So-called ‘natural’ gas is a polluting fossil fuel. Mining, processing and transporting gas causes environmental damage, and the gas itself contributes climate change. To reach the ACT’s target of zero emissions by 2045 and build a safe climate, the ACT needs to get off gas. Now that the ACT’s electricity is powered by 100% renewable energy, gas contributes around 22% of the ACT’s emissions.
‘WITH EASY AVAILABILITY OF EFFICIENT ELECTRIC APPLIANCES, RUNNING ALL-ELECTRIC BUILDINGS IS A CLEAR SOLUTION.
The Conservation Council is calling on the ACT Government to stop new gas connections and set a timeline to phase-out gas from Canberra homes and businesses.
In 2019–20, the Council ran a successful campaign that called on the ACT Government to:
* Immediately remove the existing mandate for gas infrastructure in new developments in the ACT.
* Stop the roll out of new gas networks in all new suburbs.
* Stop all newly constructed residences from joining the gas network.
WIN: All three asks are being met
In March 2020, the Government removed the mandatory requirement for gas infrastructure to be installed in new suburbs.
Following the 2020 ACT Election, the Parliamentary and Governing Agreement for the 10th Legislative Assembly of the Australian Capital Territory established between the ACT Labor and ACT Greens Members sets out a clear policy direction to “phase out fossil-fuel-gas in the ACT by 2045 at the latest”. The Agreement commits to no new gas mains to future stages of greenfield residential development from 2021–22 and infill developments from 2023. It also includes incentives and supports for Canberra gas users to switch to electricity, and commits to a number of gas-free commercial and public infrastructure projects.
After a year-long drafting, consultation and review process, Evoenergy’s revised Gas Network Access Arrangement for 2021–26 (GN21) takes these policy measures into account with falling demand forecasts, reduced capital expenditure and market expansion, and shortened asset depreciation timeframes. Evoenergy responded to both community consultation and the ACT Government policy direction by revising market expansion capex down from $34.8m in the initial draft GN21 plan in February 2020 to $26.3m in its June submission to the AER, then down again to just $11.7m in its revised GN21 plan in January 2021. This effectively halts market expansion in the ACT while Evoenergy explores ways to achieve the ACT Government’s net-zero emissions target.