About Energy Strategies

• Overview
• Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy
• Energy Systems Evaluation
• Evaluation of Government Programs
• Analysis of Building Energy Performance

Overview

Energy Strategies is a nationally recognised leader in providing analysis and advice on the sustainability of energy systems at all levels from the global down to individual projects and buildings. We have been centrally involved in the formulation of national energy policy since establishment (initially as Energy and Economic Analysis Pty Ltd) in 1982.

The company has been involved in the convergent study of the environment and energy systems for nearly twenty years, analysing the links between them and providing advice on the development and implementation of government and corporate policies, and post-implementation evaluation of policies and programs.
Growing out of our broader experience in the environmental impacts of energy systems, we have been closely involved in analysing greenhouse gas emissions and shaping policy responses to greenhouse concerns since 1989. Energy Strategies is internationally recognised for its expertise in methodologies for compiling greenhouse gas emissions inventories.

Energy Strategies undertakes economic, environmental and technical appraisal of energy technologies and systems, using financial analysis, cost-benefit analysis, life-cycle analysis and other relevant techniques, and provides strategic advice based on this analysis. We are completely free of links to vendors of individual technologies and are therefore able to provide advice that is expert and independent.

Energy Strategies has built strong expertise in specialist communications relating to the topics above, with a particular emphasis on quality print media, communication strategies, speech writing and the management of databases.

The staff includes scientists, engineers, architects, economists and communications professionals.
Energy Strategies works with a wide network of other corporate and individual consultants and has extensive experience in building and managing ad-hoc consortia of consultants to undertake complex studies requiring a range of specialist disciplinary skills. It also has considerable experience in managing complex service provision projects, involving large numbers of separate organisations and activities, while retaining its ability to respond quickly and flexibly to ad hoc and short term requests for advice.

Energy and Environmental Economics and Policy

Energy Strategies has a longstanding national reputation in this field, which was the original core area of its expertise, and the company has, since its inception, been involved in national energy policy formulation.

During the 1980s the company had a central role in the Commonwealth Government's Energy 2000 process. In the early 1990s, on behalf of the Commonwealth Department of Industry Science and Technology, Energy Strategies undertook the largest national study of Sustainable Energy Futures and undertook a number of policy studies, focused on energy and the environment, for the Ecologically Sustainable Development Working Groups.

This was some of the first detailed work done in Australia on greenhouse emissions associated with energy supply and use, and since the early 1990s, most of the company's work in these fields has been concerned with policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the use of energy.

A major focus of this work has been the development of methodologies for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions at the national, regional, enterprise and project levels. In 1995-96 the company undertook a comprehensive revision of the methodology for the energy combustion and fugitive emission sectors of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. In each subsequent year Energy Strategies has been responsible for regular methodological refinements and for compiling those sectors, accounting for roughly half of total emissions, of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Energy Strategies has also developed methodologies for estimating emissions at the State / Territory level, and used them to compile a number of State and Territory emissions inventories.

Energy Strategies also has immense experience in developing emission estimation methodologies applicable at the business entity (corporate) and individual project levels. This includes the preparation for the International Greenhouse Partnerships Office of three workbooks (and contribution to a fourth) for the analysis of of projects to reduce energy sector emissions under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, the preparation of two workbooks for the Greenhouse Challenge Program, and the preparation of various other workbooks, guidelines, calculators, etc. to be used by a number of other Commonwealth and State government programs. The company has also undertaken analyses of greenhouse gas emissions and emissions reducing programs and technologies for a variety of government and private sector clients.

The company has also completed a large number of broader energy and emissions policy projects. These include a number of studies in 1998 and 1999 on policy issues relating to the implementation of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target program, a major study in 1999 of performance indicators for the National Greenhouse Strategy and a comprehensive analysis of the full costs of landfilling waste in the ACT.

There has also been a number of projects related to the use of economic instruments for environmental management, including a variety of work on greenhouse emissions trading and a review of options for the design and operation of a tradeable certificate system to encourage waste oil recycling in Australia.

Energy Systems Evaluation

Over the past year or so Energy Strategies has drawn together its expertise in a wide variety of fields, to offer a new service, the development of strategies for businesses to move towards energy sustainability. Elements of the service include energy auditing and advice on actions to improve energy use efficiency, technical advice on particular types and makes of energy efficiency equipment, assessment of options for the use of renewable energy in the client's particular circumstances, technical advice on all types of renewable energy equipment and suppliers, and advice on available fuel and utility market supply options. This service is backed by the company's specialist capabilities in economic and financial appraisal, cost-benefit analysis of major projects, energy management systems and the environmental evaluation of energy systems including greenhouse gases.

Energy Strategies is almost unique amongst consultants with this range of expertise, in being completely free of links to vendors of individual technologies and therefore able to provide advice that is both expert and independent.

Work so far undertaken includes the development of an energy sustainability strategy for the Biosphere-2 facility of Columbia University in Arizona, USA, and the preparation of a business plan for Sustainable Energy Systems Pty Ltd in Canberra, Australia.

Evaluation of Government Programs

Over the years the company has undertaken the evaluation of a variety of government programs in the energy and environmental field, including major evaluations of the National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Program in the early 1990s. In 1995 the company evaluated the energy related aspects of the environmental performance of the then Department of Administrative Services. Most recent evaluation projects have examined the International Greenhouse Partnerships Program and the Cities for Climate Protection Program.