Cut The Red Tape

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Rebates

Solar Hot Water Rebate: Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme (REBS): Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

Eligible households can claim a rebate of $1,000 for a solar hot water system or $600 for a heat pump hot water system through the rebate. This rebate applies for systems ordered and purchased from 20 February 2010. There are changes to eligible systems from 1st November 2011. To be eligible for the rebate under REBS your system must generate 20 or more small-scale technology certificates (STCs) at the time of purchase.

For further information: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/programs-and-rebates/solar-hot-water.aspx

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reThink Business Waste Services–$750 subsidy

Queensland Dept of Environment and Resource Management (DERM)

The reThink Business Waste Services (RBWS) Program provides a subsidy to businesses to help review existing waste management practices, identify changes and introduce a new resource recovery service. The RBWS Program is now open for applications.

Click here for more information: and apply for the subsidy
reThink Business Waste Services (RBWS) Program

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Solar Credits through REC’s for solar panels, wind turbines and micro hydro systems.

Solar Credits provide additional support to households, businesses and community groups that install small renewable energy generation units, such as rooftop solar panels, and small scale wind and hydro electricity systems. Solar Credits apply to the first 1.5 kilowatts (kW) of capacity installed for systems connected to a main electricity grid and up to the first 20 kW of capacity for off-grid systems.

The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator provides Renewable Energy Credits represented through the trading of Renewable Energy Certificates (REC's).

On 5 May 2011, the Government announced changes to the Solar Credits multiplier which will apply from 1 July 2011. The Solar Credits multiplier will be reduced to three (was 4) for small-scale systems installed from 1 July 2011. The multiplier will then phase down by one each year consistent with the original intent of the Solar Credits multiplier' reducing, over time, until the multiplier is phased out by 1 July 2013. The Government intends to put in place transitional arrangements in regulations to recognise written contracts entered into prior to 5 May 2011.

Schedule of changes to the Solar Credits multipliers

Date installed	9 June 2009 - 30 June 2011	1 July 2011 - 30 June 2012	1 July 2012 - 30 June 2013	1 July 2013 - 30 June 2014	From 1 July 2014 onwards
Multiplier	5	3	2	1	0

What does this mean?
Until the 30th June 2011, you can receive 5 times as many RECs for each megawatt-hour of energy produced. For example, based on a REC price of $40, a 1.5 kilowatt solar panel system installed in Brisbane would receive a $6,200 rebate until 30 June 2011. The rebate will fall each year until 2014 when only the REC's may provide a credit as there will be no multiplier.

Installers of these systems usually offer a discount on the price of an installation, or a cash payment, in return for the REC's (certificates).

For more information refer to these websites:
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/initiatives/renewable-target.aspx
(scroll down the page to: Support for households installing renewable energy systems)
http://www.orer.gov.au/sgu/solarcredits.html

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STCs and LGCs (Energy Certificates) and the REC Registry

• The price of the Certifcates changes as they are traded in the market by negotiation between sellers and buyers.This is controlled by the Federal Government Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER).
• On 1 January 2011 the Renewable Energy Target was split into the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) and the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES).
• RECs created for Solar Water Heaters and Small-scale solar, wind and hydro systems is classified as Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs).
• One STC equals one megawatt hour (MWh) of electricity generated or displaced.
• RECs created from Energy Power stations installed after 1 January 2011 are classified as Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs).
• One LGC equals one megawatt hour (MWh) of eligible renewable electricity generated above the power station’s baseline.
• The Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator has a list of agents that trade in RECs.
• The sellers of products that have RECS can act as an agent and redeem (cash them in) them for you.

For further information: http://www.orer.gov.au/certificates

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Government Initiatives

Queensland Government EPA-Climate Smart Living

Climate Smart Home Service: This service will help you improve your energy efficiency at home. A service like this would normally cost around $450, but with assistance from the Queensland Government, Queensland residents will pay just $50. A qualified electrician will visit your home to conduct a water and energy audit, provide energy advice and install a wireless energy monitor that can be used to check your electricity use throughout the home. They will also install up to 15 power saving light globes and, where suitable, a water and energy efficient showerhead.

For more information go to: http://www.climatesmarthome.com.

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Government Initiatives

Australian Government Environmental Taxation Concessions

Australian Government Dept. of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has responsibility for a number of administrative arrangements relating to taxation concessions as follows:

• Providing a donor, who has donated a gift of $5,000 or more to an environment or heritage organisation, the opportunity to claim the donation against their tax returns over a five year period.
• Providing a capital gains tax exemption for gifts of property left in a will to an eligible organisation.
• Providing income taxation concessions for landowners entering conservation covenants with eligible organisations, this includes States, Territories, some local governments and some non-government organisations.
• Providing environmental organisations with deductible gift recipient status.

For further information : http://www.environment.gov.au/about/tax/index.html

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Tax Breaks For Green Buildings

From 1 July 2012, eligible businesses that invest in improving the energy efficiency of their existing buildings will be able to apply for a Tax Break. The Tax Break will cover specified expenditure which is incurred as part of a qualifying retrofit of an existing office building, hotel or shopping centre.

The retrofit must be assessed by an accredited National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) assessor before and after the project. To be eligible for the Tax Break, the building must achieve a significant improvement in energy efficiency.

The Tax Breaks for Green Buildings program complements other Australian Government programs such as the Commercial Buildings Disclosure program. Action to improve the energy performance of Australia’s building stock is an important factor achieving Australia’s emissions reduction objectives.

For more information: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/initiatives/tax-breaks-for-green-buildings.aspx

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Links

Go to this excellent source of links for sustainable development.

http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/energyefficiency/index.html