MARK DREYFUS MP

The Castlemaine School of Mines, one of the town's oldest heritage buildings, will be transformed into a leading light once more with a $2.6 million re-fit to create a highly energy efficient local government and community hub.

China, Chile, Costa Rica and Mexico have outlined their plans to consider domestic carbon pricing at World Bank meetings hosted and co-chaired by Australia in Sydney this week.

Transforce Bulk Haulage has become the first carbon neutral trucking company in Australia to be endorsed under the National Carbon Offset Standard.

Mount Isa student Jerome Pang, 16, joined Mark Dreyfus, Cabinet Secretary and Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, this week for work experience in the federal parliament as part of the 2012 Learn Earn Legend! - Work Exposure with Government program.

New grants under the National Solar Schools Program have been announced today with nearly 60% of primary and secondary schools across Australia now having received more than $217 million to install renewable energy and boost energy efficiency on campus.

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, today visited Townsville's Reef HQ Turtle Hospital and inspected the aquarium's impressive energy efficiency innovations.

The Federal Government is helping Canada Bay Council in NSW save tens of thousands of dollars on energy bills with a $1.4 million energy efficiency grant to upgrade local facilities, under the national Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP).

Technology company, Silanna Semiconductor, which makes microelectronic circuits for space and defence satellites, deep-space probes and mobile phone infrastructure, has been awarded a Federal Government grant worth nearly a quarter of a million dollars to reduce its energy use and cut carbon emissions intensity by more than 21 per cent.

The Clean Energy Regulator has today made a determination on the number of local councils with landfill sites that could be emitting large amounts of methane and other gasses.

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, and Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, today announced over $42 million in grants to improve energy efficiency across community buildings and facilities.