Following the recent election of the new ScoMo Coalition government, what can your business expect from their forecast energy and emissions reductions policy?

Supporting Reliable Energy Infrastructure

The Government will provide $75.5 million over seven years from 2018‑19 (including $3.1 million in 2023‑24 and $0.1 million in 2024‑25) to support investment in network infrastructure, dispatchable generation and reliable energy supplies in the National Electricity Market.

This measure includes:

• $50.4 million to support feasibility studies into the development of microgrids in regional and remote communities;
• $10.0 million for the development of business cases for reliable and affordable energy supplies for commercial and industrial customers in North and Central Queensland;
• $8.4 million to support feasibility studies to accelerate gas supplies from the Northern Territory to the east coast market by opening the Beetaloo Sub‑basin for exploration and development;
• $3.2 million to establish a task-force to support timely delivery of the Australian Energy Market Operator’s recommended projects from its Integrated System Plan (ISP). The ISP forecasts transmission requirements for the National Electricity Market over the next 20 years; and
• $3.5 million to support the development of the program design for the Underwriting New Generation Investments

Further information can be found in the press releases of 27 February 2019, 26 March 2019 and 28 March 2019 issued by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, the Premier of Tasmania, the Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, and the Minister for Energy.

 

Expense ($m)

	2018‑19	2019‑20	2020‑21	2021‑22	2022‑23
Department of the Environment and Energy	3.4	22.6	17.8	19.6	7.0
Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities	‑	1.9	‑	‑	‑
Total — Expense	3.4	24.5	17.8	19.6	7.0

Budget Measures 2019-20, Part 2, Expense Measures, page 78 (https://www.budget.gov.au/2019-20/content/bp2/index.htm)

The focus and funding for microgrids could bring hope to WA organisations, particularly property developers considering district type developments in anticipation of alignment from legislation for community title developments at the end of the year. WA organisations are leaders in microgrid technology and market models so this is a great state for developing district energy projects. Remote and edge of grid communities similarly would benefit from district energy / microgrid projects which increase reliability and lower costs and environmental footprints.

If your organisation or community is exploring or would like to explore the potential for district energy or microgrids, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a no obligation discussion on the how, when and why.

Email:

Phone: (08) 9429 5111