Energy efficiency education in aboriginal communities of Western Australia

Abstract

The increasing costs of fuel for diesel powerhouses in remote indigenous communities of Australia that have increasingly limited funds is demanding a shift towards more efficient energy management. Residents, staff and community management need to develop an energy conservation ethic and reduce the typical consumption figures experienced. An energy efficient household may use less than 10 kW.hr/day while an inefficient household may use over 50 units/day as a result of poor building design, lack of understanding of energy issues, ineffective cost recovery procedures, and appliances left on continuously by non-indigenous staff as a result of inappropriate entitlements. Excessive energy consumption will result in a renewable energy system size with a cost that is far beyond the means of any community. In Western Australia an Energy Efficiency Education Program Package (EEEPack) for Aboriginal communities is currently being implemented by the Remote Area Development Group (RADG) at Murdoch University. The package is only one part of a wider strategy that needs to be continued if renewable energy technologies are to be progressively introduced and sustained