Community Bonus Archives - MASH: Community Solar

MASH Community Bonus for Tarnagulla Urban Fire Brigade – April 2022

The Tarnagulla community is very excited about the recent installation of solar power system and battery storage at its local fire station thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal fund, a $5,000 MASH Community Bonus, and local community fund-raising. Captain George Filev notes that Tarnagulla is in a high risk fire zone, the threat of which will only increase with the onset of climate change. The Tarnagulla community is keen to rise to the challenge and put measures in place to increase its capacity to adapt and provide resilience during emergency events should the electricity grid go down.

“For [these] reasons it was decided to install a solar and battery backup system to support the Tarnagulla Brigade to function during major power disruptions. This will offer the town residents a source of renewable power to charge communication devices and … provide a place of connection during extended heat waves and emergency events.” (Quote from Captain George Filev, Fire Wise, June 2022, p.4 https://fire-wise.com.au)

1st Lieutenant Kelly Whitton, Captain George Filev, and Han Read in front of the battery storage installed with support from CVGA’s MASH program.

Chewton Primary School powered by a MASH-funded solar system

A free 6.6kW solar power system has been installed on Chewton Primary School funded by the MASH Community Solar Bulk-Buy which will reduce the school’s reliance on grid electricity by around 36 per cent. Electricity bill savings of around $1,000 a year from the system will go towards building an indigenous food garden to teach students about local flora.

Chewton Primary School students and their Principal Bernadette McKenna celebrating the installation of their new solar system together with Gemma Watson and Jo Kaptein from MASH.

Sustainability “key to everything we do”

“As a 5-Star Resource Smart School, sustainability is a core part of our work and key to everything we do”, said Chewton Primary School Principal, Bernadette McKenna. “We’re delighted to have this new solar system for the financial savings it will provide as well as the carbon emissions savings which I understand are equivalent to planting around 50 trees a year.”

“In addition to the indigenous food garden, we also want to use the savings to install a watering system with drip lines to reduce the amount of water used in the garden”, said Ms McKenna. “Upgrading the school’s insulation and lighting to reduce our energy usage and carbon footprint are two other items on our list.”

Grade 6 students had this to say about the new solar system:

It means our school and the community around here is more sustainable. – Xanthe

It’s great having solar panels because it saves us a lot of money. – Olivia

It means we don’t have to buy as much power because we can use what we produce. – Kirra, School Captain

It will help us produce less greenhouse gases. – Raffaella

Old system to be recycled

The new solar system replaces an older 4kW system that was no longer producing power at the time. “We’re excited that we can recycle the old system”, said Ms McKenna. “We’re in the process of finding new homes for the panels and inverter so they’ll continue to be useful elsewhere.”

Happy with installation

The installation took place a couple of weeks ago and is now awaiting a response from Powercor to address a high voltage issue before it can be switched on. “We’ve been very happy with the installation process – both the initial contact with the MASH team and dealing with their supplier, Cola Solar. The quality of the system is great. We’re feel very fortunate to have been selected for the MASH community bonus as the benefits for our school, the students and the local community are significant.” said Ms McKenna.

“This is the thirteenth solar system gifted to schools and community groups in the last three years through our bulk-buys,” said Jo Kaptein, Program Lead for the MASH Solar Bulk-Buy. “It’s always a cause for celebration when we’ve raised enough money to fund another free system for a school or community group. I’d like to thank everyone who has purchased a MASH system over the years as they’ve helped to make these solar gifts possible”.

To find out more about MASH call 1300 466 274 or visit mash.org.au.

System details

6.6kW solar PV system
Inverter: Fronius
Solar panels: Seraphim 370 watt
Annual kWh consumption before solar – approx. 11,167.9kWh
Estimated consumption after solar – approx. 7,154.84kWh

Swan Hill SES, going solar

L-R: Anthony Igmen of Specialized Solar, Mayor Bill Moar of Swan Hill Rural City Council, Matt Iannucci of Swan Hill Solar and Electrical, Jo Kaptein of Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy

Swan Hill residents can feel even safer in the knowledge that their local SES Unit has complete protection from power outages thanks to the recent installation of a community-funded solar and battery system.

