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Zeger Media Release

12th November 2010

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$9 billion renewable energy windfall at stake


Victoria would benefit by up to $9 billion in renewable energy investment under current State Government policies, according to independent research released today.

The report - commissioned by the Clean Energy Council – found that this would increase clean energy capacity by a substantial 3000 megawatts by 2016, the equivalent of powering an estimated 1.2 million homes.

It also found that an estimated 650 new jobs would be created each year through to 2016 in the construction and operation of renewable energy facilities.

The report was conducted by respected economic consultants Carbon Market Economics at the request of the Clean Energy Council, Australia's peak body of more than 450 renewable energy companies - an apolitical not-for-profit organisation.

The study compared existing and proposed renewable energy policies in Victoria and their potential impact on renewable energy development, in the lead up to the Victorian election on November 27.

It found the effect of the Victorian Opposition policy on wind farms would be severely detrimental - between 50% and 70% of currently proposed wind farms in Victoria would not be developed if this policy was pursued. Additional expenditure in wind generation would drop by $2.6 to $3.6 billion from 2010-16.

The Clean Energy Council's chief executive Matthew Warren said that while the organisation didn't support any particular political party, it did campaign for policies which created the best environment for the development of clean energy, or against any party whose policy would restrict its growth.

"There's no doubt that substantial wind farm investment and jobs will immediately leave Victoria if the Coalition’s current policies were adopted. This could effectively cripple the wind industry," Mr Warren said.

It was also hugely contradictory to public opinion, he said. A recent Newspoll study found that 93% of all Victorians want more renewable energy.

The report found an estimated 200 fewer jobs would be created from 2010 to 2016 if the Victorian Coalition's policy was adopted.

"The wind farm standards proposed by Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu, including 2km setbacks, would make it tougher to put up a wind turbine in regional Victoria than to dig a new coal mine.

"The proposed standards are not based on any scientific measure. Victoria has some of the toughest wind farm development standards in the world," he said.

Note: The above article is from Clean Energy Council media release on 12 Nov 2010

20th September 2010

Wind Turbines and Health

Wind power has been gaining prominence as a viable sustainable alternative to other forms of energy production. Studies have found that there is increasing population demand for ‘green’energy1,2. In Australia, this has been encouraged by the
introduction of the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act in 2000 and the Renewable Energy Target Scheme in 2009.

As with any new technology, wind turbines are not without controversy. Those who oppose the development of wind
farms contend that wind turbines can adversely impact the health of individuals living in close proximity.


Do Wind Turbines impact on health?

Please goto http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/cec/technologies/wind/turbinefactsheets to read the whole article.

 

16th September 2010

Dear Electrical Wholesaler,

As we have previously announced, there is an ongoing investigation into the mini RCBO market by Energy Safe Victoria.

We would now like to inform our valued customers that we are withdrawing our product from the market until the matter is finalised. To this extent we are recalling any unsold Zeger RCBO stock that you may have at your wholesale branch. This does not affect any installed Zeger RCBO’s

Could you kindly fax through your return for credit request and we will make arrangements for your stock to be collected and credit request to be processed.

I apologise for any inconvenience caused, but let me assure you of our ongoing commitment to the electrical industry in Australia and in providing value for money quality Electrical & Lighting products.

Again, my sincere apologies for the supply disruption that this recall may cause.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or your state representative.

Mr Stephen Low

Managing Director


 

16th September 2010

Dear Electrical Wholesaler,

There has been some confusion as to the brand names of Mini RCBO’s that are currently being investigated by Energy Safe Victoria at the moment.

Can I please confirm with you that currently, only the Zeger  RCBO’s is being investigated for the time being. We wish to retract all others brands were mentioned as being investigate in our first newsletter.

We sincerely apologise for any confusion that this may have caused in the marketplace.

 

Mr Stephen Low

Managing Director

 

Tuesday 14th September 2010

Dear Electrical Wholesaler,

Firstly, we at ESA would like to thank you for your support that has seen the Zeger range of Mini RCBO’s growing to be Australia’s Number 1 choice of Mini RCBO. It has been well documented that SAA recently withdrew their approval for a few Mini RCBO’s due to a technical difference.

We are proud to say that the Zeger Mini RCBO has not experienced this problem and has had a fault rate of just 0.05% which has been fantastic.

However, we feel now is the time to act in a prudent manner, therefore we are temporarily  ceasing to process purchase orders of the Zeger RCBO whilst the whole industry is scrutinised by Energy Safe Victoria. Let me stress that there is no mandatory product recall or any safety concern with our Mini RCBO range. We await further clarification from Energy Safe Victoria.

Upon learning of an investigation by Energy Safe Victoria into the Mini RCBO market, the Management of ESA have decided to act wisely, taking a bold step so as to be transparent with our valued customers and end users. We understand this may result in Branches being short stocked for a short while; though we are sure you understand and appreciate our forthright actions.

Zeger will continue to be a dominant player in the Min RCBO market in the future, providing a good value for money, reliable Mini RCBO. However, for the long term success of our industry we need to be patient and follow the guidance of Energy Safe Victoria.

