Air Pollution In Australia Essay Research Paper

to have continuous improvement in environmental performance

meeting both government requirements and community expectations.”

The AGA Approval Schemes provide for the testing and approval of a range of residential,

recreational, commercial and industrial appliances, to meet the standards of Codes prepared

and published by the AGA. The Approval Scheme covers natural gas, towns gas and LPG and

includes emission standards appropriate to the type of appliance concerned.

3. Are cognizant of the capacity of existing and proposed strategies and arrangements,

at all levels of government, to reduce air pollution in the identified time frame; of

Australia’s longer term objectives in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable

energy policy and international competitiveness; of the economic, social and environmental costs of urban air pollution and of any identified management options; and of the need to identify options which can be undertaken by governments, industry and the community.

The Inquiry’s terms of reference recognize the need to integrate environmental objectives with

wider policy objectives including economic, greenhouse and sustainable energy policy.

As part of the Gas Industry Development Strategy, the AGA commissioned an independent

report on the economic and environmental contribution of the natural gas industry to the

Australian economy. This research concluded that a growing natural gas industry contributes

positively to both the economy and the environment. The report examined the implications of

attaining the AGA growth goal (ie that the share of natural gas in Australia’s primary energy

consumption reaches 20 percent in the year 2000) and concluded that:

GDP would rise by around $200 million annually (1993-94 values); and

Australia’s carbon dioxide emissions would be reduced by up to five million tonnes

annually.

Against this background it is important that identification of environmental options by the Inquiry includes development of sensible environment-energy balances, including responses to

greenhouse gas emissions. This approach should apply equally to existing and new markets.

For example, in the residential hot water market direct gas use is both more efficient and

produces lower overall greenhouse emissions than electric water heating. In gas water heating

73 percent of the energy input is available as hot water, whereas in electric water heating only

around 36 percent of the energy input is available to heat water. Environment policy should

therefore support fuel switching to environmentally friendly fuels like gas.

Cogeneration also represents an important technology option for achieving a sensible

environment-energy balance. Cogeneration systems typically have much higher efficiencies than

separate electricity and heat systems, with thermal efficiencies in the range between 65 and 85

percent. There are significant development opportunities for cogeneration in Australia. The key

issues are discussed in a recent AGA Research Paper titled Cogeneration in Australia -

Situation and Prospects (copy attached). Environment policy should therefore support new applications for gas based technologies including cogeneration, combined cycle power generation and gas cooling.

Fuel switching to natural gas, wider adoption of emerging technology applications for natural gas and wider adoption of gaseous transport fuels all represent important strategic opportunities for Australia to achieve an appropriate environment-energy balance and reducing air pollution in

urban areas.