RACV will make the switch to 100% renewable energy at all its Victorian clubs, resorts and office buildings after signing a five-year deal with Snowy Hydro’s energy retailer Red Energy.
The agreement will combine power generated from solar panels installed on several of RACV’s properties with renewable energy supplied by Red Energy.
Under the deal, which comes into effect from 1 January 2020, RACV will purchase 21 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity per year; the equivalent to the electricity usage of 3,500 average homes.
RACV Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Neil Taylor said the agreement with Red Energy complements the organisation’s existing renewable energy initiatives.
“RACV is partly through a multiyear, multi-million-dollar series of investments in energy efficiency initiatives including the installation of solar panels, switching to LED lighting and upgrading inefficient air-conditioning units at our resorts across Australia and corporate sites in Victoria,” Mr Taylor said.
“These initiatives are expected to cut RACV’s annual power usage by 8,000 megawatt hours and cut carbon emissions by 9,000 tonnes a year. We’re delighted that the remainder of the electricity we use in Victoria will come from hydro, solar and wind power supplied by Red Energy.”
Managing Director of Snowy Hydro, Paul Broad said it was exciting to see Red Energy partner with RACV.
“On-demand hydro from the mighty Snowy Scheme will underpin our contracted wind and solar generation, meaning Red Energy can supply RACV with reliable renewable energy. It’s really satisfying to play our part in RACV’s commitment to reducing their carbon footprint.”
Earlier this year, RACV installed more than 1640 solar panels on its Torquay resort and almost 2,000 solar panels on the roof of the Noble Park office. Plans are underway to install solar panels on RACV resorts in Cobram, Healesville, Hobart, Cape Schanck, Royal Pines and Noosa over the next two years.
Sustainability in the homes of its 2.2 million members has been an increasing focus area for RACV. Since launching its own solar and battery business in 2017, RACV Solar has installed more than 4,500 solar panels on residential properties across the state.
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