EIGHT Ballarat organisations are to share four hundred and fifty thousand dollars as part of a solar energy package from Sustainability Victoria, and the State\u2019s Building Works program.<\/p>\n
Child and Family Services, McCallum Disability Services, Ballarat Regional Industries, Ballarat Cemeteries Trust, Ballarat Table Tennis Association, Ballarat Squash and Racquetball Association, the Old Colonists\u2019 Association, and Uniting Care have all proposed solar projects, seen as beneficial and viable for funding by the Ballarat Renewable Energy and Zero Emissions Inc, through their Community Power Hub initiative.<\/p>\n
Cafs is set to install solar systems across their sites with a $30,000 injection. CEO Wendy Sturgess said the funding is an \u201cintelligent\u201d gift that \u201ckeeps on giving,\u201d for the not-for-profit, committed to sustainability while working to support vulnerable children and families.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to put solar panels on some of the roofs of residential houses and other places we provide services, with money we wouldn\u2019t normally be able to access.\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUtility bills are significant for us, as they are for many in the community, so the ability to reduce those bills is phenomenal. We\u2019ll save many thousands of dollars, it\u2019s great for the environment and jobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny money we save is put back into our organisation, whether it\u2019s pilot programs or infrastructure to make it stronger and more adaptable.\u201d<\/p>\n
McCallum is receiving $70,000 to install solar panels at eight disability housing sites, and BRI is getting $35,000 for solar panels which will offset costs at their workshop.<\/p>\n
The Cemeteries Trust will install a battery to power the crematorium during outages with $80,000. The Table Tennis Association is receiving $35,000, and the Squash and Racquetball Association is getting $25,000, both to install solar systems to reduce costs and improve facilities.<\/p>\n
The Old Colonists\u2019 Association\u2019s $75,000 will fund panels for 12 low-socioeconomic pensioners\u2019 houses, and Uniting Care low-income housing will benefit from $100,000 worth of solar systems across the region.<\/p>\n
BREAZE president, Mary Debrett said the program is a \u201cwin-win.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor climate, an investment in renewable energy is going to mean reduced emissions, and we only have one decade left in order to get the trajectory at the right slant, to meet the target of zero emissions by 2050,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the community, it means more jobs and more money into the community because of cost savings that will flow through to those people who are going to reap the benefits of that solar power.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a lovely thing for Ballarat and is going to be really welcomed, especially for social housing tenants who will really get the full benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Member for Wendouree, Juliana Addison said the diverse recipients are \u201cdelighted.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBREAZE have advocated so strongly for these different organisations to get these grants,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis money will have short term affects of creating jobs locally, for suppliers and the solar industry, and long term jobs, as organisations will not have the power bills of the past, and will be able to reinvest that money back into their services.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
EIGHT Ballarat organisations are to share four hundred and fifty thousand dollars as part of a solar energy package from Sustainability Victoria, and the State\u2019s Building Works program. Child and Family Services, McCallum Disability Services, Ballarat Regional Industries, Ballarat Cemeteries Trust, Ballarat Table Tennis Association, Ballarat Squash and Racquetball Association, the Old Colonists\u2019 Association, and […]<\/p>\n