Full Version - Essential Energy

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Energy efficiency research
scholarship
A research scholarship focusing on energy efficiency
has been established by Country Energy and Charles
Sturt University. The successful applicant will research
ways to improve the use of energy in rural and regional
areas, with a focus on marketing and economics issues.
Focus areas will include electricity demand
management options, demand for renewable energy
and ways to increase customer acceptance of energy
efficiency options and renewable energy. This will
help us investigate attitudes toward energy use and
conservation, make better planning decisions and
ultimately reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas
emissions.
Landmark deal
A significant greenhouse gas abatement initiative with
private forestry developer CO2 Group Limited was
announced in April 2005 – representing the largest
carbon sequestration (capture) deal under the New
South Wales Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme.
The unique partnership involves establishing up to
30,000 hectares of Mallee eucalypt trees across
regional New South Wales in 2006, which will remain in
place for 100 years under Greenhouse Gas Abatement
Scheme rules. The trees will be planted in strips
on existing farms to act as natural wind breaks and
control soil erosion. Other benefits include greenhouse
gas abatement, dry land salinity management and
regional employment opportunities during both the
establishment and ongoing support phases.
Future goals – reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
3.2 million tonnes over six years – the equivalent of
taking more than 177,000 cars off the road.
Meeting greenhouse targets
Country Energy met all organisational greenhouse
gas abatement goals, Federal Government renewable
energy targets, New South Wales Government
greenhouse gas reduction targets and National Green
Power accreditation targets this year.
During the last compliance period, Country Energy
sourced 100 per cent of green power sales from new
(post 1997 built) renewable energy generators, including
wind, solar and hydro. This is 20 per cent above
minimum accreditation requirements.
The Federal Government’s renewable energy target
places a legal liability on wholesale electricity
purchasers to proportionately contribute towards the
generation of an additional 9,500 gigawatt hours of
renewable energy by 2010. Country Energy’s target
for the 2004 calendar year was met.
Commenced in January 2003, the New South Wales
greenhouse gas reduction scheme imposes mandatory
greenhouse gas benchmarks on all New South Wales
electricity retailers.
The State greenhouse gas benchmark is set in terms of
tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2-e) per capita.
The initial level set for 2003 was 8.65 tonnes and the
benchmark progressively drops to 7.27 tonnes in 2007
and will continue until 2012.
Our 2004 calendar year target was met, with more
than 80 per cent of contributions coming from landfill
and waste mine gas generators. These generators
prevent ozone depleting gases and are particularly
environmentally-friendly.
Commercial partnerships
We continue to turn green energy into a commercial
reality, by working with developers to secure new
energy supplies that deliver environmental and regional
sustainability benefits. The key criterion for potential
partners is appropriate technologies, expertise and
financial capabilities. Examples include –
Eastern Star Gas – Narrabri Power Station
While all generation technologies have a role to play in
the future, Country Energy has a unique perspective
on the commercial development of new gas-fired
generation in regional New South Wales. Gas-fired
power stations have both operational and environmental
advantages in responding to the challenges of rising
electricity demand.
Opened in November 2004, the 10 megawatt Narrabri
power station opened the door for natural gas to be
delivered on a commercial basis from a New South
Wales field for the first time.
We have a 10-year commercial agreement to purchase
all of the energy and associated greenhouse gas
abatement certificates from the new station.
For the next one to two years of full-time operation, the
facility is expected to produce enough energy to power
13,000 homes and greenhouse gas abatement of
36,000 tonnes per annum – the equivalent of removing
12,000 cars from the road.
COUNTRY ENERGY ANNUAL REPORT 2004–2005