Central Victoria Solar City
The Central Victoria Solar City was announced on 19 July 2007 and work is currently underway to prepare for the launch to the community in late 2009.
The Central Victoria Solar City consortium involves 14 central Victorian municipalities, including Bendigo and Ballarat.
The Central Victoria Solar City consortium is working with all levels of government, businesses and the local community to rethink the way they produce and use energy.
What is involved?
Information about energy use and energy related community behaviour will be collected from a range of trials which will integrate the following components:
- installing significant numbers of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on residential buildings to enable measurement of energy production and use
- building two iconic 'solar parks', each with a concentrated 300 kW solar PV system with the ability to track the sun, one each in Bendigo and Ballarat
- installing smart meters in homes to provide householders with timely information about their energy use
- offering energy efficiency packages to households and commercial customers to support their energy efficient choices
- offering energy efficiency audits and advice for business and community facilities
- installing solar hot water systems on residential homes with meters which will measure the effect of the systems on the householder's energy and water use
- trialling innovative demand-side management measures in a number of households, including cost reflective pricing, while further households undertake energy demand management measures
Benefits
The Central Victoria Solar City Consortium expects significant community, industry and environmental benefits over the life of the program including a reduction in thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year.
The Solar City trial in Central Victoria will provide valuable information and lessons to inform Australia's future energy and greenhouse policies.
Consortium members
The Central Victoria Solar City consortium is joining the Australian Government in delivering this trial. The consortium is led by Sustainable Regional Australia Pty Ltd (a community owned special purpose company) trading as ZCO2-e with members including the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Origin Energy, Powercor and Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance. The project is also supported by the Victorian Government.
To find out more on the Central Victoria Solar City, go to the Central Victoria website www.centralvictoriasolarcity.com.au.
