Published: August 26, 2008 - 08:12 PM
NSW Government to Introduce energy efficiency laws
By Amanda Edmonds
The NSW State government recently announced a new plan to tackle carbon emissions. New energy efficiency laws to be enacted soon will force the state’s greatest polluters to cut their emissions, or be named and shamed by the government and face possible legal action.
NSW generates 160million tonnes of greenhouse gas each year, prompting legislators to act, with the first round of changes only requiring a modest 1% cut in total emissions by January. However, this cut is expected to shave $40 million off the companies’ power bills.
The state has been slow in addressing the gas emissions, according to the Environment minister, Verity Faith. "The lack of an effective framework for adaption in NSW is a major gap in the state's response to climate change," she said. Other places, such as California, have been addressing the issue for decades, with their household power use rising only 6% since 1980. In NSW, this rate in the same period is 64%.
The government is also encouraging small and medium sized businesses to make an effort to reduce their emissions, through simple steps such as turning off unnecessary lights. Faith states that if NSW had followed California in their program, household electricity and gas bills would be about $115 cheaper a year.
But the average power bill can still be cheaper, by utilising the services available in searching for some great cheap gas and electricity rates. While it is important to switch off unnecessary lights and appliances, this can only make so much of a difference. Comparing the different suppliers of electricity and gas companies is a further step that can be taken to find the cheapest rates and save money. ShopAround.com.au provides an invaluable service in analysing and comparing the prices offered by electricity suppliers and gas companies, and calculating the best electricity and gas prices available.
« Back to article list
Related Links
Share this article