July Update

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This newsletter has been retained as a dated collection of updates, with links to current Northmore Gordon guidance.

Publication date: July 15, 2019.

Status note: Deadlines, prices, program settings and event information below belong to the issue date. Use current official sources for present decisions.

What this article reported

Northmore Gordon News Update

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Helping large business reduce energy costs

From the MD

Craig Morgan

The NSW Government is offering over $16 million in funding to help manufacturing businesses save energy and money, with the first round closing the end of July 2019.

The funding will help you:

If you're successful, you'll get up to $120,000 in matched funding per site, to implement a project that saves gas or electricity.

Northmore Gordon is currently working with a number of our clients to access this fund and can help you do the same. See here for more information.

If you are considering gas efficiency improvements in either Victoria or NSW you may be eligible for energy efficiency certificates to help offset the cost of the upgrade.

The Essential Services Commission has introduced new methods for creating 'deemed' Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificates (VEECs) from simple gas efficiency upgrades including:

economizer.

This process is similar to the process in NSW where NG is helping a customer create over 6,000 ESCs from a boiler upgrade, representing around $100k in benefit to the project.

Please call Northmore Gordon to get assistance on claiming VEECs for your project.

Are you frustrated not knowing where your gas is being used? Or how much thermal energy your process is using? A simple five-step process can help:

Alex Holdsworth, one of NG's energy consultants, has written an article on how to implement a Gas Measurement and Monitoring system. See our website here for the full article, or the NSW Gas Measurement and Monitoring Guide from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, co-authored by Northmore Gordon.

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How to use this information now

Treat each item as a historical snapshot. Confirm the current reporting period, program status, market date and official guidance before applying it to a project or compliance decision.

Separate source-reported facts from forecasts, targets and commentary. For a current project, retain the official source, version, effective date, assumptions and decision record in the evidence file.

What is the July Update newsletter and what topics does Northmore Gordon cover in it?

The July Update is a Northmore Gordon newsletter published under our Newsletters section. The newsletter focuses on practical energy management topics relevant to Australian businesses, with this edition tagged around Manufacturing, Monitoring, and NSW-specific schemes. The newsletter complements our broader knowledge library by highlighting current priorities and case examples. Related articles suggest the newsletter addresses certificate funding opportunities, common project mistakes in manufacturing, and Australia's evolving energy landscape. The July Update serves as a touchpoint for organisations considering energy improvements, renewable energy investments, or compliance with state-based energy schemes.

Why would a manufacturing business find the July Update newsletter relevant?

Manufacturing represents a priority sector for energy improvement, as businesses in this sector often have multiple opportunities to reduce consumption, improve reliability and manage costs. The July Update's Manufacturing tag indicates the newsletter addresses sector-specific challenges such as understanding energy use patterns, investigating utility systems, and sequencing investments effectively. Manufacturing guidance emphasises turning energy data into investment decisions and distinguishing between measures that can stand alone versus those that alter the economics of later projects. A manufacturing business reading the July Update would gain insights into audit scope, measurement planning, funding options and practical implementation sequencing—all essential for building a credible business case and avoiding costly project mistakes during execution.

What does the Monitoring tag on the July Update indicate about the newsletter's content?

The Monitoring tag signals that the July Update addresses metering, data collection and performance tracking—essential activities for verifying energy savings and meeting measurement and verification requirements under government schemes. Monitoring underpins multiple decisions: establishing baselines before equipment changes, confirming that completed upgrades deliver their intended savings, and identifying anomalies in operational performance. Our monitoring guidance emphasises designing measurement systems to answer specific operational or investment questions, assigning data responsibilities before installation, and creating actionable reporting for ongoing management. The July Update likely discusses how to set up monitoring appropriately so that investment decisions can be defended and that energy improvements remain on track post-implementation, connecting monitoring planning to funding eligibility and operational success.

How does the NSW tag on the July Update relate to energy project funding and scheme eligibility?

