We'll end electric hot water, Labor tells green voters

Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday 21/8/2007 Page: 7

LABOR says that if it wins power it will phase out the energy intensive electric hot water systems that use almost one-third of households' energy consumption. By 2010 electric hot water systems would no longer be installed in new homes, and by 2012 they would be replaced by solar, gas or heat-pump systems in existing dwellings, Labor's environment spokesman, Peter Garrett, said yesterday.

By 2012 the measures would be equivalent to taking 1.7 million cars off the road, or reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5 million tonnes, he said. "We know Australians want to embrace climate-friendly solutions, and we think this policy will be well supported." If elected to government, Labor would keep the $1000 rebate that the Federal Government announced earlier this year, which helps householders cover the cost of switching from electric to solar and heat-pump hot water systems. But Labor would take the policy further, introducing energy efficiency standards for all water heaters and eventually replacing the use of electricity to run water systems with solar or high efficiency gas or heat pumps.

The Government announced the $1000 rebate earlier this year, which followed a policy by Labor that would offer low-interest loans to households of up to $10,000 to be spent on a variety of measures to make homes more energy and water efficient. Green groups yesterday welcomed Labor's announcement. A Greenpeace energy campaigner, Mark Wakeham, described it as "a positive and simple measure that will make a significant impact on household greenhouse pollution".

"Using electricity to heat water is like using a chainsaw to cut butter. It's completely over the top and excessive." Mr Wakeham said it was good to see both parties paying attention to climate change, but that relatively small measures such as the one announced yesterday needed to be matched by a plan on reducing emissions. `Australia needs to reduce its greenhouse pollution by 30 per cent by 2020 if we are to do our bit towards tackling climate change. Measures like phasing out electric hot water will make a contribution, but we also need legislated targets for reducing emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy, and a clear pathway to reduce our use of coal-fired power."