1. The Role of Renewable Energy in Addressing Climate Change Australian Government Support for Renewable Energy Denis Smedley Director Renewable Energy Technologies

2. Renewable Energy – Part of the Solution Zero emission energy supply Australia has world class resources Capital cost high – fuel can be free Costs coming down Government funding support for technology development

3. Ongoing AGO Programmes Photovoltaic Rebate Programme Renewable Energy Industry Development Renewable Energy Equity Fund Renewable Energy Showcase Renewable Energy Commercialisation Programme Renewable Remote Power Generation Programme

4. Photovoltaic Rebate Program (PVRP) Photo courtesy Citipower Payment from Government to home owners to reduce the cost of putting PV on the roof.

5. Renewable Energy Showcase $10m Showcase provided 5 grants of up to $3m each for demonstration projects

6. Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program Photo courtesy Solar Systems $50m RECP run through 6 competitive rounds between 1998 and 2001 Grants of up to $1m, almost every RE technology

7. Renewable Remote Power Generation Program Up to 50% of the cost of RE generation equipment that reduces reliance on diesel fuel in remote, off-grid areas of Australia. Majority of projects wind-diesel and solar Photos courtesy PSMC

8. June 2004 Energy White Paper Outlines the Government's broader policy for prosperity, security and sustainability of energy supply Includes new initiatives supporting renewable energy and low emissions technologies www.pmc.gov.au/energy_future

9. Building capacity, not subsidising penetration $500m to leverage $1b from private sector –demonstrate commercial viability of new technologies –includes renewables –needs to have significant long-term potential Australia continues to be world-leader in energy and energy technologies Low Emission Technology Demonstration Fund

10. Renewable Energy Technologies Policy focuses on addressing barriers $100 million for R&D and commercialisation (Renewable Energy Development Initiative) $75 million for Solar Cities $14 million for wind forecasting $20 million for energy storage

11. Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI) $100 million over 7 years Targets R&D, proof of concept and early-stage commercialisation First round closed 25 August 2005 Decisions finalised, announced in December 2005 Next funding round closing around March 2006

12. Solar Cities Trials $75m for trials in at least four cities To determine the impact a combination of cost reflective pricing, clustered solar, energy efficiency and smart metering technologies and planning has on electricity supply and demand profiles To identify options for addressing barriers to distributed solar generation and demand side participation for grid connected urban areas

13. Wind Energy Forecasting Capability $14 million 5-year initiative Addresses impediments to higher uptake of wind power on Australian networks More predictable wind power: –Assists secure, cost-effective management of networks, and –Enhances market value of wind energy

14. Advanced Electricity Storage Technologies Programme (AEST) $20.4 million 5-year initiative Aims to maximise the value of renewable energy from intermittent electricity generation through the development and application of advanced electricity storage technologies Priority Applications –On grid MW scale for large wind farms –On grid kW scale residential solar –Remote Area Power Supply

15. Climate Action Partnerships Australian bilateral partnerships with US, NZ and China Scope for renewable energy projects –greater information exchange with US and NZ Agreements were signed in 2004 –for stronger cooperation between US NREL and Australian industry –for specific renewable energy studies and projects under US CAP

16. Asia-Pacific Partnership United States, China, India, Japan, South Korea and Australia formed Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate –key developing and developed countries –around half of global greenhouse emissions Australia to host inaugural ministerial meeting in early 2006

17. The Australian Greenhouse Office http://www.greenhouse.gov.au