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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.


ELECTRICITY INDUSTRY (WESTERN AUSTRALIAN RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS) AMENDMENT BILL 2005

                    Western Australia


 Electricity Industry (Western Australian
Renewable Energy Targets) Amendment Bill
                   2005

                       CONTENTS


       Part 1 - Preliminary
 1.    Short title                                              2
 2.    Commencement                                             2
 3.    The Act amended                                          2
       Part 2 - Amendment of Electricity
            Industry Act 2004
 4.    Section 3 amended                                        3
 5.    Sections 14A to 14D inserted                             3
       14A.     Licence condition: Western Australian
                renewable energy target                   3
       14B.     Licence condition: Renewable energy
                statement                                 4
       14C.     Reduction of renewable energy target by
                Authority                                 5
       14D.     Meaning of "renewable energy"             6
 6.    Section 32 amended                                      11
 7.    Section 33 amended                                      13
 8.    Section 134 added                                       13
       134.     Review of sections                        13




                          97--1                                 page i
                           Western Australia


                      LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

                    (Introduced by Paul Llewellyn)


   Electricity Industry (Western Australian
  Renewable Energy Targets) Amendment Bill
                     2005


                               A Bill for


An Act to amend the Electricity Industry Act 2004 to impose as a
condition of holding a retail licence to sell electricity in the South
West interconnected system an obligation to acquire target levels of
electricity generated from renewable energy sources.



The Parliament of Western Australia enacts as follows:




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    Electricity Industry (Western Australian Renewable Energy Targets)
    Amendment Bill 2005
    Part 1           Preliminary

    s. 1


                           Part 1 - Preliminary
    1.       Short title
             This is the Electricity Industry (Western Australian Renewable
             Energy Targets) Amendment Act 2005.

5   2.       Commencement
             This Act comes into operation on a day fixed by proclamation.

    3.       The Act amended
             The amendments in this Part are to the Electricity Industry
             Act 2004.




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             Electricity Industry (Western Australian Renewable Energy Targets)
                                                               Amendment Bill 2005
                          Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004        Part 2

                                                                                     s. 4



          Part 2 - Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004
     4.        Section 3 amended
               Section 3 is amended by inserting after the definition of
               "relevant corporation" --
 5   "
               "renewable electricity percentage" means the percentage
                   applicable in any year referred to in section 14A(3);
               "renewable energy target" means a target referred to in
                   section 14A(2);
10                                                                                    ".

     5.        Sections 14A to 14D inserted
               After section 14 the following sections are inserted -
     "

            14A.     Licence condition: Western Australian renewable
15                   energy target
               (1)   It is a condition of every retail licence to sell electricity
                     in the South West interconnected system that the
                     licensee must, in each year in which the licensee holds
                     a licence, acquire an amount of electricity from
20                   renewable energy sources that equals or exceeds the
                     licensee's renewable energy target for that year.
               (2)   The renewable energy target for each holder of a retail
                     licence is an amount of electricity, in megawatt hours,
                     calculated by multiplying the electricity acquired in the
25                   year by the licensee within the South West
                     interconnected system by the renewable electricity
                     percentage for that year and rounding to the nearest
                     megawatt hour (rounding 0.5 up) unless adjusted in
                     respect of a relevant corporation by the Authority
30                   under section 14C.

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     s. 5


              (3)   The renewable electricity percentage for a year is the
                    percentage adjacent to that year in the following table:
                    Year                  Percentage (%)
                    2008                  6.0
                    2009                  7.2
                    2010                  8.3
                    2011                  9.5
                    2012                  10.7
                    2013                  11.8
                    2014                  13.0
                    2015                  14.2
                    2016                  15.3
                    2017                  16.5
                    2018                  17.7
                    2019                  18.8
                    2020 and              20.0
                    subsequent years
              (4)   This section applies to the year commencing on
                    1 January 2008 and to all subsequent years.

 5          14B.    Licence condition: Renewable energy statement
                    It is a condition of every retail licence to which
                    section 14A applies that the licensee must, as soon as is
                    practicable after December 31 of each year, submit to
                    the Authority a renewable energy statement for the
10                  year containing the following information:
                       (a) the amount, in megawatt hours, of electricity
                             acquired by the licensee;



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                                                       Amendment Bill 2005
                  Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004        Part 2

                                                                         s. 5


               (b)   the amount, in megawatt hours, of electricity
                     from renewable energy sources acquired by the
                     licensee; and
               (c)   the following details of the entities from whom
 5                   electricity from renewable energy sources was
                     acquired by the licensee:
                        (i) the name and postal address of the
                             entity;
                       (ii) the telephone number, facsimile number
10                           and email address (if any) of the entity;
                             and
                      (iii) the amount, in megawatt hours, of
                             electricity from renewable energy
                             sources acquired from the entity for the
15                           year.

