electricity – Michmutters
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Business

Renewable energy projects are taking off but where is the workforce?

The renewables industry has exploded in Victoria, with ambitious energy targets set by the state government and an abundance of job opportunities in the fledgling sector to be realised.

Gippsland, in south-eastern Victoria, has been touted as the golden child of the renewable energy industry.

The region has windy seas, extensive land resources, and existing grid infrastructure in the Latrobe Valley thanks to its coal mining legacy.

Thousands of jobs are set to be created during both construction and operational phases in the switch to renewable energies.

But in a job market crying out for people to fill 86,000 vacancies in rural and regional Australia, doubt remains on the ability to fill roles in the new industry.

In Australia, the labor force participation rate sits at 67 per cent, while in Gippsland, the rate is lower, varying between local government areas.

training gap

A recent renewable energy conference held in the region attracted interest overseas and nationwide interest.

Bernadette O’Connor, of Australian Renewables Academy (ARA), heads up a local organization tasked with training the workforce needed to work on renewables.

Ms O’Connor said mediocre participation rates should be seen as an opportunity to bring more people into the workforce.

The group has intentions to retrain skilled workers in the move away from the coal, oil and gas industries.

“We need to look at who’s existing in the sector to transition across to the renewable energy industry,” Ms O’Connor said.

“[We look at] what level and what skills. Who is not in the sector, but could be in the sector, because they’ve got skills that could transition.”

bernadette o'connor
Australian Renewables Academy director Bernadette O’Connor presenting at the the Gippsland New Energy Conference.(Supplied)

The federally funded ARA identifies entry level jobs and determines which people could be recruited with basic training.

Given offshore wind is in its infancy in Australia, skills and knowledge to train the workforce in the new technology will likely come from overseas initially.

Ms O’Connor said the industry was evolving at a fast pace, and communication around the sector’s resourcing needs was imperative.

“If we can have really good teachers who know how to teach and know how to facilitate learning, partnering with industry who know what the industry needs, then that would be the ideal scenario,” Ms O’Connor said.

Shift in thinking

Historically, the offshore oil and gas industry in Gippsland has attracted fly-in fly-out workers from across the country, but the number of interstate workers have dropped in the past few years, according to unions.

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Categories
Australia

Energy ministers from across the country meet to establish a new framework for transition away from coal

State, territory and federal energy ministers have started the process for significant reforms to Australia’s energy future.

The ministers met on Friday in Canberra where they received a briefing from energy market operators and the consumer watchdog on expected gas and electricity shortfalls in 2023 and 2024.

On top of the agenda was the establishment of a new National Energy Transformation Partnership (NETP) to better collaborate on Australia’s transition to greater reliance on renewables in the electricity grid.

Federal Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced that as part of the new NETP, emissions reduction would be included in the national energy objectives for market operators.

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Mr Bowen said the decision would send a “very clear” message of certainty to investors and would ensure emissions reduction is at the forefront of every aspect of energy market operators’ functions.

“This might not sound much, this is the first change to the national energy objectives in 15 years this is important,” he said in Canberra on Friday.

“It sends a very clear direction to our energy market operators that they must include emissions reduction in the work that they do.

“And the message of certainty to investors in renewable energy and transition and storage around the world that Australia is open for business, Australia is determined to reduce emissions.

“And we welcome investment to achieve it and we will provide a stable and certain policy framework.”

The ministers also agreed to extend the powers of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to better manage east coast supply shortfall risks.

It will also provide AEMO with the option of direct market participation ahead of winter 2023.

In its interim gas report, the Australian consumer watchdog warned of a serious shortfall in natural gas in 2023.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissions (ACCC) said LNG exporters needed to redirect excess supplies to the domestic market or Australia would risk its energy security heading into next year.

It comes after AEMO intervened in the Victorian gas market to redirect excess supply from Queensland producers to avoid mass shortages in the southern state – using its emergency mechanism for the second time in history.

The ministers joined the ACCC in calling for producers to redirect excess gas to the domestic consumers rather than the lucrative export market.

NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean said it was a “non-negotiable” for his state when it came to protecting households and businesses.

“What we don’t want to see is domestic gas producers prioritizing profits and exports ahead of local users, that is a non-negotiable for us in New South Wales,” he said.

“There is going to be a shortfall in gas in 2023 and 2024. That shortfall needs to be met.

“And what we need to do is prioritize Australian gas for Australian gas users ahead of companies making super profits and exporting that gas offshore.”