The NSW tag reflects that the newsletter addresses New South Wales–specific energy schemes, primarily the Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) and potentially the Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS). These schemes create certificates from eligible energy-saving and demand-reduction activities, with specific rules, calculation methods and evidence requirements. NSW scheme eligibility depends on the exact activity, implementation date, baseline measurement approach and compliance with current rules—requirements that change over time. The July Update's NSW focus suggests discussion of which projects qualify, how to preserve evidence for baseline and measurement and verification purposes, how to structure projects to align with scheme requirements, and how to avoid eligibility mistakes that could forfeit certificate funding. We can advise on activity assessment, timing preservation and the measurement approaches required for different pathways within NSW schemes.

What does the related article about certificate funding for solar irrigation upgrades suggest about the newsletter's practical focus?

The related article title—"Solar irrigation upgrades: Don't let certificate funding go unclaimed"—indicates the July Update emphasises practical pathways to financial support and highlights common gaps between completed projects and claimed benefits. Solar irrigation represents a sector with both environmental benefits and potential certificate eligibility, yet funding can be missed if projects are not properly registered, evidence is not gathered before works commence, or scheme timing and nomination procedures are not followed correctly. This suggests the July Update addresses the practical bridge between identifying a good project and securing its financial contribution. Our environmental certificate services include project registration, evidence assessment and scheme-specific guidance. The article title implies the newsletter educates readers on avoiding this class of mistake—registering the project, documenting the baseline, understanding ownership of renewable attributes and handling nominations correctly before the opportunity is lost.

What manufacturing project mistakes does Northmore Gordon's related article suggest are common, and how does the July Update address them?

The related article "How to avoid costly energy project mistakes in manufacturing" suggests the newsletter highlights practical execution errors that can delay projects, forfeit funding, or fail to deliver forecast savings. Common manufacturing mistakes include selecting measures without understanding their dependencies, failing to distinguish replacement capex from efficiency investment, not planning measurement before equipment changes remove baseline evidence, or sequencing projects in an order that increases overall cost. Manufacturing guidance emphasises preparing a prioritised opportunity register with clear decision ownership, coordinating utility-system investigations, and building an implementation sequence that reflects production planning and maintenance windows. The July Update likely addresses how to avoid these mistakes by planning measurement, confirming funding eligibility early, and sequencing work appropriately. We support manufacturing clients through audit scopes matched to actual decisions, feasibility assessment before implementation, and measurement planning that preserves evidence needed for verification and certificates.

How does the July Update position Northmore Gordon's services in the context of Australia's evolving energy future?

The related article "What Does Australia's Energy Future Look Like…?" suggests the July Update contextualises energy projects within Australia's broader energy transition—including renewable energy uptake, grid decarbonisation, electrification opportunities and evolving regulatory requirements. This positioning acknowledges that individual business decisions about heating, electrification, solar investment and demand flexibility now connect to national energy policy and network constraints. The July Update likely addresses how organisations can align energy projects with this transition: securing renewable electricity attributes through schemes like REGOs and LGCs, assessing electrification feasibility before investing in gas alternatives, and managing energy costs amid changing tariffs and grid incentives. Our capability spans this landscape through renewable certificate services, process heat and electrification guidance, and carbon strategy work that connects short-term efficiency with medium-term decarbonisation pathways. The newsletter positions the company as a resource for understanding both immediate funding and longer-term energy strategy.

What type of organisation would benefit most from reading the July Update newsletter?

Organisations most likely to benefit include manufacturing businesses with multiple energy-using systems, facilities in New South Wales seeking funding through the Energy Savings Scheme or similar pathways, and companies with solar or renewable energy projects where certificate or attribute claims need careful handling. The Manufacturing and NSW tags indicate the newsletter targets organisations with operational energy costs and potential scheme eligibility. Manufacturing facilities with completed or planned upgrades would find practical guidance on avoiding funding mistakes, structuring measurement and verification, and sequencing investments cost-effectively. Organisations considering renewable energy (solar, battery or other technologies) would gain clarity on certificate ownership, scheme requirements and attribute retirement. Any business undertaking energy projects would benefit from the newsletter's emphasis on preserving evidence, understanding funding pathways separately from technical decisions, and aligning project scope with actual business decisions. We serve these sectors with audits, feasibility studies, measurement planning, and scheme-specific advice.

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