Business Treading Lightly is a $2 million sustainability grant program operating from Wollongong to Bega and in the Wingecarribee Shire. If you want to gain a competitive edge and increase profits, BTL assists its business partners implement smart solutions for sustainable business.

In this issue...

• BTL Welcomes New Partners
• BTL Moves to a Fee Service From July 1
• Kiama College Gets a Facelift
• Sparkie Starts New Business After Retro Fit
• Sustainable Growth - Book Review
• Thousands of New Council Employees at Bega
• BTL Partners Get Their Plaques
• Silos Winery Powers Up
• Sustainable Towns and BTL
• Grants Available Now

BTL Welcomes these New Partners

• Easts Narooma Shores Holiday Park
• Easts Dolphin Beach Holiday Park
• Easts Narooma Village
• Easts Batemans Bay Riverside Holiday Park
• Caseys Beach Holiday & Lifestyle Village
• Batehaven IGA
• Malua Bay IGA
• Nowra Golf and Recreation Club
• Mollymook Beach Waterfront
• St George's Basin Country Club
• Sussex Inlet RSL
• Eaton Gorge Theatre Company
• Leisure Coast Packaging Supplies
• Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club
• Club Windang

Congratulations

BTL congratulates the following partners on their recent awards:

Swan Lake Tourist Village, Ulladulla Headland Tourist Park, Lake Conjola Tourist Park and Currarong Beachside Tourist Park for receiving their Gold Gumnut accreditation.

Oak Flats Bowling & Recreation Club, Albion Park RSL Memorial Club and The Links Shell Cove have obtained Bronze Membership in the DECCW Sustainability Advantage Program and are the first to do so in the region.

BTL Moves to a Fee for Service From July 1

Business Treading Lightly’s NSW Environment Trust Grant funding ends in December 2010, and as part of our strategy to continue servicing this region, BTL needs, to move toward a fee for service component.

From July 1, 2010 all new partners will be signed to a new fee for service package which is appropriate for their business. Different packages will be offered for small, medium and large business, reflecting the amount of hours and type of support needed.

Existing partners will be reviewed at their one year anniversary of signing with BTL and if you are a business who has made substantial progress and only need a lighter level of service, an appropriate Year 2 package will be offered.

We want to keep BTL’s service as affordable as possible, so we are also in discussion with a range of government and private sponsorship partners to provide part funding for the program.

If you can help us lobby or write letters to the NSW Environment Minister, Frank Sartor, or other local MPs, please let us know.

We will also be introducing the BTL ‘Pay it Forward’ sponsorship option for existing partners. If you have had success with BTL and want to sponsor a supplier or a client – or sponsor several businesses in your area to go through the program, we are working up a package to accommodate that.

The advantage to your business is that if you sponsor a supplier, this increases the sustainability of your supply chain – and if you sponsor a client, you improve the sustainability of your customer base, and provide them with another reason to retain you as a service provider.

We are currently in the process of developing these service packages but in the meantime feel free to discuss this with your sustainability officer.

How BTL can Help: If you want information about the new packages and how your business can help BTL call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Kiama Community College Gets a Facelift

Kiama Community College is currently putting the finishing touches on the refurbishment of their Kiama & Shoalhaven Campuses.

Made possible by a $1.15 million grant from the Federal Teaching & Learning Capital Fund, Investment In Community Education & Training, the grant stipulated that environmental features be included in the refurbishment.

Kiama Community College worked with BTL’s Sustainability Officer Levi Gibson, at the grant application stage, with a site assessment providing a list of recommendations for the application. BTL also worked with KCC and the designer during the planning phase to ensure that the building became as solar passive as possible.

The toilet block was removed from the courtyard, letting in light and sun, and eves and awnings were installed on the Western and Northern side to minimize heat. Ontaria recyclable carpet and zero VOC paints were used throughout. All lighting was retrofitted to energy efficient lighting and heat pumps replaced the hot water system. The building was connected to gas for the commercial kitchen refurbishment and two 20,000 Littre tanks will handle the bathroom facilities water needs.

