The Australian Government has released three more draft Emissions Reduction Fund methods for public consultation.
The Emissions Reduction Fund is the centrepiece of the Australian Government’s efforts to tackle climate change. It’s a cost¬ effective, practical and simple approach to reduce our national emissions without a multi-billion dollar carbon tax.
Emissions reduction methods set out the rules for estimating emissions reductions from proposed activities.
The draft methods cover projects in large industrial facilities, wastewater treatment and transport.
The draft facilities method will credit verified emissions reductions achieved at facilities that report emissions under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme and produce a saleable product.
Facilities that could potentially use this method include cement and aluminium production facilities and minerals or gas processing plants. The facilities method allows project proponents to apply the method to a wide variety of emissions reduction activities, encouraging innovation in project design.
The draft wastewater treatment method will cover projects where wastewater is currently treated in deep anaerobic lagoons, such as those used by the meat, poultry and paper industries.
Under this method lagoons would be replaced by anaerobic digesters, with most of the methane in the resulting biogas being destroyed. ERF support for these projects presents a practical incentive to clean up wastewater treatment plants and contribute to Australia’s emissions reductions.
The draft transport method supports projects that reduce the emissions intensity of transport – across road, rail, air, sea and mobile equipment.
Activities contributing to a reduction in emissions intensity could include installing, upgrading or retrofitting existing vehicles with new technologies; switching to less emissions intensive fuels; and improving operational or management practices.
The Government is consulting on a number of priority methods across a range of sectors to ensure methods are ready for use when the Emissions Reduction Fund begins. The first five draft methods were released for public consultation in September 2014.
Businesses, community organisations and individuals are invited to make submissions on the draft methods by 5pm AEDT on 12 November 2014.
Further details about the draft methods and how to make a submission are available at www.environment.gov.au/emissions-reduction-fund
(ENDS)