His Victorian counterpart Lily D’Ambrosio shared the concerns and said the country produced “more than sufficient gas” to meet domestic needs but “too much of it was sent overseas”.

“And that’s got to change and that’s really the task of all of us and we’re all up for it. And we’ve all agreed about how we can go about doing that,” she said.

On top of the gas market reforms, the ministers also discussed a future capacity mechanism to ensure firming power in the grid during the transition away from coal.

Senior federal and jurisdictional officials have now been charged to provide options for a framework which delivers “adequate capacity, ensures orderly transition, and incentivises new investment in firm renewable energy.”

“Ministers intend to take a more active role in delivering the firming capacity needed as the system transforms and consider the best means to manage the risks of a disorderly exit of coal generation,” the joint communique said.

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Categories
Business

Federal government will cover cost of connecting massive new Queensland wind farm to national grid

The federal government has agreed to cover the multi-million-dollar cost of connecting what will be one of the world’s biggest wind farm precincts to Australia’s power grid.

Its investment arm, the Clean Energy and Finance Corporation (CEFC), has committed $160 million to connect the Southern Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), to the national electricity market.

The REZ currently consists of two projects in the Southern Downs — the 103-megawatt Karara Wind Farm, controlled by state government-owned renewable generator CleanCo, and the 923MW Macintyre Wind Farm, owned and operated by renewable energy firm Acciona.

It requires 65 kilometers of overhead transmission lines and two switching stations to be connected to the energy market.

Powerlink – the company in charge of managing and running Queensland’s power network – began constructing the infrastructure in March.

Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni said CEFC will absorb the cost and that the new investment would unlock up to 500MW of network hosting capacity.

“Connecting the massive project to the national grid not only unlocks $2 billion worth of investment, it also increases reliability of power across the three east Australian states, with clean Queensland-made energy,” he said.

High tension power lines on steel towers in a paddock at Oxley Creek Common at Rocklea on Brisbane's southside.
The deal will improve capacity in the energy grid.(ABC News: Chris Gillette)

Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the investment was a “game changer.”

“A better future is powered by cleaner, cheaper and more reliable energy,” he said

“This CEFC investment is a game changer when it comes to hooking these new sources up to the grid … and we want to see more of it,” he said.

This is the first partnership between a Queensland government-owned company and the CEFC.

Federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen said it would increase renewable supplies to households and businesses in southern Queensland and the east-coast of Australia.

A shot of a wind turbine from below.
Connecting the wind farm precinct to the grid is a “game changer”, Mr Chalmer says.(ABC News: Philippa McDonald)

“The best way to put downward pressure on energy prices is to ramp up investment in renewables, transmission and storage and that is exactly what this $160 million commitment will do,” Mr Bowen said.

The Macintyre wind farm precinct is expected to be operational in 2024.

Mr Chalmers did not commit to a time frame on when households and businesses would benefit from the infrastructure.

“Clearly, projects of this size and this significance can’t be turned on overnight and require some kind of run-up.

“But what this investment means [is] it will be delivered faster than otherwise,” he said.

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Categories
US

Here’s how the Inflation Reduction Act’s rebates and tax credits for heat pumps and solar can lower your energy bill

It’s not the prettiest, or even most fulfilling, part of upgrading a home. But more energy-efficient heating, cooling, power and water usage can net savings that really adds up for household budgets and for doing right by the planet.

Congressional action this weekend and into next week looks to return more incentives, mostly via tax credits and rebates, to the pockets of homeowners who opt for energy-efficient choices, replacing fossil-fuel furnaces, boilers, water heaters and stoves with high-efficiency electric options that can be powered by renewable energy.

Read: Senate passes Democrats’ big healthcare, climate and tax package after marathon session

Of course, more of the nation’s electricity grid, currently run on natural gas NG00,
-2.15%,
along with lingering coal, and expanding wind and solar ICLN,
+0.76%,
will have to be powered by renewable energy for home upgrades to be truly green. But, alternatives are rising in use, and home efficiency has long been considered a good place to start.

The bill, a long-fought and greatly-downsized Democrat-crafted spending bill now known as the Inflation Reduction Act, includes rebates or a tax break for qualifying consumers who add efficient heat pumps (which, despite their name, move cold air around too ), rooftop solar, electric HVAC and electric water heaters.

The IRA was passed Sunday in the Senate and now makes its way to the House next week, where it is expected to be approved by a narrow majority for Democrats in that chamber. The Republicans who have opposed the bill have done so based on disagreements, they say, with the level of spending, but also because some support US oil and gas production on the grounds of cost savings and global security. And Democrats did agree to a future look at expediting environmental approvals for fossil fuels and clean energy.

