Skip to main Content

South Australia

Population: 1.6 million (2008)
GHG Emissions: 28 MtCO2e (2006)

Targets and Goals

  • Achieving the Kyoto target by limiting the State's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 108% of 1990 levels during 2008-2012.
  • To reduce by 31 December 2050 GHG emissions within the State by at least 60% to an amount that is equal to or less than 40% of 1990 levels as part of a national and international response to climate change.
  • To reduce South Australia's ecological footprint by 30% by 2050.
  • South Australia met its target to have 50% of the government vehicle fleet using low carbon fuels in the middle of 2010.
  • South Australia set targets including recycling 75% of household waste, 90% of construction and demolition waste, and 75% of commercial and industrial waste.

Top Actions

Energy Efficiency

  • Target to improve the energy efficiency of dwellings by 10% by 2014.
  • Target to improve the energy efficiency of government buildings by 25% from 2000-01 levels by 2014. The State Government progressed towards its Strategic Plan target: Improve the energy efficiency of government buildings by 25% from 2000-01 levels by 2014 with a reported 12.5% cumulative improvement since 2000-01.
  • All new homes and home extensions are to meet six-star energy efficiency requirements from 1 September 2010.
  • New energy efficiency requirements for air conditioners sold in South Australia came into force on 1 July 2010
  • The Residential Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES) will help South Australian households reduce GHG emissions and lower their energy bills. Starting January 1, 2009, energy and gas retailers operating in South Australia are required to achieve targets for improving energy efficiency in households, through implementing measures such as ceiling insulation, draught proofing and more efficient appliances. They are also required to deliver energy audits to low income households.
  • The Government of South Australia has introduced a range of mandatory water and energy saving measures in homes, including: five-star efficiency rating requirements for new housing; GHG performance requirements for water heaters installed into new houses state-wide; and new requirements for additional plumbed rainwater tanks.
  • The Government is offering solar hot water rebates to low-income households holding a Commonwealth Concession card to help them comply with new hot water performance standards.
  • The Government has committed to an AU$2 million (US$1.3 million), four-year Building Tune Ups project to make commercial buildings in Adelaide's commercial business district (CBD) more energy efficient. This has the potential to reduce GHG emissions by approximately 70,000 tonnes a year.

Clean Energy

  • Target to increase the proportion of renewable electricity generated so it comprises at least 33% of electricity generated in the State by 2020.
  • South Australia is well on its way to its interim target of 20% of electricity generated by renewables in the State by 2014, with the state’s wind power passing the 1000 MW mark in October 2010.
  • South Australia's solar feed-in scheme was the first of its type in the country. Households and small energy consumers using solar panels are rewarded with a guaranteed tariff of AU44 cents (US27 cents) for every unit of electricity (or kilowatt hour) they feed back into the electricity grid.
  • On 31 August 2010, Premier and Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change, Mike Rann announced that the State Government intends to introduce legislation to increase the solar feed-in scheme bonus to 54 cents per KwHSouth Australia offers investors a rebate of payroll tax for labour associated with construction of new large-scale renewable energy projects. More than AU$686 million (US$432 million) in potential geothermal - or hot rocks - investment is forecast for South Australia during the period from 2002 to 2013. South Australia has attracted an estimated 94% of the total AU$462 million (US$290 million) investment in geothermal projects in Australia to the end of 2009.One thousand kilowatts of solar panels will be installed on the roof of the new Goyder Pavilion, the centrepiece of the Adelaide Showgrounds upgrade. This AU$8 million (US$5 million) project is set to be the largest rooftop photovoltaic installation in Australia and will allow around 10,000 square meters of solar panels to be installed, generating 1,400 mega-watt-hours (MWh) of solar electricity. It will also save around 1,400 tonnes of GHG emissions each year.
  • From 1 July 2010, solar panels are mandatory for all new and substantially refurbished government buildings.
  • South Australia is committed to greening its schools. From 2008 all new major building works at schools will incorporate green measures, including the fitting of wind turbines and solar panels. This adds to the SA Solar Schools Program which aims to install 250 solar panels on schools by 2014, and the Green School Grants program.

Clean Transport

  • Target to increase the use of public transport to 10% of metropolitan weekday passenger vehicle kilometres travelled by 2018.
  • The South Australian Governments 2008-09 Budget reflects the importance of public transport, funding a 10-year, AU$2 billion (US$1.3 billion) investment to upgrade, electrify and extend the metropolitan rail network. On 15 October 2008 the Government of South Australia announced a roll out of new, green buses to Adelaide's passenger transport network. The new Scania buses use the latest Euro 5 Engine technology and are the most environmentally friendly diesel buses available. These diesel-powered buses exceed the most stringent emission standards currently set anywhere in the world.
  • The Government of South Australia is working hard to reduce the environmental impact of the governments fleet vehicles, ensuring that half of the State Governments fleet cars are alternatively fuelled by 2010. Initiatives include: a large Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) fleet made up of over 1300 vehicles running on either dual fuel or dedicated LPG; the introduction of the Toyota Prius, an environmentally friendly hybrid/electric car into the short-term and long-term hire fleet; and a preference for the use of diesel engine vehicles with computer controlled electronic fuel systems, which reduce emissions by 50% when compared to a mechanical fuel system.
  • To reduce the carbon emissions of its own car fleet, the State Government will replace more than 1000 six-cylinder vehicles with four cylinder cars.
  • Adelaide’s network of bicycle lanes and paths has been extended from around 480 kilometres in 2002 to about 772 kilometres in 2010 and the South Australian Government is committing AU$1.3 million (US$810,000)during the 2010/2011 financial year on 29 individual bike projects across the state.
  • Currently, 43% of public transport buses are on B20 (20% biodiesel blend) with a depot-by-depot transition underway.  32% continue to operate on a B5 blend and around 25% are on compressed natural gas.
  • In conjunction with the Automotive CRC, South Australia has committed AU$700,000 (US$440,000) towards electric vehicle research including the development of a household-level smart recharger and the development of a greater understanding of consumer views and behaviours relating to electric vehicles.
  • The Transport Oriented Development (TOD) potential for all 148 stations on metropolitan rail corridors has been assessed and the 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide identifies higher order transit oriented development locations for 13 new TODs and more than 20 sites that incorporate TOD principles and design characteristics.

Sustainable Land Use

  • Through the Million Trees Program, the Government of South Australia is planting three million local native plants throughout Adelaide to help improve the city's carbon-absorbing capacity and conserve the unique local biodiversity. The program has planted over 2 million local native trees and associated understorey species since it was started in 2003 and is well on track to achieve its goal of 3 million trees by 2014. When the program reaches this goal, it will have reconstructed approximately 2000 hectares of predominantly woodland habitat, which over its lifetime will absorb an estimated 600,000 tonnes of CO2e.
  • The State Government is committed to participating in the Billion Trees Initiative and is currently determining the number of plantings that it will pledge.

Waste Management

  • South Australia's Waste Strategy 2005 - 2010 calls for 75% of all material presented at the curbside to be recycled by 2010 and for waste to the landfill to be reduced by 25% by 2014.
  • As of mid-2010, about 70.4% of all recyclable materials are currently diverted from landfill, placing SA at the forefront of waste recycling in Australia.

Legislation

Contact Information

Stephanie Ziersch
Director, Sustainability and Climate Change Division
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Ziersch.Stephanie@dpc.sa.gov.au

Key Links

SA Climate Change website
Tackling Climate Change in SA Strategy 2007-2020
Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions Reduction Act 2007