Carbon reduction at the local level

Abstract

The prospect of high level carbon reduction target setting by national and state governments poses serious questions about local target setting and the mechanisms which can be employed to achieve reductions. Key aspects include the adequacy of current methods of baseline energy assessment and the level of information available to assess renewable energy resources at the local level. This paper uses a study of Playford Council in South Australia to illustrate problems with current data resources and identifies future data requirements. It presents a methodology which can be used to assess both baseline demand and renewable energy resources at the level of a local council area. The discussion includes a critique of alternative approaches and highlights the need for local resource plans to provide a platform for effective action.