Funding for the 6.6kW solar panels system was provided by the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy in partnership with Swan Hill Rural City Council and the Tesla Powerwall 2 battery was funded from money raised through the annual Duck Race organised by the Swan Hill SES.

Deputy Controller, Swan Hill Unit Victorian State Emergency Service, Rob Merrett said the system would be a big advantage.

“Prior to having this system installed, if there was a power outage our computers and radios would go down and there would be a gap of 15 to 30 minutes before they were powered up again.

“We have a backup generator but it’s a manual process to get the power going so there is a delay.

“Whilst we don’t have many power outages, when they do happen it’s generally during a storm event and that’s exactly when we need to be fully prepared and powered up,” Mr Merrett added.

Mr Merrett said with the solar and the Powerwall battery the unit now has complete protection from power outage.

“If power from the grid goes down, our battery will kick in automatically, keeping all our essential systems working – we’re completely prepared to respond to an emergency at any time now.”

“We’re very appreciative of the funding from the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy and Council for the solar panels.

“I’d also like to thank everyone who’s supported our Annual Duck Race which is our only fundraising event and raises around $10,000 for the Swan Hill SES each year.

“The battery is locally funded from the support of the sale of 2,000 tickets worth $5 for each rubber duck – and not just from one event, but from two as the Powerwall cost us just over $16,000,” Mr Merrett said.

Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Mayor Bill Moar said the Swan Hill SES provides an essential emergency service to the people of the Swan Hill region.

“Council is very pleased to have supported Swan Hill SES and their new system – it is vital for the safety of our community.

“Helping them to achieve a guaranteed supply of uninterrupted power was a priority,” Cr Moar said.

For information about how the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy can help your home, business, farm or community group to ‘go solar’, visit mash.org.au/swan-hill or call 1300 466 274.

Please find additional information regarding Swan Hill SES units system, on the next page

About the solar and battery system

System details:

Solar PV System: 6.6kW
Battery: Tesla Powerwall 2

Installed through the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy program (mash.org.au/swan-hill).

Solar retailer: Specialized Solar.
Solar installer: Swan Hill Solar and Electrical.

About the Swan Hill Unit, Victorian State Emergency Service.

The Swan Hill Unit was first registered and established in 1967. The Unit provides at 24/7 rescue service for Swan Hill region. It is also the Divisional Command Point for a much larger region whereby a large–scale event in this area will be managed from our Unit under the command of an Incident Control Centre.

VICSES has a wide range of roles including planning for and responding to floods, severe storms, earthquakes, tsunami, road rescue as well as search and rescue. VICSES also provides a support role to other emergency service agencies including Victoria Police.

Swan Hill Theatre’s Solar Bonus

Swan Hill Theatre Group’s electricity bill is going to be halved thanks to the installation of a free 6.6kW solar power system funded through the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy community bonus program.

L to R) Anthony Igmen from Specialised Solar, Nicholas Mudge from SHRCC, Jo Kaptein from Central Greenhouse Alliance, Trudy Rose Vice Chairperson – Swan Hill Theatre Group,. David Quayle Swan Hill Theatre Group – Life Member and Board Member, Mayor Bill Moar and Matt Iannucci, owner of Swan Hill Solar and Electrical

Electricity bill savings resulting from the solar installation will be used by the Swan Hill Theatre Group to help fund the replacement of their stage lighting, with more efficient LED lights in order to reduce their running costs and CO2 emissions.

Second free community system through the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy

This is the second free solar system funded through the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy, a partnership program with Swan Hill Rural City Council which is organised by the not-for-profit Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance which organises the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy as well as the MASH and Hepburn bulk-buys.

Trudy Rose Vice Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Swan Hill Theatre Group Incorporation said they were delighted to be selected as the recipient of the community bonus through the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy.

Solar will make a “big difference”

“This solar system is going to make a big difference to our ongoing running costs, both in terms of the electricity bill savings and the additional savings we will make once the LED lighting is installed.

“Our thanks to everyone involved in the bulk-buy for making this possible – local installers did a terrific job too,” Ms Rose said. Ms Rose said the project included a few additional complexities including the need for approval for solar installation on a heritage listed and also challenges due to the steepness of the roof.

