Congratulations to 18 community groups in Mount Alexander Shire who will receive free solar power systems – some up to 20kW in size. The installation of solar photovoltaic panels to all the recipients, is supported through funding from the Australian Government ‘s Solar Town’s Program.
The community groups have been granted a total of $253,000 to pay for solar panels on the roofs of community buildings.
The successful applican
ts include: Castlemaine Tennis Club, Castlemaine Art Gallery, Buda Historic House and Garden, Castlemaine Bowling Club, Mount Alexander Golf Club, Windarring, Harcourt Uniting Church Pre School. Representatives of some of these organisations gathered at Harcourt recently to mark the occasion.
The Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG) and The Hub Foundation worked to support a number of local organisations in their applications, as the application process was quite involved.
“It is encouraging to see the federal government supporting not for profit organisations to go solar, and it’s great that so many local groups have taken up this opportunity. MASG and the Hub Foundation wanted to assist to ensure that as many local groups as possible benefitted from the program,” says Gerry Egan from MASG.
Community Group representatives like George Milford were instrumental in getting the grant applications across the line. George was involved in the successful applications which will see solar panels installed at the Harcourt Preschool, Buda Historic House and Garden and also the Castlemaine Art Gallery.
“It is pleasing to see the utilization of the roof space of public buildings for the generation of solar power. This will have lasting benefits to the environment. Our success has repaid the administrative effort in making the grant applications. This task was only achieved with helpful and constructive assistance from MASG and the Hub Foundation,” says George Milford.
“We are proud and excited to see Castlemaine Tennis Club successful in receiving this support to go solar. We are going to see mini solar power stations across many community buildings with economic and environmental benefits well into the future. Thanks to MASG and the Hub Foundation for their support with the application process,” says Sally Kaptein from Castlemaine Tennis Club.
“This will see a huge injection into the solar and renewable energy economy across the region, boosting the activity of local providers, as well as supporting groups to move towards a carbon neutral future,” says Neil Barrett from The Hub Foundation.
The grants were also available in Macedon Ranges Shire where there were 29 successful applications for $455,000. The Hub Foundation supported many of the community groups in that Shire with their applications as well.
Photo Credit: Recipients of the Solar Towns Grant: Solway Nutting (Harcourt Uniting Church), Lisa Mitchell, Jorga and Abraham (Harcourt Pre School), Rod Fletcher, (Castlemaine Bowling Club), Chris O’Connor (Windarring), Sally Kaptein(Castlemaine Tennis Club), Gerry Egan (on behalf of MASG and The Hub Foundation), Brian Cornish (Mount Alexander Golf Club), George Milford (Castlemaine Art Gallery, Buda Historic House and Garden.)