation and linking
• \
• 6.       Assisting in building an environmental friendly work place which makes you a more attractive employers
• 
  
• 7.       Supplies access to other energy and sustainability programs

Brisbane has been a true leader in environmental protection in the past few years and is continuing to prove why. The dedication of the Brisbane city council to its ambitious environmental goals are paying off as more and more business signatories join the city switch program and residents give their support in large numbers for the residential aspects of the Green Heart’s program.

Nationally, Brisbane’s campaign for renewable energy and carbon mitigation separate the city from the rest. The unique holistic approach and behavioral modification goal are just a few reason why it became one of the cleanest and most sustainable region in the country.

The historical Brisbane Convention Centre is now turning green! After receiving a $130 million budget for the convention centre’s transformation, the landmark will soon boast green technology in every aspect possible. The green improvements have passed international benchmarks, with a 5 star green environmental rating being given.

The convention centre will now utilise an underground water supply for toilets which accounts for a significant percentage of the total water consumption of the building. Along with this are water saving fixtures, which also utilise eco-friendly chemicals that aids with flushing and leaves behind a pleasant odour.

The new water system is expected to conserve nearly half of the previous water consumption of the entire building.

The architectural improvements also centers on improved building design for energy reduction. Glass panels are being placed around the convention centre to allow natural light in and save energy from light fixtures, and the structural form of the building will require less air conditioning. This will save considerable money on electricity bills and tons of carbon annually.

For greater energy savings the building has also installed energy saving lights, and a new skylight is a center of attraction which allows the entire building all available sunlight to enter during the day. As a bonus it provides a lovely scenic star view in the evening.

The final addition is of course solar power; Solar hot water systems have been installed to produce a sustainable amount of hot water for the centre’s needs, and some of the most advanced solarpanels in Brisbane will used to power certain portions of the building.

The city council also carefully considered all the materials used in the newly overhauled convention centre. Materials have been carefully picked to reduce environmental impacts, and all finishes meet the benchmarks for low volatile organic compound (VOC) content. All painted surfaces are low VOC paints. All carpets are low VOC and all adhesives and sealants are low VOC.

The project is part of the city’s aim to be the most sustainable green city in Australia, and the city council expressed their gratitude for the support and feedback they are getting from the community. Soon enough more environmental projects will take place in Brisbane, and the city is justifiably proud of its ongoing effective green initiatives.

Australia’s Remarkable Solar Power Growth

For the past couple of years Australia has made great strides with its use of solar power, to the extent that in the last 2 years we have had more solar PV panels installed for commercial and residential use then in the total time before that.

According to the Australian National PV Status Report the solar capacity of the country grew for more than 480% from 73 megawatts in 2009 to 378 megawatts in 2010.

The enormous growth in the industry was primarily driven by the Australian government’s solar bonuses and incentive schemes since 2008 which include solar rebates and the state feed in tariff schemes. More recently local councils have also been supporting various community programs to encouraged residents to embrace solar energy to reduce their electricity bills, and reduce their carbon footprints.

Recently demand has been assisted by the rapid reduction in prices of solar power systems thanks to increased demand & competition, more efficient manufacturing & improvements brought about by continued research and development in the industry.

In addition to the current small scale solar power credentials of the country are numerous large sized solar projects in the planning stages which will increase the figures above significantly.

For example; the Solar Dawn Project in Qld and the Moree Solar Farm in NSW are 2 of the largest of their kind in Australia, and will add another 400 MW of energy production between them once completed in a few years.

Also an announcement was recently made for the first utility scale solar projects in the country, which will be operational in the 3^rd quarter of 2012. Although the project is not as colossal as the two above the Greenough River Solar Farm is important as it will be opening doors to foreign renewable energy investments.

And thanks to the new billion dollars independently run commissions being establishedas part of the carbon tax program we can expect to see a more mid -large scale solar projects approved before the year ends.

The $10 billion Finance Corporation and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency are the two statutory body that will assist the country holistically from households to businesses in the transition of the country. The research and development of emerging technologies is also a focus of the two bodies.

On a smaller scale many local city councils including indigenous regions are exerting strong efforts to introduce solar power to their communities to introduce new jobs and foreign investment.

Australia’s Huge Support for Clean Energy

The solar industry in the country has had phenomenal success in the past two years thanks to the generous government programs and financial incentives. Before this year closes the industry expects another big boost as solar panel prices hit record lows and efficiency rates continue to increase.