Bathrooms were retrofitted with low flow showerheads and dual flush toilets. And all the waste from the refurbishment was disposed of in a sustainable manner.

Bike racks were put in for students and the overall design is now a light modern space which feels and looks great.

Kiama Community College is currently investigating the possibility of putting in a 10KW Solar Photo Voltaic System on the roof to feed energy to the grid. With two new Government bonus schemes available, (the Solar Bonus Scheme and the Renewable Energy Target Scheme), instead of electricity being an expense, the College may profit from electricity generation

How BTL can Help: If you want information about the BTL partner program call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Sparkie Starts New Business After Retro Fit

Greg Edwards of Energize cabling has been a traditional electrician for 7 or 8 years. When Energize won a tender to refit BTL partner Mittagong RSL with energy efficient lighting, it sparked a new business venture.

"My eyes opened," said Greg of the refit. "How few replacement lights are needed; the energy savings. I couldn’t believe it and knew then it was the future of lighting. The Mittagong RSL maintenance guy has remarked several times how this refit has helped him."

Greg says he then started to really look into energy efficient lighting options. "I looked at all the different brands and their capabilities," he said.

As a result a year ago Greg launched Lightwise – lightwise@bigpond.com.au, a specialty energy efficient lighting service. Greg offers clients a simple case study on the savings they will make over 5 and 10 years if they retrofit.

In the case of Mittagong RSL the ownership costs of those 1335 globes (in replacement and energy) will cost them $37,174 instead of the 5 year ownership costs of 60W halogens of an incredible $509,523 Greg estimated they would have spent (given current electricity prices). "The business is really exploding and I am currently putting on more people," he said.

How BTL can Help: If you want information about the BTL partner program call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Sustainable Growth - Book Review

At BTL our mission is to help businesses in Illawarra and South coast experience first hand the financial and environmental benefits of being sustainable so we are always trying to find examples of sustainable change that work in the real world. Normally we are forced to turn to overseas examples; however, Australian businesses now have an Australian author, an Australian book, and Australian examples to turn to.

Renowned environmentalist and 2010 NSW Australian of the Year, Jon Dee, was commissioned by Sensis to write a book for Australia’s two-million plus small and medium-sized businesses. Small Business, Big Opportunity: Sustainable Growth contains practical information and tips on how to improve business bottom line and reduce environmental impacts.

The book covers – Understanding the bottom line: Sustainability: a turning point for your business. Boosting your performance which looks at all aspects of a sustainable business from energy to IT. Engaging others: which looks at communicating your commitment to others.

An excerpt of Jon Dee’s Introduction is below.

Why should you read this book? After all, you’re incredibly busy and your first priority is to look after your customers and your business’ bottom line.

If that’s what you’re thinking then this book is for you. It has been written to help Australian businesses, especially small and medium businesses, increase their efficiency and productivity. Caught up in daily management, most of us are too busy to explore the many ways we can do more with less. But consider this: in many cases, using fewer resources will save your business money. So you can help the environment, support your community and make more money at the same time.

The move to sustainability in business is gathering momentum across the world and Australian SMEs are discovering that companies already on the path to sustainability increasingly prefer to do business with other sustainable companies. That’s why understanding sustainability has become a vital part of continuous business development.

The world is starting to put a price on carbon pollution and your customers will start to prefer doing business with companies that are sustainable. If you don’t prepare and adjust for these changes, then the opportunities for your business could be severely undermined.

After two years of engaging leading businesses in this region, BTL has sometimes felt that it could write the book on achieving financial, environmental and social benefits through sustainable practice. Thanks to Jon and Sensis, everyone has been spared the experience of BTL’s book writing skills.

Small Business, Big Opportunity: Sustainable Growth is available either as a download or through Sensis while stocks last.

How BTL can Help: If you want information about the BTL partner program call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Thousands of New Council Employees at Bega

Bega Valley Shire Council has recently employed thousands of new waste managers at their Zingle Place administration building.

The waste managers live in a small worm farm, which sits on the balcony outside the kitchen.

