The effectiveness of Australia's energy efficiency policy for industry - Are improvements required?

Jung, Nardia (2013) The effectiveness of Australia's energy efficiency policy for industry - Are improvements required? Masters by Coursework thesis, Murdoch University.

Abstract

There is significant potential for improved energy efficiency outcomes in Australia due to the existence of energy efficiency barriers, with a targeted improvement in Australia’s primary energy intensity of 30% (by 2020) being ambitious but achievable. In particular, there is considerable energy savings available from industry (potentially 10.7% of Australia’s annual energy use). This dissertation aimed to explore Australia’s implemented energy efficiency policies for industry and benchmark these policies against global best practise to determine whether any improvements are required. The research methodology included a desktop review of literature and analysis of related quantitative and qualitative data.

Australia’s EEO program, which has been internationally recognised as a leading edge policy for addressing industrial energy management shortfalls, is by far it’s most effective and comprehensive energy efficiency policy for industry as it has resulted in considerable energy savings and net financial benefits for industry in Australia as well as encouraging corporate and government collaboration. The policy gap analysis undertaken suggests that improvements for Australia’s industrial energy efficiency policy portfolio, include:

• Energy Management: Use of the international energy management standard, consideration of voluntary agreements or corporate energy efficiency targets and measures which recognise excellent energy performance of individual corporations.
• MEPs for Industrial Equipment: Extending and introducing more stringent MEPS for electric motors as well as introducing measures (MEPs or efficiency labelling) for packaged integrated electric motor driven systems and components. National test procedures should be required and other supportive policies to optimise electric motor driven systems should be considered.
• Complementary Financial Policies: Australia’s existing carbon price and associated energy efficiency funding/financing will mostly likely not continue in the future and therefore Australia should ensure that other complementary financial policies are introduced or continued (a national white certificate scheme should be introduced, measures which promote energy performance contracting activities should be developed and a national measurement and verification protocol should be adopted).
• Governance: To ensure a coherent energy efficiency strategy, Australia should establish a national governmental body which focusses only on energy efficiency and. Australia should also commit to a national energy savings target of 30% by 2020.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters by Coursework)
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Engineering and Information Technology
Supervisor(s):	McHugh, Adam
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/21452

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