Power cost savings on the way for Ballarat Community Health

BALLARAT Community Health (BCH) will soon be powered primarily by the sun at five of its locations after rooftop solar panels are installed this month.

BCH announced last week that energy network provider AusNet would install the panels using local businesses, leading to substantial savings on power bills and improvements to operational efficiency.

AusNet’s Western Renewables Link transmission project is funding the installation, which will allow BCH to use 64 per cent renewable energy at the sites and save an estimated $180,000 in energy costs over the next 15 years.

The announcement follows a $100,000 in-kind energy feasibility and cost efficiency analysis at all seven BCH sites carried out since early last year.

BCH CEO Sean Duffy said his organisation understands the “significant impact” of climate change on the health outcomes of rural communities and recognises the importance of its role in reducing its carbon footprint.

“Our goal is creating healthy communities through the provision of accessible and affordable wellbeing services,” Mr Duffy said.

“Every saving made supports our focus on expenditure directed to services supporting our community.

“Environmental and financial sustainability is incredibly important, as each component supports positive community health outcomes.”

The Western Renewables Link is a proposed 190-kilometre overhead high-voltage electricity transmission line stretching from Bulgana near Stawell to Sydenham in Melbourne’s north-west.

The route has been the subject of considerable opposition from landowners, who do not want transmission towers on their land.

AusNet’s major projects general manager, Gerard Carew, said the BCH initiative was the first of many for communities across the link’s footprint.

“Ballarat Community Health welcomed the opportunity to upgrade their energy system,” Mr Carew said.

“It’s a big cost outlay for a community organisation to bear, and many organisations are unsure where to start with energy upgrades, so we were very pleased to share our expertise and lend a hand.

“We are also keeping the investment local by using Ballarat trades for the installation at the five sites.”