Worms can eat their own body weight in organic waste each day. They eat anything that used to grow so even paper and cotton can be added for digestion. A compost bin has also been started to take excess organic waste.

"The aim of the worm farm is to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill," said Gary Louie, Waste Coordinator with Bega Valley Shire Council.

"Landfill space is near capacity and at the moment we’re throwing out a great resource"

Anyone who enjoys gardening will already know the benefits of worm castings or compost. When added to soil, worm castings or compost improve soil health to make things grow better. As well, it helps to improve drainage and moisture absorption.

Staff at Council have taken great interest in the progress of the worms and the change has helped raise awareness of how to reduce waste in the home.

How BTL can Help: If you want information about worm farms call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

BTL Partners Get Their Plaques

The last couple of months have seen partners in Wollongong, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega receive their Recognition and Reward Plaques.

The participating businesses can earn up to 6 cogs for – Commitment, Measurement, Communication, 5% Saving, 10% Saving and Leadership.

"There is always more that can be done to be more sustainable, even for our partners that have achieved six out of six cogs. But along the journey it is worth looking back at what has been achieved so far," said Mark Shorter, Eurobodalla Sustainability Officer.

The Plaques were presented by Mayor Fergus Thomson in Eurobodalla, Mayor Paul Green and Deputy Mayor Gareth Ward in Shoalhaven, Acting Bega Valley Shire Mayor, Councillor Michael Britten and in Wollongong the plaques were presented by the Southern Councils Group Executive Officer, Lesley Scarlett.

The launches were well attended with many businesses keen to receive their recognition plaques.

Amongst the star performers were Catalina Country Club, Natcedar, Novotel North Beach, Oak Flats Bowling & Recreation Club, Silos Estate and Village Centre & Bridge Plaza in Batemans Bay who all received 6 cogs.

"This is not a hollow gesture. We want to recognize the efforts and results that participating businesses have started achieving because the results are highly commendable." said Mark Shorter.

Simon Wallace-Pannell, BTL’s program manager observed that the participating businesses were "our best advertisement for how sustainable practice makes good business sense"

"Through achieving the 6 cogs, our lead businesses have a story to tell their customers, their community and their staff about their sustainability journey. Not only that, they can rightfully claim a competitive edge in the marketplace".

How BTL can Help: If you want information about the BTL partner program call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Silos Winery Powers Up

Silos Estate winery in the Shoalhaven became carbon neutral for its energy needs in 2008, and with the commissioning of a new Solar Array system they are now set to be Energy Self Sufficient.

According to Director, Rajarshi Ray, Silos purchased wind turbines and solar power in 2007 and early this year turned on their Solar Array system which produces in excess of 20 kWh per day and feeds back to the grid. The system was installed by Simmark www.simmark.com.au

Silos Estate, set in the rolling green hills between Berry and Nowra, has a wine production on site, a restaurant and function centre, a tasting centre and 6 accommodation venues.

Becoming self sufficient also included changing over all appliances to 5 star energy rating and 1w standby, redesigning the production process for wine making, stopping all irrigation of the vineyard and Silos have almost completed a complete low voltage lighting retrofit. Silos also sell carbon offsets.

"The big use of energy is in wine production," says Raj. "As far as we are aware we are the first winery in the Region to become self sufficient in our energy needs. We are on most days using less than we are producing."

"The result is that we are selling three times the amount of wine for exactly the same carbon footprint," he said.

How BTL can Help: If you want information about how your business can become power positive BTL call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Sustainable Towns and BTL

Sustaining Our Towns (SOT) is a three year project to help reduce the ecological footprints of individuals, homes, businesses and communities in twelve Council areas across South Eastern NSW. The SOT project team have enlisted the help of Business Treading Lightly to support the business arm of their project. BTL and SOT recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of the Minister for Small Business Peter Primrose, the Hon Penny Sharpe MLC, and Eurobodalla Mayor Fergus Thomson at the Eurobodalla council chambers in Moruya.

