The Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) represents the owners, operators, designers, constructors and service providers of Australia’s pipeline infrastructure, connecting natural and renewable gas production to demand centres in cities and other locations across Australia. Offering a wide range of services to gas users, retailers and producers, APGA members ensure the safe and reliable delivery of 28 per cent of the enduse energy consumed in Australia and are at the forefront of Australia’s renewable gas industry, helping achieve net-zero as quickly and affordably as possible.
APGA welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the consultation on Tasmania’s Climate Change Action Plan 2023-25 (the Action Plan). The Action Plan demonstrates the Tasmanian Governments continued climate action leadership on the national stage but misses the prospect of drawing upon the opportunity to decarbonise through renewable gas uptake, as detailed within its national-leading Future Gas Strategy.
APGA supports a net zero emission future for Australia by 20502 . Renewable gases represent a real, technically viable approach to lowest-cost energy decarbonisation in Australia. As set out in Gas Vision 20503 , APGA sees renewable gases such as hydrogen and biomethane playing a critical role in decarbonising gas use for both wholesale and retail customers. APGA is the largest industry contributor to the Future Fuels CRC, 4 which has over 80 research projects dedicated to leveraging the value of Australia’s gas infrastructure to deliver decarbonised energy to homes, businesses, and industry throughout Australia.
The association provided feedback to the Future Gas Strategy5 in January 2023. APGA commended the Tasmanian Government on its balanced vision for the future of gas in Tasmania, which highlighted the contribution the renewable gas industry can make to decarbonisation. APGA suggested areas for improvement of the Strategy, including expanding the Energy Saver Loans Scheme to renewable gas appliances, considering implementation of a renewable gas target, and supporting renewable gas demonstration projects.6 These suggestions dovetail with the aims of the Action Plan.
The proposed Action Plan sets out the agenda for action on climate change for the next two years to support Tasmania’s transition to a low emissions economy. As a cross-portfolio document, the draft notes alignment with other government priorities, including the Tasmanian Renewable Hydrogen Action Plan. Unfortunately, the Action Plan does not appear to build on the platform outlined in the broader Tasmanian Future Gas Strategy on the contribution of renewable gases to the State’s decarbonisation strategies, particularly under the Transition and Innovation and Adaption and Resilience priority areas.
The Action Plan and the Future Gas Strategy are naturally complementary pieces, particularly where net zero strategies in agriculture and waste reduction can contribute to the development of biogas and biomethane generation. 7 As we noted in our submission to the Future Gas Strategy, Tasmania has the opportunity to use biomethane to decarbonise industries which currently rely on coal or diesel for heat, who may be able to transition to gas where electrification is either not feasible or not possible.
APGA believes that the Future Gas Strategy and the Action Plan will benefit from crossreferencing and collaboration, and that the Future Gas Strategy should be formally included in the Action Plan’s Alignment with Government Policy.
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