THE decision to go green for climate change is not only one of bettering the health of the planet, but can also add few extra dollars to your pocket, Covenor of Goulburn Connects Peter Fraser says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
How so? By building a community power station and selling energy directly to the consumer.
“That’s what Community Energy is all about,” Director of the Community Power Agency Nicky Ison said.
Ms Ison will speak at the first in a series of Goulburn Connects community forums tomorrow evening.
“The idea of Community Energy is to enable communities to build their own energy stations and then benefit from the sale of the energy,” Ms Ison said.
“It’s become quite a popular strategy in the US and Europe and it’s starting to catch on in Australia.”
Ms Ison founded the Community Power Agency in 2011 and headed up the two day Community Energy Congress held in Canberra earlier this year, attracting more than 300 delegates from around the country interested in community energy.
A number of regional communities have already taken up the idea.
S h o a l h a v e n Heads Bowling Club recently opened their solar PV power station, financed by investors from the local community and other interested people from outside the area.
To the west, Cowra is also in the process of designing a biomass generator using organic material sourced from local farmers and green waste from the Council collection.
The plan is to run a portion of the town on a micro-grid, bypassing the national grid connection, and using the by-products to make fertilisers.
“Both projects are financed and supported from the local community,” Ms Ison explained.
“In the case of Cowra, the Council provided the seed funding with the NSW Government and local volunteers did much of the initial feasibility work.”
United community action was the key to the success of both projects.
The community group behind the Cowra project, Cowra Low Emissions Action Network (CLEAN) have promoted the whole idea in the local community.
“It’s a community energy project that relies on creating a new industry around what’s already there,” Dylan Gower, one of the original members of CLEAN, said.
Peter Fraser, the convenor of Goulburn Connects says that these kinds of community projects are a “no-brainer” for Goulburn.
“We already have a strong sustainable industry in Goulburn based around our famous wind resource, and projects such as these can help our region become more sustainable, provide investor income for the community, and help create a sustainable cluster in our region,” Mr Fraser said.
“At this Thursday’s forum we will get the opportunity of hearing from two experts in the energy sector discuss how we can learn to cut our carbon footprint, both save and make money, and help Goulburn re-configure itself as a hub for sustainability in the state.”
Accompanying Nicky Ison will be multi-award winning building and sustainability designer Chris Reardon.
Mr Reardon, who resides in the Southern Highlands, has years of experience behind him in understanding and studying sustainable energy practices.
He will speak of practical ways in which Goulburn households and reduce energy demand, reduce exposure to increasing energy costs and how to contribute to a sustainable future.
The forum will take place at the Goulburn Regional Conservatorium from 7:30pm to 9:30pm, at a cost of $10 per person.
For more information about the energy forum and how to book visit www.goulburngroup.com.au.