Councillor Chris Kowal, chair of the SOT steering committee and Simon Wallace-Pannell, Project Manager of BTL signed on behalf of their organisations.

The Minister for Small Business, Peter Primrose noted how innovation is increasingly associated with sustainability. Tracey Rich, project manager said "Sustaining Our Towns and Business Treading Lightly are cooperating in the delivery of sustainability programs across the South East of NSW, from Young to the Coast and down through the Snowy Mountains."

She said, "In signing this MOU, SOT will be enhancing the number of programs that it will deliver. BTL already have over 200 businesses participating in their programs and SOT will be adding a further 120 businesses to that number as the project is rolled out".

Simon Wallace-Pannell, BTL Program Manager noted that one of the hurdles that BTL faced when it started in late 2007 was the lack of a comprehensive sustainability toolkit that suited small to medium-sized enterprises. "BTL spent some time in developing and trialling its toolkits and programs. It makes perfect sense to us to share BTL’s expertise with a trusted partner, and we’re looking forward to seeing our approach applied and adapted elsewhere in the State."

Photo attached: L to R is Mayor Eurobodalla Fergus Thompson, Simon Wallace-Pannell, Hon Peter Primrose, Minister for Small Business, Councillor Chris Kowal, Penny Sharpe, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport.

How BTL can Help: If you want information about collaborating with BTL call BTL Toll Free on 1800 187 729 or go to www.btl.net.au

Grants Available Now

Energy Efficiency for Small Business

The Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (DECCW) is recruiting small businesses across NSW to a new program that helps to lower power bills and carbon pollution.

The Energy Efficiency for Small Business Program offers an energy assessment, a tailored action plan and a rebate of up to $5,000 for making energy efficiency improvements that save money and reduce our impact on the environment.

You can take part if your business spends up to about $20,000 a year on electricity or employs up to about 10 people.

Alternatively, if you are a medium to large business, you can register for DECCW’s Sustainability Advantage Energy Saver program to help you become more energy efficient.

For more information and to register

Visit: environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainbus
Email: sustainbus@environment.nsw.gov.au
Phone: the Environment Line 1300 361 967

Online registration at: Energy Efficiency for Small Business Program registration

Solar Bonus Scheme for NSW

The NSW Government's Solar Bonus Scheme (the Scheme) provides support to people who produce renewable energy through eligible roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and wind turbines connected to the grid.

The Scheme is intended to encourage people to install renewable energy, develop jobs in the renewable energy sector and increase public exposure to renewable energy technology to encourage the whole community to respond to climate change.

New South Wales customers benefit from the most generous tariff rate in Australia which demonstrates the NSW Government's commitment to supporting the growth of the renewable energy industry.

The NSW Government designed the Scheme so customers who already had systems installed, that met the new Scheme eligibility requirements, could also join up and be rewarded with the generous gross tariff rate of 60 cents per kilowatt hour.

The Scheme commenced on 1 January 2010. The Scheme's regulatory framework is set out in the Electricity Supply Act 1995 and the Electricity Supply (General) Regulation 2001 available at http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/.

Customers who meet all requirements for eligibility under the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme, including having a gross meter installed, can receive gross credits for their generation. To receive higher gross credits, customers with a net meter need to switch to a gross meter. In most cases, the switch to a gross meter can be undertaken at a relatively low cost. However, in some cases, switching to gross metering can be more expensive.

Some people have indicated a desire to participate in the Scheme without switching their net meter. In recognition of this, eligible customers will be able to receive the generous Scheme credit of 60 cents per kilowatt hour on a 'net' basis for electricity exported to the grid in excess of that used at the premises.

Customers in the EnergyAustralia and Country Energy distribution areas who meet all requirements for eligibility under the Scheme (other than having gross meters installed) and who prefer to install or remain on net metering, may choose to receive net credits for their generation. For customers in the Integral Energy distribution area, all new connections must have a gross meter installed to be eligible for the Scheme. For customers in the Integral Energy distribution area who installed net meters prior to the commencement of the Scheme, and who meet all requirements for eligibility under the Scheme (other than having gross meters installed) and who prefer to remain on net metering, may choose to receive net credits for their generation.

