Central Goldfields Shire Council is continuing its work to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions by undertaking a number of energy saving measures.
A series of initiatives have, and will be delivered as part of the Sustainability Victoria Local Government Energy Saver Program, half funded by the Victorian Government, which is helping regional councils across Victoria take action climate change.
This first stage of the Program saw the completion of an energy audit which identified five high energy use Council facilities – Nolan Street administration building, Goldfields Family Centre, Maryborough Resource Centre, Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre and the Depot.
Reduction measures that have been implemented across these five sites include:
- LED lighting installed in all five Council facilities
- Energy efficient air conditioning installed at Council’s Nolan Street administration building and Maryborough Resource Centre
- 37.44 kw solar panel system installed onto the Nolan Street Gym to service Council’s Nolan Street Administration building in November 2019.
- 30 kw roof top solar panel system installed at the Maryborough Resource Centre which has been in operation for at least seven years.
Reduction measures that will be implemented in coming months include:
- 10 kw roof top solar panel system to be installed at the Goldfields Family Centre in early 2020 – funded as part of the Local Government Energy Saver Program.
Additionally, along with many other local councils, Central Goldfields Council, is part of a local government wide Power Purchase Agreement to purchase 100% renewable energy for Council’s electricity use (including street lights, buildings and community halls).
Central Goldfields Shire Chief Administrator Noel Harvey said the implementation of these measures will significantly reduce operation costs and emissions.
“It’s estimated that by the end of 2020 – when all of the above initiatives are in place – it will save 221 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from being released into the atmosphere each year,” he said.
“The energy saving measures have payback periods ranging from 1 to 2.5 years for the LED lighting upgrade, 4 to 8 years for the air conditioning upgrades and 4 to 6 years for the solar panel systems.”
