Goya Dmytryshchak
Hobsons Bay council is rolling out solar panels in the race to become the nation’s first council providing cheaper green electricity to the community.
The council is carrying out a large-scale roll out of its virtual energy network by installing solar panels on more than 40 of its buildings.
Hobsons Bay Civic Centre and Laverton’s Mesh Mash social enterprise are the latest council-owned buildings fitted with solar panels.
Surplus energy will be moved from one site to another.
The council has partnered with Enervest and Circle Energy on the project, which will generate nearly four megawatts of solar power or enough to power about 1000 average households.
Mayor Jonathon Marsden said the project could be replicated statewide.
“Our virtual power project provides substantial environmental, community and economic benefits, as well as creating local jobs,” he said.
“Importantly, it has the capacity to be expanded or replicated across the western region, Melbourne or Victoria, stimulating the same surge of benefits in communities across the state.
“We look forward to future opportunities to partner with the state government to expand the impact and benefits of this program.
“When the community gets out of lockdown, we are confident our community will enjoy using our facilities even more knowing they are fuelled by homegrown, renewable energy.”
The system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 4000 tons per year, which is up to 55 per cent of the council’s total carbon emissions and equal to taking about 600 homes off the grid.
