Western Australian Energy Minister Peter Collier's announcement of a restructure of the Sustainable Energy Development Office, merging it with the Office of Energy has been welcomed by the WA Sustainable Energy Association.

Western Australian Energy Minister Peter Collier's announcement of a restructure of the Sustainable Energy Development Office, merging it with the Office of Energy has been welcomed by the Western Sustainable Energy Association, the peak body for all enterprises interested in a sustainable energy future.

Minister Collier said the move would give sustainable energy more prominence and help the Government co-ordinate its commitment to build 20 per cent of the State's electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020, as well as responding to the national emissions trading scheme.

‘Sustainability must be mainstream, must be in everything we do, must be the norm,' says Prof. Ray Wills, Chief Executive of WA SEA.

‘When you have agencies with sustainability in the title, a common administrative response is "we don't have to worry about sustainability - that's their job," observes Prof Wills.

‘This move means all those involved in energy must concern themselves with sustainable outcomes.'

The Minister has WA SEA's full support in his stated intent to increase "the use of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency across all sectors of the community".

WA SEA have received assurances from the Minister's office that this reflects a strong commitment to act on delivering sustainable energy for the state.

This builds on the Minister's announcements earlier this year to establish a new Strategic Energy Initiative for Western Australia, a move also welcomed by WA SEA.


WA Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA) Media Release - 26 November 2009

Editors notes:
1. Minister Collier media statement http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=132835
2. The Western Australian Sustainable Energy Association Inc. (WA SEA) is a chamber of businesses boasting a growing membership of 260 industry members from a diversity of businesses, and now the largest state-based industry body of its kind in Australia. www.wasea.com.au.