Lead agency: Infrastructure SA

Timeframe: Policy 0 to 5 years

The case for change - In brief:

• Buildings and infrastructure-based projects are directly responsible for almost one third of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions, and indirectly responsible for over half of all greenhouse gas emissions.
• In South Australia, the greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings and infrastructure are likely to represent a larger proportion of total state greenhouse gas emissions than in other jurisdictions, as we have made significant progress in decarbonising our energy sector.
• There is currently a lack of consistency in considering potential greenhouse gas emissions from infrastructure, or options to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. There is a need for a more coordinated and consistent approach to understand, measure, reduce, and mitigate carbon across the asset life cycle (construction, operations, and use).

Lead agency: Department for Energy and Mining

Timeframe: Policy 0 to 5 years

The case for change - In brief:

• Electric vehicle charging creates an additional load on the electricity network which can have a significant impact, particularly in regional and remote communities with existing capacity constraints. Estimates indicate that residential electric vehicle chargers have the potential to double the electricity demand of a property.
• Uncertainty in the scale and timing of electric vehicle uptake and the location of charging stations creates complexity and technical challenges for the electricity network.
• State-level planning for the future electric vehicle charging network will help ensure the network has the capacity to manage additional loads, enable management of dynamic loads and support optimal cost recovery for the necessary investments.

Lead agency: Department for Energy and Mining

Timeframe: Policy 5 to 10 years

The case for change - In brief:

• Gas will continue to play an important role in South Australia. The ability of gas to provide reliable, flexible, and relatively low-carbon energy makes it an essential component of our overall energy transition strategy.
• Research indicates it is viable to use existing 8,661 kilometres of gas networks for hydrogen blends in South Australia, creating an ongoing role for our existing gas infrastructure as we transition to net zero and decarbonise the network.
• Leveraging our significant investment in the existing gas infrastructure network will reduce or defer the need for new infrastructure and achieve financial, time, and environmental benefits.

Lead agency: Green Industries SA

Timeframe: Policy 5 to 10 years

The case for change - In brief:

• Waste to energy offers an alternative waste management and recovery option where energy and by-products are recovered in usable forms. Processes such as gasification better align with circular economy principles.
• Generators powered by post-recovery waste can operate in a manner that helps to balance the intermittent nature of renewables and increase energy system stability.

Lead agency: Department of Treasury and Finance

Timeframe: Policy 0 to 5 years

The case for change - In brief:

• To achieve South Australia’s economic aspirations and leverage our comparative advantages in a global market, we need to clearly demonstrate and verify our environmental, social, and governance credentials.
• There are increasing expectations and requirements for improved sustainability performance and reporting, to enhance transparency and accountability from infrastructure projects. Improved transparency will also help us attract finance for infrastructure investments including from the growing green and sustainability bond markets.
• Currently there is no guidance on sustainability standards and performance reporting for government infrastructure projects. The inclusion of sustainability outcomes in infrastructure projects and performance reporting will help drive outcomes aligned to greenhouse gas emissions reduction and environment protection. It will also support readiness for disclosure expectations, as they move to become mandatory reporting requirements.

Lead agency: Infrastructure SA

Timeframe: Policy 0 to 5 years

The case for change - In brief:

• Infrastructure has positive benefits but can also impact the environment through clearance and habitat loss, pollution, or poor waste management. In recognition of the need to protect and conserve nature and biodiversity, both the Australian and South Australian Government are progressing legislative reforms that will likely require greater consistency and transparency on decision making and drive requirements for clear targets and reporting.
• There is a growing need to address and account for nature and cultural values in infrastructure decision making and public reporting, which can be facilitated at the outset of infrastructure decisions through more integrated assessments in business cases.