BACKGROUND LACHLAN SHIRE COUNCIL ENERGY SUSTAINABILITY PLAN A PLAN FOR AN EFFICIENT, ECONOMIC AND RESILIENT FUTURE 2020 BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION LACHLAN SHIRE 4 01/ FORWARD FROM THE MAYOR 4 02/ PURPOSE 5 03/ COST REDUCTION 5 04/ SUSTAINABILITY 6 05/ GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES 6 06/ RESILIENCE 8 07/ APPROACH 9 CONTENTS COUNCIL BACKGROUND 10 01/ WHERE ARE WE NOW 11 02/ ACTIONS INITIATED OR CONSIDERING 12 COUNCIL VISION 14 01/ WHAT TARGETS HAVE OTHER COUNCILS SET? 15 02/ WHAT ARE LACHLAN SHIRE COUNCILS TARGETS 16 03/ SELF SUFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY 17 MONITORING AND REPORTING 19 01/ METHODS OF MONITORING 19 02/ FREQUENCY OF REPORTING 20 LACHLAN SHIRE COUNCIL 03/ MEASURES OF SUCCESS 20 ACKNOWLEDGES THE FINANCIAL MODEL 21 WIRADJURI PEOPLE AS THE 01/ FINANCE MIXING 21 TRADITIONAL CUSTODIANS 02/ REVOLVING ENERGY FUND 21 ON THIS LAND. WE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 22 RECOGNISE THEIR STRENGTH 01/ NETWORKING 23 AND RESILIENCE AND PAY 02/ SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE 23 RESPECT TO ELDERS PAST, 03/ LIGHTING 23 PRESENT, AND EMERGING 04/ SOLAR PV 24 AND TO ALL ABORIGINAL 05/ POWER PURCHASING AGREEMENTS 24 AND TORRES STRAIT 06/ ENERGY STORAGE 25 ISLANDER PEOPLE WHO 07/ PUMPING 25 ARE PART OF THE LACHLAN 08/ BULK BUYING 25 SHIRE COMMUNITY. COMMUNITY PROJECTS 26 01/ BASELINE 27 PREPARED BY: 02/ EDUCATION 27 Revision Date Prepared By Reviewed By Approved By 03/ FUNDING 27 Draft 0.1 09/06/2020 Department of Environment, Planning Rowan Bentick Jon Shillito 04/ ENGAGEMENT 27 and Industry (DPIE) KEY CHALLENGES 28 Draft 0.2 06/07/2020 Rowan Bentick Jon Shillito Jon Shillito Draft 0.3 08/08/2020 Rowan Bentick Jon Shillito Jon Shillito APPENDIX 1 ENERGY USAGE PER SITE 30 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION LACHLAN SHIRE ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT 01/ FORWARD FROM THE MAYOR 02/ PURPOSE 03/ COST REDUCTION The Lachlan Shire Council Energy Sustainability Plan outlines a vision that Local Governments have the ability to affect change through policy and legislation. Lachlan will guide Council towards a resilient and carbon neutral future. This plan Efficient energy management can significantly Shire Council chooses to be proactive in outlines the key areas for our region to reduce its energy consumption and reduce community and Council costs. This implementing strategies to reduce its impact operational cost whilst continuing to meet the needs of the community and document analyses the current energy on the environment and operational cost by local industry. requirements and costs to Council. implementing efficient energy management as a key tool to reduce overall Carbon dioxide (CO2) We are already experiencing the impacts of climate change on a local and The plan outlines methods for producing and emissions, decrease associated energy costs global scale. This plan outlines targets and action plans for Lachlan Shire storing Councils own energy through renewable and improve Council’s resilience and that of Council to undertake to reducing operational cost and greenhouse gas generation and reducing energy consumption the community. emissions through planning and controlling our energy usage. through energy efficiency. This plan reviews and categorises Council’s energy usage into lighting, This document outlines the vision, strategies and To achieve our vision in relation to energy sustainability, we must overcome heating/cooling, pumping and transport and timelines Lachlan Shire Council will implement to a number of complex environmental, social, and economical issues and outlines strategies to address each section. challenges. As a community our challenge is to actively address issues drive change and achieve sustainability goals. The identified in the Energy Sustainability Plan, to ensure Council and the elements outlined in this document will influence community obtains the best possible outcome to grow and prosper. decision making and policies of Council moving into a sustainable future. Councillor John Medcalf OAM - Mayor The key benefits to Council are reduced operational costs, and the social and economic benefits that are expected as a result of Council having additional funds for additional projects that benefit the local community. 