Again, this is not a mandatory recall or due to any fault in our RCBO, just a discretionary action on our part.

We look forward to our exciting range of T8 & T5 lighting due to be released soon as well as having this investigation into the entire Mini RCBO market finalised.

We thank you for your understanding in this matter and please do not hesitate to contact me at any time personally should you wish to clarify any matter.


Mr Stephen Low

Managing Director


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Monday August 16 2010

The Zeger range of RCBO’s has grown to be the best value for money RCBO in Australia. Thank you to all our wholesalers for their ongoing support at branch level for making us the preferred choice of RCBO by Australians electricians!

Due to our success, sadly our competitors have resorted to a smear campaign to damage our reputation in the electrical industry. We hereby announce that:

The Zeger RCBO has approval from Energy Safe Victoria before its release and for distribution Australia wide. There is no recall on the Zeger RCBO under this approval certification.

In the meantime, should any Electrical Wholesaler have any old stock purchased prior to April 2010 with our SAA approval number on it, please contact us for replacement stock and pick up of old stock.

Sadly, our competitors are informing electrical wholesalers that our product has been recalled and withdrawn from the marketplace. This is a lie. Nothing but sour grapes from our competitors due to our success and their loss of sales.

Should you have any questions, contact any of our sales team or Head Office to hear from the horse’s mouth! We have the lowest fault rate of any RCBO on the market and look forward to continued success in the future!

Best Wishes,

Managing Director.

   

Wind Turbine on Your Roof

Windmills for your roof under overhaul of NSW planning laws

NSW planning laws are set to be overhauled to allow homeowners to have windmils on their roofs. Source: Bloomberg

HOUSEHOLDERS will be allowed to build wind turbines on the roofs of suburban homes to generate green electricity under a sweeping overhaul of NSW planning laws.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the State Government is proposing to allow small windmills with a generating capacity of 10kW or less to be erected in residential areas, adding to solar panels as an option for domestic power generation.

A height limit of 3m above the roof line will be imposed and turbines will have to be at least 25m from neighbouring properties.

As with solar panels, home owners will be able to sell surplus power they generate to the electricity grid, protecting them from skyrocketing power prices.

Under the plan, families intending to install a wind turbine would lodge a 10-day complying development application with the local council.

Planning Minister Tony Kelly said strict noise and location controls would ensure neighbourhoods were not turned into "turbine jungles".

Mr Kelly said the amendments to the laws, which go on public exhibition today, would also make it more beneficial for families to install their own solar-power system.

Making it easier for property owners to install wind and solar systems would turn suburbs and rural areas into "renewable-energy harvesting areas with no, or minimal, environmental and local amenity impacts", he said.

Present laws ban domestic wind turbines in residential areas.

Under the proposed changes, wind turbines would be restricted to 10kW in residential zones and 60kW in rural and industrial areas.

Turbines near neighbouring dwellings would be have to meet stringent operational noise limits.

Mr Kelly said that although modern domestic-use wind turbines were generally quiet, the noise restrictions would ensure neighbours were not adversely affected.

Depending on the type of turbine being installed, a distance of up to 200m from the nearest property could also be imposed to further guard against noise impacts, he said.

Under the proposed changes, solar installation will also become a 10-day complying development.

The solar energy feed-in system, introduced in January, allows households to earn 60c for each kilowatt-hour of electricity produced.

The Government estimates that individual households could earn an average of $1500 by selling surplus energy to the feed-in system.

A formal review of the effectiveness of the scheme will be undertaken in July.

Energy Minister John Robertson said the proposal was an Australian first, allowing households to feed both wind and solar energy into the grid in return for an income.

A discussion paper on the proposal, obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, shows the Government intends to allow turbines to be located at least 25m from neighbouring properties.

In the US, small-scale residential wind turbines are allowed in parts of New York.

"For example, a five-storey affordable housing apartment building in the South Bronx, in New York, has deployed 10 1kW wind turbines to supplement the facility's conventional power usage in the building's hallways, elevators and other common areas," the paper states.Lobbecke's view: Page 106

   

Solar Panel and Wind Turbine Renewable Energy Development in Australia

Government Incentives and Rebates

On the 26 February 2010 the Australian Government announced proposed amendments to the Renewable Energy Target  (RET) scheme effective from 1 January 2011.

The Government has announced that small-scale solar PV, wind and hydro electricity systems will be able to receive ‘Solar Credits’ once the expanded national RET scheme legislation passes through Parliament and the required regulations come into force. Solar Credits is a mechanism under the expanded RET scheme which multiplies the number of RECs able to be created for eligible installations of small-scale renewable energy systems. Those wishing to create Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) for systems installed on or after 9 June 2009 may choose to apply for RECs under the current deeming arrangements and apply later for the additional Solar Credits when invited by the ORER. Alternatively, they may choose to delay their application until the Solar Credits regulations are in place.

Read more: Solar Panel and Wind Turbine Renewable Energy Development in Australia