     14C.    Reduction of renewable energy target by Authority
       (1)   If the Authority is satisfied that an amount of electricity
             acquired by the holder of a retail licence in a year was
             used for the purpose of constructing or operating one or
20           more generating works, or producing any product
             which is a source of renewable electricity under
             section 14D to be used for or in connection with the
             generation of renewable electricity then the Authority
             may:
25              (a) reduce the renewable energy target for the
                     licensee for the year;
               (b) reduce the renewable energy target for the
                     licensee for a subsequent year or subsequent
                     years; or
30              (c) a combination of (a) and (b).




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     Part 2           Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004

     s. 5


              (2)   In exercising the discretion conferred by subsection (1)
                    the Authority must have regard to the following:
                      (a) the total amount of electricity acquired by the
                            licensee in the year;
 5                    (b) the amount of electricity used by the licensee in
                            the manner referred to in subsection (1) in the
                            year;
                      (c) the amount of renewable energy acquired by
                            the licensee in the year;
10                    (d) the nature of the licensee's operations; and
                      (e)   any other factor which the Authority considers
                            relevant.

            14D.    Meaning of "renewable energy"
              (1)   In sections 14A to 14C "electricity from renewable
15                  energy sources" means, subject to subsections (2) to
                    (6), electricity generated from the following sources:
                      (a) hydro;
                      (b) wind;
                      (c) solar;
20                    (d) bagasse co-generation;
                      (e) black liquor;
                      (f) wood waste;
                      (g) energy crops;
                      (h) crop waste;
25                     (i) food and agricultural waste;
                       (j) landfill gas;
                      (k) municipal solid waste combustion;
                       (l) sewage gas;
                     (m) geothermal-aquifer;
30                    (n) tidal;


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                                                       Amendment Bill 2005
                  Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004        Part 2

                                                                       s. 5


               (o)    wave;
               (p)    ocean;
               (q)    photovoltaic and photovoltaic Renewable Stand
                      Alone Power Supply systems;
 5             (r)    wind and wind hybrid Renewable Stand Alone
                      Power Supply systems;
               (s)    micro hydro Renewable Stand Alone Power
                      Supply systems;
                (t)   solar hot water;
10             (u)    co-firing;
               (v)    fuel cells;
              (w)     hot dry rocks; and
               (x)    such other sources as may be prescribed.
       (2)   For the purposes of paragraph (1)(f):
15             (a) if the wood waste is from a native forest,
                     biomass for energy production must not be the
                     primary purpose of a harvesting operation;
              (b) the wood waste must be:
                        (i) biomass produced from non-native
20                          environmental weed species and
                            harvested for the control or eradication
                            of the species from a harvesting
                            operation that is approved under
                            relevant Commonwealth, State or
25                          Territory planning and approval
                            processes; or
                       (ii) a manufactured wood product or a
                            by-product from a manufacturing
                            process; or
30                    (iii) waste products from the construction of
                            buildings or furniture, including timber
                            off-cuts and timber from demolished
                            buildings; or

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     s. 5


                            (iv)  sawmill residue; or
                             (v)  subject to paragraph (c), if wood waste
                                  is from a native forest:
                                     (A) a by-product or waste product
 5                                         of a harvesting operation,
                                           approved under relevant
                                           Commonwealth, State or
                                           Territory planning and
                                           approval processes, for which a
10                                         high-value process is the
                                           primary purpose of the
                                           harvesting; or
                                     (B) a by-product (including
                                           thinnings and coppicing) of a
15                                         harvesting operation that is
                                           undertaken in accordance with
                                           ecologically sustainable forest
                                           management principles;
                     (c)   wood waste to which paragraph (b)(v) applies
20                         must be:
                            (i) from an area where a regional forest
                                  agreement is in force and produced in
                                  accordance with ecologically
                                  sustainable forest management
25                                principles required by the agreement; or
                            (ii)   if it is from an area where no regional
                                   forest agreement is in force, produced
                                   from harvesting that is undertaken in
                                   accordance with ecologically
30                                 sustainable forest management
                                   principles that are consistent with those
                                   required by a regional forest agreement.
                     (d)   for the purpose of paragraph (b)(v)(A), the
                           primary purpose of a harvesting operation is
35                         taken to be a high-value process only if the total

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                                                       Amendment Bill 2005
                  Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004        Part 2

                                                                        s. 5


                     financial value of the products of the high value
                     process is higher than the financial value of
                     other products of the harvesting operation; and
               (e)   wood waste from a plantation must be:
 5                      (i) a product of a harvesting operation
                            (including thinnings and coppicing)
                            approved under relevant
                            Commonwealth, State or Territory
                            planning and approval processes and for
10                          which no product of a higher financial
                            value than biomass for energy
                            production could be produced at the
                            time of harvesting; and
                       (ii) biomass managed in accordance with a
15                          code of practice approved under
                            regulation 4B of the Export Control
                            (Unprocessed Wood) Regulations (Cth)
                            and taken from land that was not cleared
                            of native vegetation after
20                          31 December 1989 for the purpose of
                            establishing the plantation;
       (3)   For the purposes of paragraph (g) an energy crop,
             including an agricultural or horticultural crop and its
             biomass by-products, must be grown as an energy
25           source for the primary purpose of energy production.
       (4)   For the purposes of paragraphs (n) to (p), electricity
             generated from an ocean, wave or tide energy source
             must be generated within the coastal waters of Western
             Australia,
30     (5)   The following energy sources are not eligible
             renewable energy sources:
               (a) coal seam methane, waste coal mine gas and
                     other products derived from coal or natural gas;



