Small council takes big action against climate change

THE Borough of Queenscliffe is set to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy after joining Australia’s largest local government emissions reduction project.

The signing of the deal makes the borough one of 46 local government bodies across the state to sign the Victorian Energy Collaboration.

From July 1, VECO will power 100 per cent of the borough’s total electricity use including streetlights, council owned-buildings, caravan parks and the town hall.

More than half of Victoria’s council bodies will make the switch which aims to tackle climate change while slashing electricity prices.

The program will further power up to 45 per cent of all Victorian council’s electricity not signed up to the project, reducing greenhouse emissions by 260,000 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Mayor Ross Ebbels said the project is an example of the many ways the borough is showing its commitment to climate action.

As Victoria’s smallest council, the borough is taking big action by pledging to shift to renewable energy by 2025, switching the town’s energy to renewable sources by 2027 and becoming a zero-carbon community by 2031.

Council’s latest actions towards building a more sustainable future have included installing energy-efficient lighting in council buildings, as well as streetlights, and introducing green waste service which has diverted more than 3,600 tonnes of rubbish from landfill since July 2015.

“The Borough of Queenscliffe has a proud history of being a climate action leader and signing up to power all our facilities with renewable energy is another demonstration of our commitment to sustainability,” Cr Ebbels said.

“We’re also proud that our commitment is supporting local renewable energy projects and jobs at two Victorian wind farms.”

Participating councils will purchase 240 GWh of electricity from the Dundonell wind farm near Mortlake which began exporting power to the grid in 2020 and Murra Warra II wind farm near Horsham which is expected to be completed in June 2022.

The two wind farms will deliver economic benefits to participating regions throughout construction and their on-going operation, forming an integral part of state and local economic development.

The City of Greater Geelong is the largest council to sign the collaboration project, which has also been entered into by the Surf Coast Shire.