Australia's National Partnership Agreement On Energy Efficiency

 

Australian Governments attending a COAG meeting last week agreed to a comprehensive 10-year strategy to accelerate energy efficiency improvements for householders and businesses as part of a strategy to combat climate change, reduce the cost of emissions abatement and improve the productivity of the economy. 
 
The strategy is intended to complement the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme by addressing challenges preventing the uptake of energy efficient opportunities, such as split incentives and lack of suitable information.
 
The  National Partnership Agreement on Energy Efficiency encompasses:
 
- assistance to households to reduce energy use by providing consultancy services and financial incentives
 
- assistance to business and industry to obtain the knowledge, skills and capacity to pursue cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities
 
- higher energy efficiency standards for homes and buildings
 
- nationally-consistent energy efficiency standards for appliances and equipment
 
- new standards for the energy performance of air conditioners
 
- addressing potential regulatory impediments 
 
- governments working in partnership to improve the energy efficiency of their own buildings and operations; and
 
- a detailed assessment of possible vehicle efficiency measures
  
As part of the strategy, a major push will begin next year to phase inefficient electric hot water systems and from 2010, all new homes and commercial buildings will have to meet energy rating standards. There will also be an acceleration of a phase-out of inefficient lighting, starting with a ban on incandescent light globes from November.
  
Electric and gas hot water systems constitute approximately 20% of a household's greenhouse gas emissions. One of the most effective ways of reducing this greenhouse gas impact is by installing a solar hot water system, which can also help householders save up to 75% on water heating costs. Federal and state governments are currently offering generous rebates on solar hot water and in conjunction with Renewable Energy Certificates, can reduce the initial purchase price of a system by thousands of dollars.
 

Solar Power And Heating Hybrid Systems

 

Solar power and solar hot water are usually two separate systems, but some companies are looking at combining the two to make more effective use of the sun. 
 
When the sun's rays hit a solar panel, aside from electricity, heat is generated - and is usually wasted. An overheated solar panel also loses some of its efficiency.

To get around this issue, systems are being developed that have water pipes attached to the back of solar panel. The heated water is then pumped into a tank ready for use, cooling the panel in the process and allowing it to work more effectively.
 
Other companies are looking at a different method; using an extension of a solar hot water system concept to also create electricity. 
 
Cool energy is developing the SolarFlow System, which generates solar electricity when heat from the solar thermal collectors is not needed in the host buildings. During the winter, most of the energy from the collectors is used to heat the building's living space and services hot water requirements. In the summertime, the system's engine converts that thermal energy to electricity via a Stirling engine. 
 
A Stirling engine converts heat energy into mechanical power, which can be utilised for spinning a turbine, by alternately compressing and expanding a fixed quantity of air or other gas.
 
Cool Energy is currently building its third-generation engine prototype for a pilot SolarFlow installation planned for the summer of 2009 at a public facility in Boulder, Colorado.
 
Related:
 
Solar hydronics - thermal energy for home water and space heating

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