City signs up to green energy collaboration

THE City of Greater Geelong council expects to save as much as 22 per cent on the organisation’s energy bills through the new green initiative it has just joined with 45 other Victorian councils.

The Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO) is the largest ever emissions reduction project by local government in Australia and will provide 45 per cent of the participating councils’ electricity requirements with 100 per cent renewables, reducing greenhouse emissions by 260,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

Initiated by and facilitated with the Victorian Greenhouse Alliances, VECO recognises the benefits of renewable energy for the environment and the economy.

The 240GWh of clean power to be provided by Red Energy is equivalent to powering 48,000 homes with renewables or removing the emissions from 90,000 cars every year.

Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said by joining VECO, the city would use renewables for 100 per cent of its total energy use.

“As the biggest partner in this collective agreement, we are leading the way on taking meaningful action on climate change,” Cr Asher said.

“This project is a prime example of our commitment to take local action to reduce the region’s carbon emissions, as outlined in our Sustainability Framework Action Plan.

“This long-term deal will power our street lights, libraries, leisure centres and council facilities, while reducing emissions and keeping costs low.”

The initiative will play a major role in helping to meet the target of having city-managed operations carbon neutral by 2025 (part of its Environment Strategy 2020-2030).

The Darebin City council is leading VECO, and Darebin mayor Lina Messina said the project was proof of what could be achieved with collaboration.

“This is a collective effort formed by staff and councillors from across the state, for the benefit of our communities.

“By powering councils with affordable renewable energy, we’re making ratepayers’ dollars go further.

“Every dollar we save on energy bills is a dollar we can put towards improving roads, footpaths, libraries or community programs.”

Red Energy will provide 240 GWh of electricity per year to the 46 councils in the VECO purchasing group over a period of nine-and-a-half years.

Owned by Snowy Hydro, Red Energy is a 100 per cent Australian owned and operated energy retailer based in Melbourne.

The renewable energy will be provided by two wind farms in Victoria – Dundonnell wind farm near Mortlake, which started exporting power to the grid in March 2020, and Murra Warra II wind farm near Horsham, which started construction in September 2020 and will be fully operational by June 2022.