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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2012-11-15 Daily Xml
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:47): My question is also to the Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Can the minister inform the house about progress being made in improving energy efficiency of equipment and appliances in South Australia?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Manufacturing, Innovation and Trade, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:48): Thank you, Madam Speaker, I can. I want to thank the member for this question and her keen interest in energy efficiency, especially through household appliances. Through the COAG framework, the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency is a 10-year strategy which aims to accelerate energy efficiency across all governments and all sectors of our economy.

A key measure in the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency is the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), which sets mandatory performance requirements for energy using devices. MEPS effectively limits the maximum amount of energy that may be consumed by product in performing any specified task. This form of regulation removes from sale appliances and equipment with a comparatively poor energy efficiency.

Appliances and equipment may also be subject to energy labelling requirements. Labelling involves the provision of information on the energy performance of energy using products. This includes the star rating labels on whitegoods and air conditioners. Any Minimum Energy Performance Standards and labelling are subject to public consultation, including a publicly released regulatory impact statement. As an example of the effectiveness of MEPS, the average energy consumption per unit sold of refrigerators and freezers is now over 40 per cent lower than it was in 1993.

The implementation of the MEPS program is coordinated through a national committee under the auspices of the Select Council on Climate Change. In South Australia, the requirements are implemented through the Energy Products (Safety and Efficiency) Act 2000. From 10 May 2012 the amended act also extends coverage of minimum energy performance standards to products powered by gas and other energy sources.

There are 23 products currently required to meet minimum energy performance standards and/or labelling requirements, and I will read them out for the house. These include air conditioners, distribution transformers, three-phase electric motors, incandescent and fluorescent lamps, set-top boxes and televisions, washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, and gas and electric water heaters.

South Australian households will benefit from more stringent Minimum Energy Performance Standards for air conditioners, which were strengthened from 1 October 2011. This is in addition to new standards for extra-low voltage halogen lighting, which commenced on 1 April 2012, which now requires 55-watt extra-low voltage halogen lighting to be replaced with the equivalent 37-watt extra-low voltage halogen lighting.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, very interesting. According to the impact analysis report of 2009—which the Treasurer and I have both read with great interest—the national MEPS and energy labelling program across all sectors is estimated to yield $22.44 billion of net economic benefit to Australia from 2009 to 2024.

An honourable member: That much?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Quite a big number. It is expected to save the community $5.2 billion of net present value in the year 2020 alone and exceed the 32,000-gigawatt hour per annum of electricity by 2020. The same report also notes that this energy efficiency policy initiative returns an average benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.9. This makes MEPS and the labelling program one of the most cost-effective energy efficiency programs in the country.

The government remains committed to doing all within its control to ensure electricity costs are manageable to households and business consumers. Programs such as the Minimum Energy Performance Standards and energy labelling are helping us achieve this. Unfortunately, for the benefit of the member for Norwood, hair dryers were not included.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr GARDNER: Point of order, Madam Speaker: these repeated personal reflections are just unparliamentary—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr GARDNER: —and in contravention of 127.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! There is no personal reflection and no personal comments. However, I would ask the minister to restrain himself from doing so in the future. I call the member for Bragg.

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