Council has been awarded the Cities Power Partnership Renewable Energy Achievement Award for its work in transitioning the Northern Beaches to renewable energy.

Action was driven through Council’s Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), a four-year plan that guides delivery of our corporate and community renewable and emission reduction targets and details our switch to renewable energy. 

Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said this was a fantastic achievement and demonstrates our commitment to accelerate action on climate change and move towards a net zero carbon future.

“Northern Beaches Council is proud to be part of the growing wave of future-minded communities and councils Australia-wide who share our passion for championing sustainability and climate change action,” Mayor Regan said.

“We developed our Climate Change Action Plan in consultation with Council’s Environment Strategic Reference Group and other key internal and external stakeholders.

“Expert technical studies helped identify priority actions for delivery that increased renewables whilst reducing emissions and costs and we’re making excellent progress.”

In the last 18 months, Council has established innovative partnerships and implemented key renewable energy actions including:

  • Council’s renewable electricity Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
  • an additional ~500kW of solar on Council buildings boosting our total solar installations to over 900 kW
  • Council’s Simplifying Solar Program which provides information and advice to our community to support the uptake of solar 
  • the first community battery trial on Australia’s East Coast in partnership with Ausgrid
  • Sydney’s first free, GreenPowered, fast electric vehicle charging station, in partnership with Ausgrid and JOLT.

Council’s Power Purchase Agreement and solar installations have achieved corporate emission reductions of ~80% and has seen Council meet two corporate targets well ahead of schedule:

  • for all suitable premises to be powered by renewable electricity by 2030; and
  • to reduce corporate emissions by 60% by 2040.

“Delivery of these renewable energy initiatives is also expected to result in significant savings for Council and provide considerable community benefit.” Mayor Regan said.

“The onsite solar and corporate PPA together are expected to achieve savings of over $2.4M over the next 7 years with savings able to be invested in other community projects.

“We are committed as an organisation, as a community and as leaders to protect and take care of our environment for future generations and we will continue in our pursuit towards net zero.”

Council joined the Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership program (CPP) in 2018 – a free national program that exists to celebrate and accelerate the emission reduction and clean energy successes of Australian towns and cities.

The CPP is a coalition of mayors, councillors and communities who are committed to a sustainable, non-polluting energy future.

Council was also a finalist in the Energy Efficiency Achievement Awards for the delivery of over 19 broad ranging projects to reduce energy use across Council’s highest using sites 

The winners were announced at the virtual awards ceremony hosted by the ABC’s Craig Reucassel at 4:00pm AEDT on Wednesday 17 November.

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