October 2024

  1. Strategic Review of Victorian Energy Upgrades: Terms of Reference Announced
  2. Liquidation of Emerging Energy Solutions: The Impact of an $86 Million Debt
  3. Improved Rental Standards in Victoria: A Step Forward for Tenants and Eco-Friendliness
  4. All Energy Conference & Exhibition in Melbourne 23-24 October!  
  5. Reviving Insulation Standards: The New Roadmap for Energy Efficiency  
  6. Certificate Spot Prices Update

1. Strategic Review of Victorian Energy Upgrades: Terms of Reference Announced

The Victorian Government has finalized the Terms of Reference for the Strategic Review of the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program, supported by an investment of $5.9 million. This Review aims to address current challenges within the VEU program, which is designed to assist Victorians in electrifying their homes, reducing energy costs, and lowering Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Key Details of the Review:                                                                        

  • $5.9 million investment over 2 years and led by Solar Victoria, within the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Scope:

  1. Program purpose and objectives
  2. Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs)
  3. VEU program targets
  4. Program activities and eligible products
  5. Accredited providers (APs)
  6. Program regulation
  7. Costs and Benefits

The Terms of Reference for the Review can be accessed at the following link: Victorian Energy Upgrades Strategic Review.

As a member of the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC), Metimur is actively involved in this process. Nicklas Lindewald, General Manager of Metimur, represents the EEC and its members at the VEU Stakeholder Reference Group, allowing us to provide feedback directly in that forum.

If you have any specific interests or questions regarding this review, feel free to contact Nicklas at nicklas@metimurenergy.com.au

2.    Liquidation of Emerging Energy Solutions and their STC app Greenbot with an $86 Million Debt

Emerging Energy Solutions has entered into liquidation, with reportable debts totaling $86 million. Reports indicate that at least a dozen solar installers who trusted their STC creation with Emerging Energy through Greenbot have lost tens of thousands of dollars due to the company’s collapse. 

Read more on 7News

CERs latest update on their portal

Metimur or GHGP had no exposure to Green Bot. 

3. Improved Rental Standards in Victoria: A Step Forward for Tenants and Eco-Friendliness

Victoria is set to implement new minimum rental standards aimed at improving the quality of rental housing across the state. These changes are expected to enhance safety, comfort, and energy efficiency in rental properties, benefiting both tenants and the environment.

  • New Standards: The introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards for rental properties will require landlords to ensure that homes meet specific energy performance criteria, such as having adequate insulation, efficient heating and cooling systems, and energy-efficient appliances.

  • Tenant Benefits: Tenants will experience improved living conditions, including better temperature regulation and reduced energy costs.

  • Environmental Impact: The initiative aims to lower greenhouse gas emissions by promoting energy-efficient practices and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. 
     
  • Long-term Goals: This initiative aligns with Victoria’s broader sustainability objectives, including a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

  • Implementation Timeline: The new standards are expected to be rolled out in phases starting from October 2025.

  • Support for Landlords: To assist landlords in meeting these new standards, the Victorian government is expected to provide financial incentives and support programs, including subsidies for energy-efficient upgrades and retrofitting.

  • Addressing Vulnerable Populations: The new standards particularly aim to support vulnerable populations, including low-income tenants, by ensuring that all rental properties meet a baseline level of safety and comfort. 

We have yet to receive an update and are currently seeking clarification on whether this regulation will limit landlords from accessing VEEC rebates.

What is being proposed?

THE CONVERSATION - VIC minimum rental standards

Contact Us For More Information

4. All Energy Conference & Exhibition in Melbourne 23-24 October!

Panel Discussion Speaker Spotlight: Nicklas Lindewald, General Manager of Metimur – “Enhancing Energy Efficiency Schemes for Net Zero.”

We are excited to announce that Nicklas Lindewald, General Manager of Metimur, will be speaking again at the upcoming All Energy conference, Australia’s Largest Clean Energy Conference. He will participate in the panel discussion titled “Supercharging the Energy Efficiency Schemes for Net Zero”.