It is up to individual customers to decide what metering arrangement will best suit their property, system and budget. Customers are encouraged to contact their distributor or accredited service provider to discuss their metering options before making a final decision. Customers can still switch to a gross meter at any time during the course of the Scheme.

Each customer has the responsibility for ensuring that their renewable energy generator meets all requirements of the Solar Bonus Scheme including complying with the metering and connection requirements of their distribution network. Customers should contact electricity businesses who are administering the Solar Bonus Scheme directly for information on their metering and connection requirements and for individual advice on eligibility under the Scheme. The NSW Government does not determine or advise whether an individual's circumstances meet the requirements of the Solar Bonus Scheme.

The key features of NSW Solar Bonus Scheme include:

• It commenced on 1 January 2010 and will operate for 7 years.
• It credits eligible customers with a gross meter with a 'gross' feed-in tariff rate of 60 cents per kilowatt hour for all the electricity that their eligible solar photovoltaic (PV) system or wind turbine generates.
• Certain customers who meet all requirements for eligibility under the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme (other than having gross meters installed) and who prefer to install or remain on net metering, may choose to receive net credits for their generation.
• Small electricity customers (those with an annual electricity consumption of up to 160 megawatt hours) are eligible to participate in the Scheme.
• Only customers with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines (up to 10 kilowatts in capacity) that connect to the electricity network through an inverter (up to 10 kilowatts in capacity) are eligible to participate in the Scheme.
• Solar PV systems installed and connected after 1 January 2010 must be installed by a person, who at the time of the installation had a Grid-connect Design & Install accreditation from the Clean Energy Council to be eligible for the Solar Bonus Scheme.
• Each eligible small electricity customer is entitled to receive the Solar Bonus Scheme credit for one eligible renewable energy generator (solar photovoltaic system or wind turbine) only.
• The tariff rate of 60 cents per kilowatt hour will be fixed for the life of the Scheme, meaning it will not vary with the time of the day or during the life of the Scheme.
• The Scheme will be reviewed in 2012 by the Minister for Energy, or when the installed capacity of renewable energy generators participating in the Scheme reaches 50 megawatts, whichever occurs first.

More information is available in the Solar Bonus Scheme Questions and Answers

Small scale renewable energy systems under the RET scheme

The Australian Government is supporting the deployment of renewable energy in Australia's electricity supply through the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme. The RET scheme guarantees a market for additional renewable energy generation, using a mechanism of tradeable Renewable Energy Certificates known as RECs (backed by a legislative obligation).

The Government’s RET scheme is designed to ensure that 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020. The RET increases the previous Mandatory Renewable Energy Target by over four times, from 9,500 gigawatt-hours to 45,000 gigawatt-hours in 2020, driving significant investment and accelerating the deployment of a broad range of renewable energy technologies. In ten years time the amount of electricity coming from sources like solar, wind and geothermal will be about equal to all of Australia’s current household electricity use.

The new RET laws include new incentives to support Australian households and businesses installing small scale solar, wind and micro hydro generating systems. ‘Solar Credits’ are now available to households, businesses and community groups that install eligible small generation units by providing multiple RECs for each megawatt hour of energy produced.

Small scale renewable energy systems under the RET scheme

The RET scheme’s rules allow owners of small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, small wind turbines and micro-hydro systems to create at the time of installation RECs equivalent to the output of up to 15 years operation depending on the system type. This provides an upfront capital subsidy to householders, businesses and community groups, who may sell their RECs on the market.

While system owners can create RECs themselves, in practice owners generally transfer this right to their system provider in return for a discount on the system price or a cash payment.

‘Solar Credits'

The expanded RET scheme includes the ‘Solar Credits’ mechanism to boost the support to households and businesses that install small-scale solar PV, wind and micro-hydro systems by multiplying the number of tradeable RECs able to be created for eligible installations

Solar Credits are available for eligible systems installed on or after 9 June 2009. Solar credits apply to the first 1.5 kilowatts (kW) of capacity installed. Generation from capacity above 1.5 kW will still be eligible for the standard 1:1 rate of RECs creation.

