Sustainability: Energy Efficiency Opportunities Program
The Australian Government’s Energy Efficiency Opportunities (EEO) program is a rolling five year program which encourages large energy-using businesses to improve their energy efficiency. It does this by requiring businesses to identify, evaluate and report publicly on cost effective energy savings opportunities.
The aim of the Energy Efficiency Opportunities program is to encourage companies to achieve significantly improved energy productivity to benefit themselves and the wider economy by contributing to the objectives of prosperity, energy security and sustainability.
BUNDABERG SUGAR AND THE EEO PROGRAM
Bundaberg Sugar’s factories use substantial quantities of energy with the overwhelming majority of this energy (typically over 95%) derived from renewable fuel in the form of bagasse. Bagasse is the fibrous part of the sugar cane plant left after the sugary juice is extracted. Bagasse is burnt in boilers at Bundaberg Sugar’s factories to produce steam to power mechanical equipment, to generate electricity and for process heating.
Bundaberg Sugar registered for the Government’s Energy Efficiency Opportunities program in 2007. We then developed an “Assessment and Reporting Schedule” for Government for approval. The Assessment and Reporting Schedule nominates how and when a corporation will conduct energy assessments and report the findings to the government and publicly. Bundaberg Sugar’s public report contains information about:
• the energy assessments carried out;
• details of some opportunities identified by the EEO process; and
• outcomes arising from the EEO process.
For more information on the Australian Government’s Energy Efficiencies Opportunities program, please consult the following website: