MCE
Water heating is a very significant contributor to the residential sector’s greenhouse gas emissions. For example, conventional electric water heaters use more electricity to heat up water, cost more to operate, and are responsible for three to seven times the greenhouse gas emissions compared to efficient systems such as solar and electric heat pumps. Although the greenhouse intensity of the national power grid is expected to fall over time in response to measures such as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target, direct action is required to reduce the greenhouse gas contribution of such high emission water heating systems in use today.
Measures currently implemented by states and territories include performance requirements for water heaters installed into new homes. These measures have stimulated, to varying degrees, a transition towards lower-emission water heaters. However 69% of hot water systems sold in Australia are replacements. The sudden loss of hot water associated with hot water system failure often results in like-for-like replacements of higher-emission models. Therefore more initiatives targeting established homes are required to accelerate a transformation of the market.
The Ministerial Council on Energy (MCE) at its December 2008 meeting, agreed to include the National Hot Water Strategic Framework as one of its packages for the National Framework for Energy Efficiency (NFEE) Stage II. This initiative aims to transform most Australian hot water systems to low emissions products, such as gas, solar and electric heat pump systems.
The National Hot Water Strategic Framework (NHWSF) is comprised of three core elements:
The phase out of conventional electric resistance water heaters (except where emissions intensity of the public electricity supply is low).
Improvement in the efficiency of the remaining technologies through Minimum Energy Performance Standards.
Industry capacity building.
The objectives of the NHWSF are to:
progressively transform the market for residential water heaters towards low-emission alternatives
provide a pathway for adoption of low-emission water heaters
improve the performance of low-emission water heaters
build market capability to support the effective transition by industry and consumers to low-emission water heaters
build community awareness of the benefits of low-emission water heating to support the roll-out of new standards and uptake of best practice technologies
deliver lifetime cost savings to households at times of rising energy costs.
National Strategic Framework [PDF, 67KB]