Draft Policy - Transition away from Gas use at Council Facilities

CSP and Council Policy Framework

Our Region, Our Future, Bathurst Community Strategic Plan 2022 states that Council is committed to contributing to climate change mitigation by reducing its own emissions. The Climate Change Response Framework, adopted by Council in 2020, includes the development of a Gas Transition Plan which will provide a pathway for sites currently using fossil gas to transition to other energy sources. This Policy is required to ensure that no new fossil gas installations are included in any new Council facilities.

Background

The NSW Government has an objective to deliver a 70% cut in emissions by 2035 compared to 2005 levels, on its pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. To support the NSW targets, Council has an adopted position of Net Zero emissions by 2050, with interim emissions reduction targets of 25% by 2025 and an aspirational target to achieve 60% reduction by 2035.

Greenhouse gas emissions from gas made up approximately 8.6% of Council’s greenhouse gas emissions from energy in financial year 2023, and 2% of total Council emissions.

The NSW Local Government Special Conference 2022 called on the NSW Government to “urgently develop a gas decarbonisation roadmap” (Decision 53) (NSW, 2022).

Reticulated gas at Council is used, almost exclusively, for heating (space and water). The largest use of gas is at the Bathurst Manning Aquatic Centre, which comprises 65% of reticulated gas use at Council. Gas use for space heating in public buildings makes up the balance of consumption.

The most likely pathway to reducing emissions from reticulated fossil gas is electrification of existing gas-powered heating equipment, with new equipment using electricity sourced from renewable sources. Electrification is supported as the preferred path for buildings by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency (IEA, 2021). The Australian Government’s Net Zero Strategy ‘Australia’s Long Term Emissions Reduction Plan’ also highlights electrification as a key technology available now for decarbonisation (Australian Government, 2021).

Why is it important for Council to transition away from gas?

• Reticulated gas and bottled gas used in homes and businesses in NSW is a fossil fuel which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions which are driving climate change.
• Use of gas for cooking and space heating is a known avoidable health risk. Gas stove use, for example, is estimated to cause 12% of childhood asthma in Australia (Knibbs LD, 2018).
• Transitioning away from gas powered equipment and appliances by replacing them with electric energy sources provides a path to zero emissions for facilities that currently rely on gas for heating.

The draft Transition away from gas use at Council Facilities Policy is provided in the Document Library.

These targets were adopted by Council in 2022 as part of the Bathurst Regional Council Emissions Reduction Plan.

The draft Policy is on public exhibition for 28 days from 2 April 2024 to 30 April 2024.

Council invites written submissions in relation to the draft Policy. Submissions should be lodged with Council no later than 1 May 2024.

The draft Policy is available in the document library.