Solar Credits apply from 9 June 2009 and will be phased out by 2015-16. This recognises that technology costs are going down, and the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme will also be providing incentives for renewable technologies

Level of support under Solar Credits

The level of support in terms of the number of RECs received via Solar Credits will be determined by the date the system is installed. The number of additional credits will be based on the multiple as set out in the following table.

If the system is installed between 9 June 2009 and 30 June 2012, the home owner will receive five times as many RECs as under the standard deeming arrangements.

The multiplier reduces to four for systems installed from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013 and continues to reduce each year until it has phased out to the standard multiple of 1 from 1 July 2015. The timing of the phase-out means that Solar Credits will not adversely affect reaching the 20 per cent target by 2020.

Under the standard RET scheme rules, system owners can receive RECs for the lifetime generation of the system either upfront or over longer time periods of one, five or (in the case of solar PV systems) fifteen years (the so-called ‘deeming period’).

To assist with administrative efficiency and for maximum upfront assistance, the additional Solar Credits will only apply in the first time period that certificates are created for a system. This means that home owners can receive the full benefit of the solar system at point of sale, helping with the upfront costs of installing the system.

Examples

The level of subsidy will depend on a number of factors, including the price of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), the deeming period chosen by the applicant, the location of the solar PV system and the size of the system.

For example, a solar PV system in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane or Canberra will receive $5,150 for a 1 kW system and $7,750 for a 1.5 kW system installed in 2009, based on a $50 REC price.

A system installed in Melbourne or Hobart will receive fewer RECs as these areas have less sunshine so less renewable energy is produced. For example, a 1 kW system installed in 2009 will receive $4,400 and a 1.5 kW system will receive $6,650 based on a $50 REC price.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility rules are prescribed in the RET scheme regulations, administered by the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator (ORER).

Key rules are summarised below. Details of the rules are available on the ORER website

• The system must be an eligible ‘small generation unit’; being a solar PV system of up to 100 kilowatts (kW) capacity; a small wind turbine of up to 10kW capacity or a micro-hydro system of up to 6.4 kW capacity.
• The system must be installed at an eligible premises. Examples include houses, townhouses, residential apartments and shops.
• The system must be a new and complete unit.
• There is to be no ‘double-dipping’ in relation to the Solar Homes and Communities Plan, the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP), or the National Solar Schools Program (NSSP). That is, a premises receiving a grant or rebate under any of these programs is not entitled to Solar Credits.
• No more than one system at an eligible premises (address) is entitled to Solar Credits.
• Solar Credits may only be created once for a particular installation, irrespective of whether the certificates are created for a 1-year, 5-year or 15 year deeming period.
• The system must have been installed no more than 12 months prior to the date of application for Solar Credits.

BTL Can Help: Talk to BTL about how we can notify you of suitable grants for your business, give advice or and sit down and work through the grant application process.

Contact: 1800 187 729 or email info@btl.net.au

NSW Climate Change Fund Public Facilities Program

The NSW Climate Change Fund has allocated $5.9 million to assist 247 community projects across NSW saving 125 million litres of water and 4,560 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in the first ten years. View successful Community Savers Round 2 projects.

On 30 June 2010 an additional $887,589 funding was announced for 39 community organisations who were on a reserve list under the Community Savers stream.

Together these projects will save 11.4 million litres of water and 330 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in the first ten years.

Demonstration stream - funding for projects which demonstrate how water and energy savings work in practice in public or educational facilities which are open to, and frequently accessed, by the public.

The NSW Climate Change Fund has allocated $6.8 million to support 18 demonstration projects across NSW, saving 162 million litres of water and 8,843 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

BTL Can Help: Talk to BTL about how we can notify you of suitable grants for your business, give advice or and sit down and work through the grant application process.

Contact: 1800 187 729 or email info@btl.net.au