Swan Hill Rural City Council’s Mayor Bill Moar said Council was pleased that another solar system had been installed for a local community group through the program. “The Swan Hill Theatre Group is very popular within our community – we are glad to have been able to support this community bonus grant which will help to ensure the ongoing viability of the Swan Hill Theatre Group,” Cr Moar said.

Local solar installer

Matt Iannucci, owner of Swan Hill Solar and Electrical who works as a sub-contractor to the bulk-buy solar retailer, Specialized Solar, said he enjoyed working on the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk Buy.

“We have installed literally hundreds of kilowatts of solar on homes and farms in the Swan Hill region through the bulk-buy in the last year and this has been a great kickstart for our business. “We see the Mallee Sun program as a win for the environment, a win for residents going solar, and a win for the community,” he said.

Find out more

For information about how the Mallee Sun Solar Bulk-Buy can help your home, business, farm or community group to ‘go solar’, visit mash.org.au/swan-hill or call 1300 466 274.

Woodend Neighbourhood House Solar Win

A massive 31 panel solar power system has been installed this week on the Woodend Neighbourhood House thanks to funding from the MASH community solar bulk-buy and Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group (MRSG).

Celebrating the new solar system. L-R: Melissa Baker, Manager, Woodend Neighbourhood House, Jo Kaptein, MASH, Dr David Gormley-O’Brien, President, MRSG, Jenny Kerr, President, Woodend Neighbourhood House

This 10.23kW state-of-the-art system will save around $6,000 off the combined electricity bills of Woodend Neighbourhood House and next-door neighbour Cobaw Community Health as they share the same electricity meter. Producing an average 41 kilowatt hours a day, the system will slash the combined bills of these organisations by around 53%.

“This much-needed solar system will help off-set our running costs with bill savings going into our community development initiatives and helping us deliver on our strategic plan. We are very grateful to MASH and MRSG for making this possible,” said Melissa Baker, Manager of the Woodend Neighbourhood House.

“We also want to inspire other local community groups to become more sustainable,” said Melissa. “We’re part of the Woodend Cool Changes Climate Action Project which aims to transform the region to zero-net carbon emissions. Having solar helps us demonstrate our commitment to renewable energy and show what’s possible.”

In a joint community funding response, MASH donated $5,600 and the Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group contributed an interest-free loan of $6,400 to Woodend Neighbourhood House. The payback on the system is just under 2 years.

“This is the fifteenth solar system that MASH and our other bulk-buy programs have funded in recent years,” said Jo Kaptein, Program Lead for solar bulk-buys at the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance which runs MASH. “The savings from this system will directly benefit the community of Woodend, with at least 200 people accessing programs each week through the Neighbourhood House and more benefiting from the services provided by Cobaw Community Health. We’re delighted to be able to give back in this way.”

“In conjunction with MASH’s Community Bonus, MRSG is very pleased to offer the Woodend Neighbourhood House an interest-free loan from our Renewable Energy Fund, thereby enabling the installation of a much larger solar power system that will provide for the House’s energy needs in the present and distant future,” said Dr David Gormley-O’Brien, President of MRSG.

The solar system utilises a 3-phase Fronius inverter with Tigo Optimisers on the panels to minimise the effect of shading. It was installed by Cola Solar, the solar provider for MASH in the Macedon Ranges Shire.

For more information about MASH, visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVZxFOuTDlU

Bushfire Safety Boost for Malmsbury

The 900-strong rural community of Malmsbury can feel safer from the impact of bushfires and other emergencies thanks to a new solar and battery system that provides full protection from power outages. Installed on the Malmsbury CFA Fire Station through the MASH solar bulk-buy, the 10.54kW solar power and Tesla Powerwall 2 battery system ensures that if the grid goes down in the event of a bushfire or storm, the Malmsbury Fire Brigade will have the power they need to respond.

