Welcome to the Sustainable Energy Development Office's second e-newsletter, Sustainable Energy Matters.

We have created this electronic newsletter as a means of providing those with an interest in sustainable energy in Western Australia with up-to-date information on what the Sustainable Energy Development Office is doing in terms of delivering the Government's sustainable energy policies and what is happening on the sustainable energy front here in Western Australia.

We realise that it is important for us to keep our supporters, the members of Western Australia's sustainable energy industries and all other interested parties, informed about what the Sustainable Energy Development Office is and what we are doing. We are constantly asked about the various programs and projects that we are working on and we have created this e-newsletter as one means of providing that information.

By keeping those with an interest in sustainable energy issues informed about what we are doing, we will be better able to consult and communicate effectively with those parties with an interest in sustainable energy policy and the various activities in this area being undertaken by the Sustainable Energy Development Office.

We want the information contained in these e-newsletters to reach as many people as possible and we are happy for the information contained in these e-newsletters to be included in other organisation's newsletters. I therefore encourage you to subscribe to this e-newsletter and ask you to forward it on to any others that you think will also want to keep in touch with what this Office is doing.

Dr David Harries
Executive Director
Sustainable Energy Development Office

Challenge Stadium To Use Geothermal Energy

Hon Eric Ripper, Minister for Energy, on 29 November presented a $1 million cheque to Denis McInerney, Chairman of the WA Sports Centre Trust, to fund a project drawing on underground heat to warm Challenge Stadium's five swimming pools. Challenge Stadium is the largest aquatic centre in Australia in terms of water volume. The Sustainable Energy Development Office, through its Energy Smart Government Capital Advance Program, has provided the funding so Challenge Stadium can now make a start on the geothermal energy project. These funds will be repaid through energy savings made by Challenge Stadium which it is estimated be in the order of $200,000 per year.  More info...

Energy Smart Government 2002/03 Report

The Sustainable Energy Development Office has been working closely with State Government agencies participating in the Energy Smart Government program during the past year. The program involves agencies working towards a 12% reduction in non-transport related energy use by 2006/07, with a first year energy reduction target of 5%. A recently released report shows an energy reduction of 2.71% across participating Government agencies for 2002/03. While less than the 5% target set for the first year, it is nonetheless an encouraging result.  More info...

Aboriginal Communities Switch To Renewable Energy

In the last 12 months, there has been a surge of interest from Aboriginal communities in remote areas of Western Australia keen to switch to renewable energy power generation. The conventional means of supplying electricity to Aboriginal communities is to install diesel generators. However, these are expensive to run and are commonly operated for a limited time each day. Thanks to funding assistance from the Sustainable Energy Development Office's Aboriginal Community Remote Area Power Supply Program, more than 20 communities in the Kimberley region now benefit from 24 hour power supply and substantially reduced fuel costs.  More info...

Building Managers Adopt Greenhouse Rating Program

More than 80 people from the Western Australian property industry attended an Australian Building Greenhouse Rating function held at the Old Swan Brewery in Perth on 18 November. The Australian Building Greenhouse Rating program is a voluntary initiative designed to help commercial building owners and managers determine the greenhouse emissions associated with operating their building and demonstrate their leadership in environmental performance, financial responsibility and commitment to sustainable development.  More info...

Keeping Cool This Summer

The summer rush to purchase and install an air conditioner to get through the summer months comfortably will soon start again. If you're thinking of buying an air conditioner, remember that the main problem is that your house lets in too much of the day's heat. It may be possible to use 'passive' cooling techniques, such as installing insulation, shading windows, using appropriate garden and landscaping design and using natural ventilation, to keep your home comfortably cool without the need for expensive air conditioning.  More info...

Nuts & Bolts Property Make-Over

2004 is the Year of the Built Environment and as part of this initiative, the Sustainable Energy Development Office is one of the sponsors for the Channel 7 'Nuts and Bolts' television series to raise awareness about 'Energy Smart' building design and how and where energy efficiencies can be achieved around the house. The new Nuts and Bolts series is starting on 13 December and is quite different to previous years. It involves a total house make-over at a suburban Perth property using environmentally responsible, low maintenance building materials. The main focus of the make-over is energy and water efficiency.  More info...

World Solar Car Challenge 2003

Western Australia's solar car, Sungroper, successfully completed the seventh World Solar Car Challenge during October. Twenty-two teams from 12 countries entered the race which covers a distance of 3010 km from Darwin to Adelaide. This is the second time Sungroper has competed in the World Solar Car Challenge. In 2001, it was the first ever Western Australian entrant. Sungroper was built by the Sungroper Solar Car Association with partial sponsorship from the Sustainable Energy Development Office's Grants Committee.  More info...

New Australian Sustainable Energy Centre

Murdoch University has successfully negotiated funding from the Commonwealth Government to support a new Australian Sustainable Energy Centre at its Murdoch campus. The funding is being provided as part of the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program, which is administered in Western Australia by the Sustainable Energy Development Office on behalf of the Commonwealth Government. Agreements between Murdoch University and the Sustainable Energy Development Office, and between the Australian Greenhouse Office and the Sustainable Energy Development Office, have now been finalised. The new centre will support the development of renewable energy technologies and the renewable energy industry.  More info...
 print this page