Locals To Benefit From Solar Program

Media Release

The Geelong+ Community Solar Program will support Golden Plains Shire residents and businesses to install solar and battery systems.

Launched on Friday 30 April, the largest community solar and battery bulk-buy program of its kind in Victoria is a region-wide program that will benefit locals in the G21 – Geelong Region Alliance area, which includes City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire, Colac Otway Shire, Borough of Queenscliffe and Golden Plains Shire.

The purpose of the program is to fast-track renewable energy uptake in the region, to help Victoria achieve its renewable energy target of 50% by 2030. Through leveraging the buying power of the region, the program will give homeowners and businesses access to clean, affordable energy from quality solar and battery systems.

RACV Solar and Mondo will deliver the Geelong+ Community Solar Program in partnership with not-for-profit group Sustainability Geelong. Last year, Sustainability Geelong received an $8,000 grant towards the community solar program from Golden Plains Shire Council as part of Council’s Community Strengthening Grants Program.

In May, Geelong+ Community Solar Program will hold two information sessions on the program for interested Golden Plains Shire residents. The sessions will be held at 2pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday 26 May at the Bannockburn Cultural Centre, 27 High Street, Bannockburn. For more information and to register to attend, visit geelongcommunitysolar.com.au/events.

Community groups across the region will also benefit from the program. For every system installed through the program, one solar panel will be donated to go towards installation on a local community facility, with up to five not-for-profit organisations to be selected by Geelong Sustainability to receive the donation in collaboration with local program partners.

Mayor Cr Helena Kirby attended the launch of the program at Colac last Friday, and reiterated Council’s support.

“The Geelong+ Community Solar Program will help households and businesses across the region, including here in Golden Plains, to afford and install solar and battery systems. Council is proud to support this community bulk-buy initiative, which received a Community Strengthening Grant from Council in 2020. The program will support more Golden Plains residents and businesses go renewable and help reduce Victoria’s carbon emissions.

“I encourage interested residents and businesses to take a look at this program, and come along to the local information sessions in May to find out how they can sign-up and benefit.

“Golden Plains Shire is already an ideal location for renewable energy production, with two operating windfarms and construction soon to begin on a third. The community solar program will further complement these investments and existing solar systems that have been installed in the Shire, including the 80kW system that powers the Golden Plains Civic Centre.”

More information on the Geelong+ Community Solar Program is available at geelongcommunitysolar.com.au.

Pictured above, from left to right: Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Helena Kirby, Mondo’s Dan Cowdell, City of Greater Geelong Mayor Cr Stephanie Asher, Borough of Queenscliffe Mayor Cr Ross Ebbells, RACV Solar CEO Andy McCarthy, G21 CEO Giulia Baggio, Colac Otway Shire Mayor Cr Kate Hanson, Geelong Sustainability’s Vicki Perrett and Surf Coast Shire Mayor Cr Libby Stapleton.

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