Carbon emissions and clean energy data collected and shared as part of National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting is being used in more than 40 publications from at least eight public agencies. This week the Clear Energy Regulator launched a calendar of the data’s use across government publications.
The CER says the calendar illustrates the varied use of the NGER data, which is collected to comply with Australia’s Kyoto Protocol and UNFCC obligations and inform the public about greenhouse gas emissions and energy flows by corporations:
“The calendar includes information on the intended use of NGER data in government publications and highlights the great value that NGER data plays in informing policy formulation and decision making.”
Open Data has been espoused by many governments as a tool to encourage innovation via private enterprise, but the public sector can also innovate and find new uses for public data collected by other agencies.
For example, the Australian Bureau of Statistics uses the NGER data to error correct and validate the ABS’s own energy related surveys. The Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics uses NGER data as part of its upcoming snapshot report of Energy in Australia 2014 handbook for governments and industry. The Australian Energy Market Operator uses NGER data for multiple reports, including the upcoming Gas and Electricity State of Opportunities, which will forecast potential carbon costs of energy generation facilities over 10 years and highlights opportunities for investment in energy generation.
While the reporting mechanism was set up in part to support a now-defunct emission trading scheme, it survived the repeal of the Clean Energy Act, and now helps reduce duplication of reporting requirements among Australia’s nine governments. CER provides the data to state and territory governments to assist with programs and activities.
CER has called for agencies that use the data and not currently listed in the calendar to let it know via [email protected].
This month the regulator also opened reporting for the 2013-14 financial year using its new Emissions and Energy Reporting System online tool.