APGAOct 25, 2021 12:00:00 AM2 min read

NABERS Consultation – Recognising uptake of renewable energy

The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) represents the owners, operators, designers, constructors and service providers of Australia’s pipeline infrastructure, with a focus on high-pressure gas transmission. APGA’s members build, own and operate the gas transmission infrastructure connecting the disparate gas supply basins and demand centres of Australia, offering a wide range of services to gas producers, retailers and users.

APGA welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the NABERS Consultation – Recognising uptake of renewable energy (the Consultation).

APGA encourages NABERS to consider the full spectrum of renewable and decarbonised energy options when introducing a Renewable Energy Indicator, including renewable and decarbonised gas use.

As set out in Gas Vision 2050[1], APGA sees renewable gases such as hydrogen and biomethane playing a critical role in decarbonising the gas industry on both a wholesale and retail basis. APGA is the largest industry contributor to the Future Fuels CRC[2], which has over 80 research projects dedicated to leveraging the value of Australia’s gas infrastructure to deliver decarbonised energy.

In response to Question 3 and Question 5 of the Consultation, APGA notes the following ongoing changes in the retail gas industry:

Customers can purchase decarbonised gas today through offset regimes such as those provided by Origin Energy[3] and AGL[4];
Some Adelaide residents are already using renewable gases through a pilot project developed by AGIG[5], with more to come across coming months[6] and years[7];
The further development of a renewable gas industry in Australia is expected to make large-scale retail purchase of renewable gases a reality in the years to come; and
Decarbonisation of gas infrastructure is likely to be achievable at half the cost of electrification based on research conducted by the gas industry[8].

Ensuring that the NABERS Renewable Energy Indicator is able to consider the use of renewable and decarbonised gases will help facilitate the growth of this new renewable energy industry. By recognising customers who purchase renewable gases through the NABERS program, these customers can be incentivised through recognised of their carbon neutral choices.

For more information on the future of renewable gases, please take the opportunity to read Gas Vision 2050 and visit the Future Fuels CRC website[9].

To discuss any of the above feedback further, please contact me on +61 422 057 856 or jmccollum@apga.org.au.

Yours Sincerely,

JORDAN MCCOLLUM

National Policy Manager

Australian Pipelines and Gas Association

[1] Gas Vision 2050, APGA

https://www.apga.org.au/sites/default/files/uploaded-content/website-content/gasinnovation_04.pdf

[2] Future Fuels CRC Website
https://www.futurefuelscrc.com/

[3] Green Gas, Origin Energy
https://www.originenergy.com.au/electricity-gas/green/

[4] Carbon Neutral Energy, AGL
https://www.agl.com.au/residential/carbon-neutral

[5] Hydrogen Park South Australia, AGIG
https://www.agig.com.au/hydrogen-park-south-australia