“American families need relief from Democrat policies that attack American energy, send utility bills soaring and drive up prices RB00,

at the pump,” said Sen. Barrasso, a Republican of Wyoming who is a ranking member on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Climate Nexus, an advocacy group, says a survey has shown 67% of voters support providing tax credits and other incentives to homeowners, landlords and businesses to purchase appliances that don’t use fossil fuels (such as electric water heaters, heat pumps, and electric induction cooktops).

What’s in the Inflation Reduction Act for home energy?

The legislation provides for $9 billion in total energy rebates, including the $4.28 billion High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, which returns a rebate of up to $8,000 to install heat pumps that can both heat and cool homes, and a rebate up to $1,750 for a heat-pump water heater. Homeowners might also qualify for up to $840 to offset the cost of a heat-pump clothes dryer or an electric stove, such as a high-efficiency induction range.

Read: Gas stoves targeted as US congressman alleges consumer watchdog has sat on decades of worrisome health data

and: More and more right-leaning Americans worry about climate change, but aren’t ready to give up gas stoves

Many homes will need their electrical panels upgraded before getting new appliances, and the program offers up to a $4,000 rebate toward that initial step.

“A household with an efficient electric heat pump for space heating and cooling, a heat pump water heater, one electric vehicle and solar panels would save $1,800 a year,” says Jamal Lewis and team, writing a brief on the legislation for the organization Rewiring America.

“These savings will be reflected in lower monthly energy bills, reduced bill
volatility and a lessening of disproportionately high energy burdens within disadvantaged communities,” Lewis said. “Importantly, these savings add up — so much so that if a household invests their energy bill savings from electrifying their home appliances, these savings will grow to over $30,000 after 10 years and $140,000 after 25 years (assuming an 8% annual return). ”

There are also funds in the IRA to be claimed for smaller actions: a rebate of up to $1,600 to insulate and seal a house, and a rebate of up to $2,500 for improvements to electrical wiring.

The program, to be administered at the state level, will run through Sept. 30, 2031, and homeowners would be able to collect a maximum of $14,000 in total rebates. To qualify, household income cannot exceed 150% of the area median income.

For homeowners who do not qualify for the rebates, the IRA provides for a tax credit of up to $2,000 to install heat pumps. And, installing an induction stove or new windows and doors, for example, qualifies for tax credits up to $1,200 a year.

What are heat pumps exactly?

Electric heat pumps, which replace a furnace, for instance, are energy efficient because they don’t create heat by burning fuels but rather move it (during the heating season) from cold outdoors to warm indoors. The downsides can include upfront costs and their suitability for all regions.

Still, over its lifetime, electric heat pumps generally offer the cheapest way to cleanly heat and cool single-family homes in all but the coldest parts of the US in coming decades, according to recent research from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). In very cold places, the analysis finds, electric heat pumps with an alternative fuel backup for frigid periods minimize costs.

“Our findings are good news for consumers and for the climate. Electric heat pumps, which heat and cool, are the cheapest clean heating option for many houses, especially now that we have cold-climate models,” says Steven Nadel, report coauthor and ACEEE’s executive director.

Cold-climate models, an advance in the technology, operate efficiently at temperatures as low as 5°F. Their energy costs, however, are minimized if an alternative fuel backup kicks in when it gets colder than 5°F for long periods.

EPA Energy Star program

EPA Energy Star program

The analysis finds that higher-income households are more likely to minimize costs with electric heat pumps, because they have newer—and more likely, single-family—homes with air-conditioning and improved energy efficiency.

The group backs congressional help for low- and moderate-income households, whose homes are often the most difficult to decarbonize. Notably, ACEEE calls for help to reduce the costs of ductless electric mini-split heat pumps in multifamily buildings.

And what about solar?

The legislation revives a 30% tax credit for installing residential solar panels and extends the program until Dec. 31, 2034.

The tax credit would decline to 26% for solar panels put into service after Dec. 31, 2032 and before Jan. 1, 2034.

What’s more, homeowners who install solar battery systems with at least three kilowatt-hours of capacity would also qualify for the tax credit.

The heating-and-cooling provisions are in addition to tax credits of up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new electric vehicle TSLA,
-6.63%

F,
-0.46%
and $4,000 for lower- and middle-income families who purchase a used EV. Early versions of this spending bill included help for e-bikes, but they are excluded in the final. Read more about those EV incentives.