L-R: David Perry, Sustainable Malmsbury, Kathryn Allen, Sustainable Malmsbury, David Gormley-O’Brien, President, Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group, Linda Krive, Malmsbury CFA, Tony Stephens, Malmsbury Fire Brigade Captain, Rob Law, Executive Officer, Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance. Photo: Carmen Bunting Photography

Facilitated by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, the system is funded by a grant from Bank Australia and contributions from the Malmsbury Fire Brigade and through CVGA’s MASH Community Solar Bulk Buy program. This system demonstrates how solar and battery storage can help protect communities from the threat of bushfires.

This story was reported by WinNews on 22 July 2020. It was also covered by Nine News Central Victoria.

Maintaining critical functions during a bushfire

“During emergency events it is common for the electricity grid to go down, making it harder for organisations like the CFA to respond,” said Rob Law, Executive Officer at the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance. “This solar and battery system is designed to operate if the grid goes down which will enable Malmsbury Fire Brigade to maintain critical functions during an emergency. This is what we call local energy resilience, and something we think is a big opportunity for our region. Not only does it provide greater protection from the threat of bushfires and storms but it saves on power bills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. ”

Beside the Tesla Powerwall 2 battery at the Malmsbury CFA. Photo: Carmen Bunting Photography

A great example of community working together

“This is a great result for the Malmsbury community. It ensures we can operate and respond from the fire station during a power outage and it can also be a hub for the community at the same time” said Tony Stephens, Malmsbury Fire Brigade Captain.

“We see the results of climate change through more intense and frequent storms and fires, and being able to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce emissions is important for our members and our community . This is a great example of the community, local interest groups and industry working together to reduce the impacts of fires and other emergencies, aid recovery and do our bit to reduce the impacts of climate change. It is a win for everyone,” said Tony.

“When we heard about the generous offer from CVGA and Bank Australia, Sustainable Malmsbury representatives nominated the local CFA as a worthy recipient. The Malmsbury CFA do a great deal for our community and we were already aware that they were looking at options for remaining fully operational and being a community hub during power outages, particularly during the bushfire season,” said Kathryn Allen, Sustainable Malmsbury Action Group leader, Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group.

Supported by Bank Australia

“Renewable energy is a top priority for our customers and us as a bank, so it’s important for us to help grow the capacity of the community renewable energy sector by funding solar and battery installation projects with the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and the Malmsbury CFA that are supporting the transition to a clean energy future,” said Jarrod Troutbeck, Senior Sustainability Consultant at Bank Australia.

Power autonomy

“If there is a power outage, the Tesla Powerwall 2 battery enables the solar PV to operate independently of the grid in what is called ‘islanding mode’. The system provides at least one full day of power autonomy in the event of a blackout, and depending on weather conditions, the system can continue to operate indefinitely in islanding mode whilst the grid is down”, said Anthony Igmen, General Manager of Specialized Solar, the company who designed and installed this system.

To learn more about MASH, visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.

ENDS

About the solar and battery system

Malmsbury CFA has a single-phase power supply and uses, on average, 32 kilowatt hours of electricity each day. The system installed will generate an average 35 kilowatt hours of electricity every day. It comprises of:
- Solar PV: 10.56kw (32 x 330 watt Seraphim solar panels and 1 x Sungrow 8kw inverter)
- Batteries: 1 x Tesla Powerwall 2 with back up Gateway (usable storage 13.5kwh)
- Tesla Monitoring: back to base monitoring of system’s generation, export, self-consumption and battery levels.

Functionality

If there is a power outage the Tesla Powerwall 2 battery enables the solar power system to operate independently of the grid.
This means that any power that is required during the day will be covered by the solar. Any excess solar power that is generated will be stored in the Tesla Powerwall 2 battery.
The Tesla Powerwall 2 provides back-up power for the whole site.
When the grid fails, the site will have power to all circuits.
This solar and battery system can provide autonomy power for the whole site for 1 day. If power usage is limited to only lights, computer power and internet it could last for 3 days. This usage also includes the power required to open and close the roller doors.
If weather conditions allow, the system will continue to operate indefinitely in ‘off grid’ mode.

About MASH

MASH is a project of the not-for-profit Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance (cvga.org.au) based in Castlemaine. CVGA works with 13 councils in central and north western Victoria to run projects that help move the region towards a clean energy future. Over 1,500 households in the region have installed rooftop solar through MASH. For more information about MASH (the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes), visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.