Volunteer community groups will soon be saving thousands of dollars on energy costs by installing solar PV systems at no cost, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced the latest beneficiaries of the $9.2 million Solar on Public Buildings program which helps put solar systems on public land community buildings run by volunteer committees of management, an official press release said.
The program is making sites such as community halls and sports and recreation facilities more sustainable by reducing carbon emissions and operating costs so they can continue to be used by local communities for years to come.
The program is being rolled out across the state over the next two years, providing an economic boost to local energy auditors and installers.
Nearly 200 energy audits—the first step in the design of a solar system—have been carried out on selected sites around the state.
An energy monitoring system will be integrated into the design to manage solar system performance in real time and battery installations will be considered for some sites.
The program was first trialled in Gippsland from 2017 to 2019 and led to solar systems being installed on 69 public buildings on public land, reducing power bills by an average of 81 per cent.
Other regions which will benefit from the program soon include the Grampians, Hume, Loddon Mallee, Port Phillip and Barwon South West.
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