Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Program
Since 2009 Australia has phased-out a range of inefficient incandescent lamps and set minimum energy performance requirements for compact fluorescent lamps. This is saving around 2.6 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 150,000 homes.
The Australian Government is currently consulting on policy to further transition to efficient lighting, including agreeing a timetable to phase-out a range of halogen lamps and introduce minimum performance standards for LED lighting. It is estimated that a further transition to high efficiency lamps could reduce residential lighting energy use in Australia by approximately 65%. Further information can be found on the E3 Website.
Emissions Reduction Fund
The Australian Government’s $2.55 AUD billion Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) provides incentives for emissions reduction activities across the Australian economy, including for projects that install highly efficient technologies such as LEDs in buildings and public areas.
The first two auctions under the ERF were held in 2015 and awarded contracts for a total of 92.8 million tonnes of carbon abatement, including 2.5 million tonnes for lighting projects. Further auctions will be held going forward.
Community Energy Efficiency Program
The Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) is a $100 AUD million programme providing co-funding to local government and not for profit organisations to undertake energy efficiency upgrades, including the replacement and/or removal of inefficient lighting, in community‑use buildings and facilities.
Of the 160 projects funded, 52 projects involved the installation of efficiency lighting, replacing in excess of 215 000 lamps.
International Support
The Australian Government supports the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-Global Environment Facility (GEF) en.lighten initiative that aims to accelerate a global market transformation to environmentally sustainable, energy efficient lighting technologies.
Australian Aid Fast Start funding of $2.8 AUD million has been provided to support capacity building in Southeast Asia for lighting efficiency monitoring, and enforcement activities. Support was also provided for a regional lighting strategy in the Pacific to phase out incandescent lamps.
Further, the Australian Government, in partnership with UNEP en.lighten, has continued the work of lites.asia (a forum for lighting efficiency policy makers in the Asia region) that collaborates on lighting energy efficiency policy development and implementation.