  • Event Topic:Supercharging energy efficiency schemes for net-zero emissions.
  • When? Thursday, 24th October 2024  from 15:00 – 15:45
  • Where? Energy Management Theatre, Exhibition Show Floor
  • Panellists:
    • Kirralee Tyndall, Director, Victorian Energy Upgrades, DEECA, Victorian Government;
    • Henry Adams, Director, Common Capital;
    • Jo Hoatson, CEO, Creditex;
    • Nicklas Lindewald, General Manager, Metimur Energy.
  • Focus Areas:Energy efficiency schemes have been key to improving energy performance. With net zero targets and tight government budgets, these schemes could be vital for achieving net zero if properly redesigned. This panel will discuss ways to strengthen state energy efficiency schemes to meet this challenge.

For more details about the panel discussion, please visit: Panel Discussion Details

Please make sure to come and say hello after the talk if you can make it!

Alternatively, if you prefer to catch up before this talk, please email Nicklas in the days ahead of the conference.

5. Reviving Insulation Standards: The New Roadmap for Energy Efficiency

As a proud member of the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC), Metimur, alongside Green Home Green Planet (GHGP), fully supports EECs newly released Insulation Installation Roadmap. This initiative aims to revitalize the insulation industry in Australia, particularly in light of the challenges faced after the “pink bat” program over a decade ago. The roadmap serves as a crucial lobbying effort to make insulation a critical component of all energy efficiency upgrades programs nationwide.

Understanding the Roadmap’s Recommendations

The Insulation Installation Roadmap outlines several key recommendations that are essential for improving insulation standards across the country:

  • Enhanced Compliance: Stricter regulations for new buildings and major renovations are necessary to ensure that all construction meets high insulation standards, which is vital for energy efficiency.
  • Education and Training: Increasing education and certification for insulation installers is critical. Well-trained professionals can ensure that insulation is installed correctly, maximizing its benefits for homeowners.
  • Government Support: The roadmap calls for stronger government backing for insulation installation requirements. This support is essential to encourage homeowners to invest in insulation improvements, especially given the rising cost of living.
  • Holistic Approach: A comprehensive strategy that integrates insulation with other building efficiency improvements will help create healthier and more comfortable living environments. 

The Importance of Insulation

Many Australian homes, particularly those built before energy efficiency mandates, are in dire need of thermal upgrades. Poor insulation leads to uncomfortable living conditions and high energy bills. By improving insulation, we can enhance home comfort, reduce energy costs, and contribute to Australia’s goals for net-zero emissions.

Metimur Support

At Metimur, we are committed to supporting the recommendations outlined in the Insulation Installation Roadmap. We believe that better insulation should be a priority for all Australian homes.

We are hoping to see insulation activities being rolled out shortly in both the VIC VEU and NSW ESS schemes. Hopefully, we have some more concrete news shortly.

EECs Insulation Installation Roadmap

Certificate spot prices update

Here are the CORE markets spot price graphs from Monday 12 Aug with our comments on the development over the last few months since our last newsletter:

  • VIC VEECs has been very flat around $108 spot price in recent weeks with a little uptick to $108.50 last few days, but forwards curve still “backwarded” to $107.10 for Nov 2025. 
  • NSW ESC spot has kept trending down even further but appear to have finally found the bottom at $13.25 where it’s been bouncing around in recent weeks. 
  • NSW PRC spot still very volatile as target increases rapidly but new activities are also announced. It spent a few days around $2.42 but have now drifted back to $2.30 

A reminder that we have our filterable table of all the rebate activities we can assist with across the country, from Solar VEECs and Solar VIC to NSW PRC, ESCs and federal STCs and we try to keep it up date as new activities are announced while others expire:  

Activities and Schemes

Please let us know if you notice any rebates missing from the table.

Stay Connected! For more information and updates, visit our website or contact us at info@metimur.com.

Past newsletters can be found here. 

Thank you for being a part of the Metimur community. Taking the pain out of certificate creation and maximising returns! 

 

Best Regards,
The Metimur Team