Other programs

Homeowners can look beyond federal programs.

Safak Yucel, assistant professor of operations management at Georgetown University, who studies government policies relating to renewable energy and carbon emissions, said legislative uncertainty given the long slog to get this bill passed, and the risk that executive action is challenged in the courts, means that state and city incentives, and those offered by utilities, may make homeowners more assured.

“A lot of state governments, a lot of cities, they offer quite lucrative deals,” he said. “When it comes to rooftop solar, for example, Massachusetts comes to mind, which is not necessarily the sunniest of states, right, but they have quite a significant adoption of rooftop solar panels thanks to these state-level policies. I think as consumers look forward, they are more likely to see even broader involvement from state governments.”

Website EcoWatch, for instance, allows users to search by zip zode and ranks solar-friendly states.

Will incentives nudge consumer buy-in?

Broadly speaking, the new bill is meant to return more green technology manufacturing back to the US by tagging $60 billion to accelerate domestic production of solar panels, wind turbines and batteries, as well as support the critical minerals processing that are a must-have for the batteries that power EVs and help households leverage their solar power.

More domestic production could help alleviate the supply-chain issues that have hobbled markets during the COVID-19 recovery, and it could create more jobs, all of which is seen helping Americans “green up” their homes and businesses at a lower cost historically, bill proposers argue.

Biden has said the US will work to align with most major economies in the world, hitting net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and at least halving current emissions as soon as 2030.

“Electrification will play a crucial role in decarbonizing homes, but the transition will happen slowly as long as inexpensive fossil fuels are widely available,” says Lyla Fadali, an ACEEE senior researcher.

Targeting manufacturing changes can also trickle down to consumers.

“Rather than focusing on whether or not a consumer will buy into the product at this point, what we’re seeing is that the consumers’ hand is sort of going to be pushed over a certain amount of time because so many manufacturers and producers are incentivized to build more solar, more EVs and so on,” said Shannon Christensen, an attorney and a tax and accounting specialist editor with Thomson Reuters Checkpoint, an online research platform.

“When gasoline-powered vehicles came into popularity in the beginning, nobody wanted to switch from their horse and buggy. It took quite some time to get consumers at that time to go over into that new technology. And I think we’re seeing the exact same thing,” Christensen said. “But the technology is getting good enough. And Congress has made it available to lower-income folks and through tax credits. I think that you’re going to see a [demand] shift, and I think it will rise quickly.”

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Categories
Australia

No new gas connections for ACT homes and businesses from 2023 under plan to phase out fossil fuels

Canberra homes and businesses will be unable to install a gas connection from next year under the ACT government’s plan to ditch fossil fuels by 2045.

Households are already leading the way, as natural gas prices convince them to switch to electricity to save money.

And Canberra’s new suburbs have already been designed without gas connections.

However, the government tabled legislation today to end all connections to new builds — including in older suburbs — as of January 1.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the transition — far ahead of the rest of the country’s schedule — would be “gradual and gentle.”

He said cutting off new gas connections was the only way to meet the ACT’s target of eliminating greenhouse-gas emissions.

“The days of cheap gas in Australia appear to be over,” Mr Barr said.

“Renewable electricity is now the cheapest and cleanest way to power our homes and businesses.”

An aerial view of houses with solar panels on their rooftops.
About two-thirds of Canberra homes have a gas connection, though the number has been shrinking.(Supplied: ACT government)

About two-thirds of Canberra homes use natural gas — for heating, water systems or cooking — and the fuel accounts for about 20 per cent of the ACT’s emissions.

The ACT already buys more electricity from renewable sources than it uses: it reached its 100 per cent target three years ago.

Most remaining emissions come from transport, and the government revealed plans last month to phase out petrol and diesel engines.

Mr Barr said the government would help Canberrans to turn off their gas entirely by 2045.

“We know we need to make this transition in a responsible and considered manner — a way that provides certainty to households and businesses but also supports them during the transition,” he said.

Market forces already encouraging Canberrans to switch

A tradesman in bright yellow working on a power meter.
Each year, about one in 50 ACT households year switches from gas to electricity.(Supplied: ACT government)

Even before the Ukraine war worsened the global energy crisis, prices had been driving Canberrans to disconnect from mains gas.

In the two decades to 2020, gas costs for ACT households doubled after accounting for inflation.

They are expected to rise a further 19 per cent over the coming decade — about $220 a year more for a typical home.

Meanwhile, electricity prices are predicted to fall 3 per cent.

