EV chargers to drive council emissions down

THE Surf Coast Shire Council is taking action to meet its future zero emissions targets by installing four electric vehicle chargers at three council work sites.

The installation of the 22kW charging stations at its Torquay Civic headquarters and Torquay and Winchelsea work depots, supports council’s mission of targeting zero emissions for its light fleet vehicles by 2027-28 and for its whole fleet including trucks and excavators by 2030.

The $55,000 project has been made possible thanks to a $30,500 grant provided by the Victorian Government’s EV Charging for Council Fleets funding program.

“This installation project provides us with EV charging coverage at Council’s main work sites and provides scope for expansion of our EV fleet and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, in line with our Climate Emergency response,” councillor Kate Gazzard said.

“We acknowledge the Victorian Government’s valuable support.

“Council resolved in April last year to set June 2030 as a target for zero greenhouse gas emissions from all corporate operations, excluding Anglesea landfill, and this is another step towards that ambition.”

The council has one electric vehicle in their fleet and aim to add two more in the next 12 months.

As part of its move towards electric, council is also transitioning its light vehicles to hybrid.

The council currently provide free public electric vehicle chargers at Moriac Community Centre and Lorne Visitor Centre and is working on further installations within the region to promote sustainable transport.

The ‘Zero 2030’ target is in response to the Council’s Climate Emergency Response and is in line with International Panel on Climate Change statements around emission cuts being required within this decade if global temperatures are to remain well below two degrees Celsius.