4 5 CO2 STATES & TERRITORIES INTRODUCTION RENEWABLE ENERGY &INTRODUCTION NET ZERO EMISSIONS TARGETS NT QLD Renewable Electricity Target Renewable Electricity Target 50% by 2030 50% by 2030 Net Zero Emissions Target Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050 By 2050 (Draft target released Sept 2019) 04/ 05/ GOVERNMENT WA Renewable Electricity Target NSW None SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES Renewable Electricity Target Net Zero Emissions Target None By 2050 (Aspiration declared Aug 2019) Net Zero Emissions Target Sustainability is the preservation of economic, By 2050 social and environmental factors. Council actively FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT addresses its responsibility to the community by Renewable Electricity Target None providing frameworks and infrastructure that are Net Zero Emissions Target both environmentally and economically viable. “THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT IS None Through leadership, development decisions and DEVELOPING A NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY community engagement in sustainable energy INVESTMENT ROADMAP THAT WILL management, Lachlan Shire Council can shape a DRIVE INVESTMENT IN LOW EMISSIONS sustainable future for the local community. ACT TECHNOLOGIES TO STRENGTHEN THE SA Renewable Electricity Target 100% by 2020 ECONOMY AND SUPPORT JOBS AND Renewable Electricity Target The benefits of this Energy Sustainability Plan 100% by 2030 Net Zero Emissions Target VIC By 2045 can only be realised when Council changes its BUSINESSES. THIS IS A KEY PRIORITY Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050 Renewable Electricity Target approach away from the “business as usual” 50% by 2030 OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAS model. Viewed from a financial position alone Net Zero Emissions Target Renewable Electricity Target RECOVERING FROM COVID-19. By 2050 Council cannot sustain the business as usual 100% by 2022 THE RELEASE OF THE TECHNOLOGY approach without significant financial cost over Net Zero Emissions Target By 2050 the coming decades. INVESTMENT ROADMAP DISCUSSION PAPER IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE Figure 1 State and Territories Renewable energy The steps addressed by this plan and the projects GOVERNMENT’S ‘TECHNOLOGY NOT and Net Zero Emissions Targets carried out under it, must be affordable and TAXES’ APPROACH TO REDUCING Council has established a criteria by which the Climate Council, 2019, State of Play: Renewable Energy Leaders and Losers, https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/states-renewables-2019/ EMISSIONS. projects are measured. The criteria considers the THIS ROADMAP WILL PRIORITISE environmental, social, financial and operational Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy STATE GOVERNMENT benefits of each project and will also include a AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT and Resources, 2020, Technology Investment Roadmap to low emissions, https://www.energy.gov.au/news-media/news/technolo- risk analysis. Council recognises that this plan will INVESTMENTS IN NEW AND DEVELOPING gy-investment-roadmap-low-emissions help realise short-term, medium-term and long- TECHNOLOGIES. DEPLOYING THE RIGHT The New South Wales Government is term benefits as it works towards developing a Whilst it is yet to commit to a renewable energy TECHNOLOGY WHEN AND WHERE IT implementing “The Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020- target, the Federal Government is consulting with sustainable future. 2030”. This is the foundation for NSW’s action IS NEEDED WILL ALLOW AUSTRALIAN industry in the application of new technology on climate change and goal to reach net zero INDUSTRY TO CAPTURE NEW ahead of continued investment in this area emissions by 2050. The Net Zero Plan outlines the through agencies such as Australian Renewable OPPORTUNITIES.” NSW Government’s plan to grow the economy, Energy Agency (ARENA). create jobs and reduce emissions over the next decade. 6 7 INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION The plan aims to enhance the prosperity and The first 1-2 years of the program is focused on 07/ APPROACH the total amount of energy consumed by quality of life of the people of NSW, while helping supporting each individual Council to define and implementing energy efficiency actions will the state to deliver a 35% cut in emissions by 2030 deliver a range of energy efficiency & renewables reduce the overall amount of renewable energy compared to 2005 levels. The plan will support projects. In many cases, Councils have taken an Lachlan Shire Council will use an energy Council is required to install at its facilities or a range of initiatives targeting electricity and extra step to integrate energy into their strategic management hierarchy approach in its purchase to meet its renewable targets. energy efficiency, electric vehicles, hydrogen, operations, integrated into asset management implementation of a more sustainable energy primary industries, coal innovation, organic waste and produce sustainability plans. This Energy use profile. An energy management hierarchy The focus of this plan is the replacement of fossil and carbon financing. Sustainability Plan originates from a template identifies and prioritises energy management fuel-sourced electricity with electricity produced developed under the SCC program funded by the options in order to progress towards a from renewable sources. The plan makes The implementation of the Net Zero Plan, NSW government. more sustainable energy system in the most recommendations for further investigations to be together with the NSW Electricity