As a result of these pressures and environmental concerns, about 2 per cent of Canberra households each year have been cutting off their gas supply.

The government now expects that to increase to 2.5 per cent a year.

Its modeling also suggests that, without any policy interventions, market forces alone would reduce Canberra’s gas use by almost 60 per cent by 2045.

Change-over costs the biggest barrier: survey

Photo from above a person's head as they pour seeds into a pan sitting on a flat, black induction cook top.
Shane Rattenbury says induction electric cooktops are preferred even by chefs.(Unsplash: Conscious Design)

The government says a range of incentives will help people and businesses change over.

These include the existing interest-free household loans of up to $15,000 to improve energy efficiency or switch to electricity.

Lower-value homes are also eligible for direct subsidies of up to $5,000.

Climate Change Minister Shane Rattenbury said disconnecting from mains gas was a longer-term goal, and there was no need to hurry, though it made sense to avoid the annual connection fees.

“As your current gas devices come to the end of their life, our advice to you is: make your next one electric,” he said.

“As you go to replace your hot water or heating system, don’t put another gas one in: choose an electric one today.

“It’s better for the environment and it’ll be better for your bank account — and we’ll help you make that transition over the coming years.”

A recent government survey found cost was the biggest barrier preventing Canberrans from switching to electricity.

At present, removing a gas meter and supply pipes costs about $800 per household.

The government said it would work with the Australian Energy Regulator to reduce or abolish that charge.

Mr Rattenbury said the ACT gas network would be switched off in 2045, but the government would not stop people from buying gas in LPG tanks if they wanted to.

“But I would say to those people: those new induction cooktops perform like gas, and the chefs we’ve talked to who’ve tried it love it.”

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Categories
Business

Gas producers warned to provide they have domestic supplies for next year, or face ‘gas trigger’ export restrictions

The Resources Minister has put gas producers on notice that the federal government intends to pull the “gas trigger” to restrict their exports, unless they can provide the nation does not face gas shortfalls in 2023.

Madeleine King says she will issue a notice to suppliers, the first step towards enforcing the Domestic Gas Supply Mechanism, directing them to provide a detailed response on supply and export forecasts for next year.

The consumer watchdog has warned that despite Australia’s abundant gas supplies, the outlook for next year was “very concerning”, with most of that supply slated for export.

It warned the government to consider intervening or face the risk of gas shortfalls in 2023.

The federal government has the power to force gas producers to restrict exports of their excess supply to ensure supply for the domestic market, known colloquially as the “gas trigger”.

The trigger was due to expire next year, but Ms King says it will be renewed to 2030 and reformed so that it can be used at shorter notice.

The minister says she will make a decision in October on whether to proceed with imposing export controls.

If pulled, the gas trigger would come into effect from January next year.

Industry promises no gas shortfalls next year

The gas industry is attempting to ward off the threat of the government pulling the gas trigger, saying it has the supply to meet consumer demands next year.

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Categories
Business

Rooftop solar panels, costing thousands of dollars, deemed fire hazard

Ricky Barone installed a solar system on his roof in 2014 to make the most of the North Queensland sun and save money on his electricity bills.

Since its installation, however, it has cost him thousands of dollars and years of sleepless nights.

It wasn’t until a so-called solar doctor inspected his rooftop panels this year that the Mackay man realized the potential hazard he was living under.

“I have [the solar inspector] basically said it’s badly installed and there’s a big chance it could catch fire,” Mr Barone said.

“I was so ticked off and I haven’t been sleeping well thinking about it.”

Mr Barone said it was a two-year wait to get a solar system installed by a local company, so he instead turned to a company based in Melbourne.

Ricky Barone and Son Solar
Ricky Barone and his son in Mackay.(ABC Tropical North: Hannah Walsh)

He said the problems started after about six months and then he had difficulty getting parts replaced, such as when the inverters failed after 18 months.

On one occasion a neighbor called Mr Barone to alert him to a fire.

“They blew up the meter box,” he said.

“It should have clicked from day one… we’ve had nothing but trouble with it.

“The system has never worked … we got it to try and save money to do some other renovations, but we haven’t been able to.”

Mr Barone said he wanted the company to uninstall it but the ABC understands the firm has not sold solar in a number of years.

“They just keep saying someone will get in contact, and they never do,” Mr Barone said.

“They’ve got a complaint site and there’s a lot of people in the same boat.”

The company has been contacted by the ABC for comment.

What is a solar doctor?

Jemal Solo started his own solar-inspection business in Mackay because he said no-one was advocating for home owners with solar installations.

