Pittwater Life June 2019 Issue

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Solar future is ours to see News Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan has charged Council staff to find ways to reduce barriers and dramatically raise domestic solar energy uptake to meet its draft Environment and Climate Change Strategy target of 30,000 more homes hooked up to renewable energy options by 2038. Mayor Regan said that although solar panel installations had increased 200% over the past six years, 80% of suitable residences still didn’t have solar. He noted there were around 100,000 homes located on the Northern Beaches, of which 8,222 had solar panels. There was also a further 59,100 freestanding or semidetached housing which were more suitable for the installation of solar panels. “The community is crying out for ways to significantly reduce energy bills and to reduce their carbon footprint. Blackouts continue and yet there is technology such as batteries that can prevent this happening,” the Mayor said. “The Northern Beaches has annual carbon emissions of approximately 2 million tonnes of CO2-e, and of that, 48% is from residential electricity compared to approximately 20,000 tonnes from council operations. Clearly, the community is where we must target reducing emissions to have maximum impact on our carbon emission reduction across the Northern Beaches. In doing so, we could help a lot of people to slash their electricity bills.” He said Council’s Sunspot online tool (with more than 150 hits per week) and ‘Our Energy Future’ strategy had been well utilised so far, and a variety of renewable energy council information nights for residents have been very well attended. However, the community’s enthusiasm for renewable energy did not always translate into action, prompting Council to seek to investigate and identify the barriers that exist to prevent current community uptake of solar systems. “This financial year we’ve hosted four fully booked-out solar info sessions,” Mayor Regan said. “To date this has converted to 417 requests for quotes – yet we have only seen seven actual installations, equivalent to 58kW of solar. “What a great impact we could make into the 2million tonnes of Co2 produced each year on the Northern Beaches if more people got on board. Not to mention help to reduce those increasing power bills. “The NSW Government says the average Sydney household can save up to $900 a year just by installing a 4-kilowatt solar system. Plus it can be paid off in less than five years through lower energy bills. So what’s stopping people? “To meet the targets that will be proposed in the draft Environment and Climate Change Strategy we would require a further 30,000 homes to uptake renewable energy options by 2038. “It is critical that we identify the barriers to our community solar uptake and be able to formulate a strategy to increase the uptake and aim to even surpass 30,000 homes. “As a Council we need to know what the barriers to people investing in solar are, so we can see what we can do to create innovative solutions to overcome the barriers.” The Mayor said some in the community were keen to see Council help facilitate connections between local suppliers and interested community members, while others have suggested we help with an online directory. “But we are in the early stages of starting these conversations with the communi- 6 JUNE 2019 The Local Voice Since 1991
NOT THROUGH THE ROOF: Council wants to see an increase in the modest conversion to solar energy on the beaches. ty – so far we’ve had lots of interesting feedback about why people do and don’t make that up-front investment. “It’s fantastic to be getting such a great response from people sharing their views and experiences. “And of course, at Council we are doing our bit too – by the end of June, Council will have installed 390kw of solar panels on 35 of Council’s buildings.” Although the official survey period closed in May, the Mayor said he was happy for people to email him directly with their ideas or reasons why they do/don’t have solar; email him at mayor@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au Council is currently preparing a report outlining the barriers, the approach and a proposed target for residential solar panel installations; it’s anticipated the report will be tabled by August. – Nigel Wall News The Local Voice Since 1991 JUNE 2019 7
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