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     s. 5


                      (b)    waste heat from cogeneration if:
                                (i) the waste heat is not used for electricity
                                     generation; and
                               (ii) the primary fuel source is not a source
 5                                   listed in subsection (1).
                      (c)    electricity generation from cogeneration using
                             fossil fuels;
                      (d)    radioactive material;
                      (e)    any component of co-firing or wastes that is not
10                           bioenergy; and
                       (f)   any other fossil fuels or waste products derived
                             from fossil fuels.
               (6)   In this section:
                     "bioenergy" means the energy derived from an energy
15                        source mentioned in paragraphs (1)(d) to (1)(l).
                     "biomass" means solid organic matter other than
                          fossilised biomass.
                     "coastal waters of Western Australia" has the
                          meaning given by section 3(1) of the Coastal
20                        Waters (State Powers) Act 1980 of the
                          Commonwealth.
                     "cogeneration" means a power generation process that
                          provides electricity and process heat as outputs.
                     "ecologically sustainable forest management
25                        principles" includes maintenance of water and
                          soil quality, conservation of biodiversity and
                          nutrient recycling.
                     "high-value process" means the production of
                          sawlogs, veneer, poles, piles, girders, wood for
30                        carpentry or craft uses or oil products.




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                                                                                   s. 6


                        "native forest" means a local indigenous plant
                            community:
                                 (a) the dominant species of which are trees;
                                       and
 5                               (b) containing throughout its growth the
                                       complement of native species and
                                       habitats normally associated with that
                                       forest type or having the potential to
                                       develop those characteristics; and
10                               (c) including a forest with those
                                       characteristics that has been regenerated
                                       with human assistance following
                                       disturbance; and
                                 (d) excluding a plantation of native species
15                                     or previously logged native forest that
                                       has been regenerated with non-endemic
                                       native species.
                        "plantation" means an intensively managed stand of
                            native or exotic species, created by the regular
20                          placement of seedlings or seed.
                        "regional forest agreement" has the meaning given
                            by the Export Control (Hardwood Wood Chips)
                            Regulations 1996 (Cth).
                                                                                     ".

25   6.           Section 32 amended
          (1)     Section 32(1) is amended by inserting after "licence," --
                  " except in the case of a contravention of the licence condition
                  in section 14A, ".
          (2)     After section 32(2) the following subsections are inserted -
30   "
                 (2a)   If, in the opinion of the Authority, a licensee is in
                        contravention of section 14A, the Authority may,

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     Electricity Industry (Western Australian Renewable Energy Targets)
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     Part 2           Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004

     s. 6


                      subject to section 33, order the licensee to pay a
                      monetary penalty fixed by the Authority but not
                      exceeding a penalty calculated using the formula:
                      $40 x (licensee's renewable energy target for the year
 5                    in megawatt hours - amount of electricity acquired by
                      the entity from renewable energy sources for the year
                      in megawatt hours)
               (2b)   In considering the exercise of its discretion under
                      subsection (2a) to order a licensee to pay a monetary
10                    penalty the Authority must have regard to:
                        (a)   the market for bilateral contracts to be entered
                              into by the licensee through which the licensee
                              would acquire electricity from renewable
                              energy sources within the South West
15                            interconnected system;
                       (b)    the availability of electricity from renewable
                              energy sources for acquisition by the licensee,
                              other than through a bilateral contract, within
                              the South West interconnected system;
20                      (c)   any previous contraventions of section 14A by
                              the licensee;
                       (d)    any amount by which the licensee has exceeded
                              its obligations under section 14A in any
                              previous year; and
25                      (e)   any other factor which the Authority considers
                              relevant.
                                                                                 ".
        (3)     Subsection 32(4)(b) is amended by inserting after
                "subsection (2)(b)" --
30              " or subsection (2a) ".




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           Electricity Industry (Western Australian Renewable Energy Targets)
                                                             Amendment Bill 2005
                        Amendment of Electricity Industry Act 2004        Part 2

                                                                               s. 7


     7.      Section 33 amended
             Section 33 is amended by inserting after "or (c)" -
             " or section 32(2a) ".

     8.      Section 134 added
 5           After section 133 the following section is inserted -
     "

          134.     Review of sections
             (1)   The Minister is to carry out a review of the operation
                   and effectiveness of sections 14A to 14D of this Act as
10                 soon as is practicable after 31 December 2010.
             (2)   The Minister is to prepare a report based on the review
                   and, as soon as is practicable, is to cause it to be laid
                   before each House of Parliament.
                                                                                ".

15




 


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