A man sits in an office
Jemal Solo says most people do not consider getting their solar installations serviced.(ABC Tropical North: Hannah Walsh)

“We hold installers and manufacturers accountable for their products and workmanship,” Mr Solo said.

“We took this on because we saw nobody was addressing this … and when it comes to pensioners that’s when you get really upset because people buy this to save money.”

Mr Solo, who has installed solar panels and conducts inspections for the Clean Energy Regulator, said installers had a five-year defects liability period to fix their work.

“It’s your fault really if you find six years later that it hasn’t been installed properly,” he said.

“The problem is there’s no feedback loop … nobody is checking the installers’ work.

“The solar retailers don’t really care as long as they’re getting paid.”

Brian Richardson from the Queensland Electrical Safety Office said there had been instances in which interstate companies had come to Queensland without the appropriate licences.

Who can consumers turn to?

Australia does not have a national authority responsible for electrical safety.

Mr Barone said he had referred his case to the Queensland Office of Fair Trading as well as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Solar panels on a brick roof
A solar-inspection business in Mackay says no-one is advocating for home owners with solar installations.(Unsplash: ulleo: Public Domain)

He’s not alone.

The Office of Fair Trading deals with approximately 350 complaints a year involving solar products.

The Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ) deals with complaints about solar billing and metering.

Jane Pires of the EWOQ said in the 2021–22 financial year, it received 142 complaints about solar billing errors, an increase of 92 per cent from the previous year.

It passed 153 cases related to installation and 17 related to solar warranties to the Office of Fair Trading.

Delia Ricard, deputy chair of the ACCC, said her organization was also receiving a large volume of complaints concerning consumers’ experience with retail solar panels and installation.

“If it is a small local regulator, we are likely to refer it to Queensland Fair Trading,” she said.

“Where it’s a larger national or more systematic problem, we may take enforcement or regulatory action.

“The Clean Energy Council and new tech codes are designed to lift the standards in terms of manufacture and installation of solar systems.

“While they are voluntary codes, in most states where there are rebates, you can only get the rebate if the system was purchased from somebody who comes under the code.”

There are currently no state or territory requirements for electricians to hold extra qualifications for solar.

A scheme introduced 22 years ago by the federal government aimed to address this but it will be phased out by 2030.

The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme run by the Clean Energy Regulator provides households and businesses with financial incentives to install solar systems approved by the Clean Energy Council.

The scheme’s general manager, Matthew Power, said he had been consulting with states and territories to embed some of the scheme’s aspects into normal state and territorial electrical rules.

Man in high vis work gear closing his meter box.
It is recommended a solar installation be checked once a year.(ABC Tropical North: Hannah Walsh)

“The Commonwealth scheme is setting an obligation above and beyond the state and territory requirements that are already in place,” Mr Power said.

“The system needs to be installed by a Clean Energy Council-accredited installer who has done additional qualifications and training above their normal electrical licensing.”

‘Shoddy workmanship’ complaints

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Categories
Business

Gold Coast school jumps onboard electric school bus trial to inspire curious young minds

While the economics of electric buses may make them an increasingly irresistible public transport option, year 4 student Annabelle Nicolson has a different reason for liking her new electrified ride to school.

“If the gas from the bus goes into the air, then we, and the plants and the animals, can get sick,” she said.

Annabelle will be among the first students at Hillcrest Christian College to ride on its new electric bus as part of an upcoming trial.

The trial is the only one of its type on the Gold Coast, with the school hoping to transition its fleet over five years.

But according to Griffith University’s Transport Research Group, as fuel prices rise and maintenance costs drop, more schools should follow suit.

“We’re at the inflection point now, where if you were setting up a new operation with the depot and fleet, you would probably want to invest in electric,” Griffith University’s Matthew Burke said.

“The costs are just starting to become obvious that that’s what you do, particularly with fuel prices having leapt up in recent months,” Professor Burke said.

“The maintenance burden, in particular, of an electric vehicle is significantly lower than that of an internal combustion engine.”

three children sitting on a bus smiling
Hillcrest students Milena Garcia Mariano, Emilia Savage and Annabella Nicholson on an electric bus.(ABC Gold Coast: Camille Chorley)

‘Unsustainable’ transport problem

Professor Burke said Griffith studies have shown unsustainable trends in Gold Coast transport, with about three-quarters of students being driven to school in cars.

“People have shifted into SUVs, which with light trucks, are about three-quarters of all sales here now,” he said.

“It’s pretty polluting.”

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