Energy financial year breakdown (2011 – 2012)

Queensland

Queensland has one of the most successful solar industries in the country and the state government has announced its 2011 to 2012 budget for clean energy. A $32.9 million fund has been allocated to be used in various solar initiatives and to support solar infrastructure during the financial year, and another $34.5 million fund will be used to sustain the existing ClimateSmart programs.

Queensland will also be contributing a total $75 million to the Solar Flagship programs of the federal government. Large scale solar PV in Queensland will also get a boost from a $6.8 million budget throughout the entire financial year.

Northern Territory

The NT local government has allotted a $1.6 million budget for the implementation of its climate change policies in addition to a $300,000 fund for its research and development for the best environmental practices.

NT will also be focusing on tracking down their carbon footprint and upgrading their systems that allows them to do so.

Victoria

Despite the recent cuts in the feed in tariff scheme, the Victorian government has announced  majorfinancial support for clean energy in the year to come; providing over $90 million to fund the state’s sustainability and renewable energy projects.

The budget will be used to maintain existing programs, for the development of low emission technologies, and to continue to build community support& education towards a cleaner and greener Victoria in the future.

Western Australia

With over $100 million budgeted, WA will be working on various large scale solar power projects which include the Pilbira Underground Power Project and the Gasmere Wind Farm. WA will also be commencing a smart grid trial in the East Perth Metropolitan area and fulfill their role in developing new technologies to lessen their carbon emissions.

South Australia

SA will continue their generous support for eligible solar hot water system owners amounting to $500.

Tasmania

Although Tasmania has been quiet in the so called solar race, the state has allotted a million dollar budget to assess the regions renewable energy potentials and work from the results. Wind farms have been utilised successfully in the state also.

New South Wales

The NSW government has announced a $152 million energy subsidy budget to help its residents pay their electric bills, together with $36.6 million budget for the research and development of energy sources and to attract clean energy investors into NSW.

NSW Solar Schemes Cut Back

In a shock announcement on May 13^th, the state government of New South Walesannounced the permanent closure of the solar bonuses and schemes being implemented in the state. Along with that come changes to the feed in tariff scheme for existing users as well.

The original feed in tariff arrangement granted a premium rate of 60 cents per KW fed back to the grid which was supposed to be guaranteed under contract for a set period of time. However with the recent changes system owners who were eligible for the 60 cent rate will now only be granted a rate of 40 cents, and new systems will only be at the rate of 20 cents.

Solar PV system purchasers in New South Wales are flooding to question what has happened, especially those who signed up for an original 60 cent rate under the expectation that it was for a fixed term. The legality of the recent changes had also been questioned as there was no notice given and no public discussion held.

The state of New South Wales also set a cap limit with a binding contract that they would not close the solar bonuses and schemes until the cap is reached, however have terminated the scheme without the cap being reached.

These recent changes to the schemes without notice will put negative feedback on the solar industry and its promotion, even though these decisions are completely out of the hands of solar companies. There will be reason for Australians in all states to doubt the schemes that have beenimplemented, and NSW’s decision may take a toll on the drive to convince as many homeowners as possibleof the benefits of switching to renewable solar energy. Some people are likely to lose confidence and trust in what long term return they can expect from their solar investment, which is reasonable if it can’t be guaranteed

Solar Power’s Harmless Electricity

Circling the internet are some false accusations in regard to harnessing solar energy by way of solar panels. Claims had been made in various articles and blogs saying that hydrogen is produced in the production of electricity, but is that really true? Well hydrogen itself is a very combustible material if not handled properly and it can really spell disaster so it is very important to know if so. However, the production of electricity in solar panels is created throughthe photoelectric effect which doesn’t produce any hydrogen at all.

The Photoelectric effect functions the moment the sun light strikes the solar panels; being made from a special silicon material the panels have the ability to breakdown the components of the light energy into an atomic level, absorbing only what is necessary for electrical production, which is the electrons. Other components of the light energy are discarded, and these pose absolutely no threat in any form.

After knocking down the electrical charges this DC current produced is then directed to the inverters which converts the electricity to a domestically usable AC form. This is basically what the huge transformers contained in electric grids do as well.

Of course since we are dealing with electricity, there is always a risk if your solar PV system is not installed properly, that is why the federal government of Australia has insisted that only solar systems installed by certified installers be eligible for rebates and solar schemes such as the Feed in Tariff. The government also formed the Clean Energy Council which is solely devoted to implementing suitable safety and standards, and ensuring that all solar equipment purchased is of a suitable efficiency & quality. Visit their website for the full list of certified solar components & installers.

So we can comfortably conclude that harnessing the sun’s energy is safe, and we can definitely have a brighter future with solar energy to power our homes & cities without any carbon left behind!