About Energy Strategies
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 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 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 series of studies, stretching back to 1999, on various aspects of the design of emissions trading schemes, work on the design of the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target program, on mechanisms to support more rapid uptake of cogeneration, and a large number of studies on polices and programs to stimulate enhanced energy efficiency.
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.
More recent evaluation projects have examined the International Greenhouse Partnerships Program and the Cities for Climate Protection Program, and the broad range of energy efficiency activities undertaken by the Commonwealth Department of Environment. Other projects have been concerned with the design of program performance indicators relating to greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and energy efficiency.