Healesville

An exciting time for renewable energy projects

Healesville CoRE attended the Climate Change Innovation Marketplace on September 21st. The day was a great success with many attendees very interested in the the long term ideas Healesville CoRE has for the town. Some of these ideas included solar thermal collectors to act as large batteries and pumped hydro at Maroondah Dam. The team were excited to receive such positive feedback, and we’re equally excited to see these grand ideas being at the forefront of current Australian research.

Recent research from the ANU 100% Renewable Energy group has shown there are a great number of viable pumped hydro locations in Australia. The report authors state:

Victoria has 100 times more sites than needed to decarbonise the state electricity grid. Interestingly, there is a high concentration of these in the Eastern part of the state – close to many of the brown coal-fired power stations.

A map of the potential locations is available (centred on Healesville). It is clear not all of these locations will be viable for a range of reasons but it is exciting to see the potential options within 3777.

Similarly, the Climate Council has recently released the results of an Energy Storage poll. Over 52% of poll responders believe “large-scale storage, including batteries and hydro schemes, in combination with renewable energy sources like solar and wind can provide power on demand, 24/7” and a quarter remain undecided. With the planned developments in South Australia and greater visibility of solar thermal and pumped hydro options, Healesville CoRE feel these numbers can only increase.

It certainly is an exciting time to be involved in community renewable energy.

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Did you ask a Question?

We answered it at the Q&A Healesville Community Gathering 2017 June 29th

and we will answer more!

  • What happens if your neighbour decides to put on an extension or renovation and your building might get shaded?
  • Does being off-grid make a town safer during a bushfire?
  • What about the mining of lithium that has just opened, and could produce up to a quarter of the world’s supply?
  • Which way should solar panels face, to get the best bang-for-your-buck?

Can you see yourself in the videos? (that’s the question we’re asking you)

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Floating

Did you know that solar panels can float on bodies of water now?

It’s new technology, and it’s showing benefits in efficiency due to:

  • water cooling the panels
  • reduction in unwanted algae
  • slower water evaporation
  • space savings
  • cost savings

Healesville CoRE and others are watching this development closely.

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This is Us

This report is a useful resource containing an overview of community feedback received during the Healesville CoRE Community Gathering on June 29,  2017.   Between 225 – 250 individuals attended the gathering at the Memo and 116 returned a completed feedback form.

All ongoing feedback is important.  Please keep in touch.

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Energy Stress in Healesville?

 

Perhaps technologies that save, store or produce energy would help your household.    What do you need?

  • Money?
  • Knowledge?
  • Time?
  • People?
  • Control?

Don’t we all!  A new report by the Australian Council of Social Service, the  Brotherhood of St Laurence and The Climate Institute talks about empowering families to access affordable clean energy.

Let HealesvilleCoRE know your biggest energy worries and together we can start to fix them.

…and of course, ask our government to help…because rolling back support for renewables isn’t so smart.

 

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Fact: The cheapest form of new power generation is renewable

Fact: The cheapest form of new power generation is renewable

Wind and solar are now the cheapest form of

new power generation in Australia.

Low wind prices are reflected in recent

contracts for wind.

Worldwide, the cost of large-scale wind and

solar plants continues to fall. Onshore wind costs

fell 18%, and solar PV costs fell 17% in the past

year. Globally, wind prices have reached

record lows.

Sources: * Climate Council 2017

BNEF (2017) BNEF Research – New coal the most expensive

form of new supply.

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Solar Savers For Pensioners

Solar Savers For Pensioners

Get in quickly, before the 15th August 2017.  Victorian Councils, including Yarra Ranges, support pensioners to install solar with no upfront costs.

The next round of assistance is after February 2018.

Contact Solar Savers  (03) 9385 8512 if you: 

own your home,

have a Government Pension Card (aged or disability),

are usually at home from 9am to 5pm,

have average to high electricity use (ask if you are unsure).

Watch the video of one success story – the Solar Savers “Nonna Effect”

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