Community Bonus Archives - Page 2 of 3

Bushfire Resilience Boost for Hepburn

The Hepburn Recreation Reserve – which is both a community sports facility and dedicated place of last resort in the event of a bushfire – now has full protection from power outages thanks to a new 76 panel solar-plus-battery storage system.

$32,000 system fully grant funded

The 25.08kW solar system, with Tesla Powerwall 2 battery, was fully funded by Hepburn Shire Council, Hepburn Wind, the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy through the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and a grant from Bank Australia. The total system cost was $31,818 excluding GST. The contribution from funding partners was Hepburn Shire Council $12,000; Hepburn Wind $4,500; Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance $15,318 with $12,500 of that amount from a Bank Australia grant and $2,818 from the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy.

Increases capacity to respond to threat of bushfires

“This system increases the resilience of the Hepburn community and capacity to plan for and respond to the threat of bushfires”, said Cr Licia Kokocinski, Mayor of the Hepburn Shire Council. “In recent bushfire seasons, Hepburn and the wider state have been hit hard by the fires.”

Complete protection from power outages provided by the newly installed, fully grant funded Tesla Powerwall 2 battery at the Hepburn Recreation Reserve.

“During emergency events it is common for the electricity grid to go down, making it harder for designated Neighbourhood Safer Places, like the Hepburn Recreation Reserve, to maintain basic support services,” 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 the Hepburn Recreation Reserve’s to maintain critical functions during an emergency. The solar-battery system at the Hepburn Recreation Reserve will provide at least one day of power autonomy; more if weather conditions allow as the Tesla Powerwall and solar power system can continue to work independently for any duration if the grid goes down.”

“A great result for the Hepburn community”

“This is another great result for the Hepburn community,” said Jason Dooley, President, Hepburn Football and Netball Club. “Not only will the new system provide power in a blackout but will also reduce power costs to our community organisation and reduce the green footprint of the facility. Our many thanks go to all of the involved parties and funding partners,” said Jason.

“After the Hepburn fires it is important that this community asset is comfortable and a refuge during fire events, as well as ensuring the sporting teams and other community groups that use the site have a constant supply of clean energy,” said Taryn Lane, Manager, Hepburn Wind.

“We’re really proud to help fund this project through our Impact Fund, demonstrating what’s possible for the future of our communities,” said Jarrod Troutbeck, Senior Sustainability Consultant at Bank Australia.

The solar and battery system was designed and installed by Specialized Solar, a Clean Energy Accredited Solar Retailer and supplier to the bulk-buy programs organised by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance.

Ends –

About power usage at the Hepburn Recreation Reserve

Hepburn Recreation Reserve has an average daily electricity usage of 61 kilowatt hours throughout the year. It is a 3-phase site. Power usage is much higher in winter than in summer. Summer power usage is 61 kilowatt hours per day on average.

System details

Solar PV: 25.08kw (76 x 330w Seraphim solar panels and 1 x Fronius SYMO 20kw inverter)
Solar PV generates on average: 88 kilowatt hours per day.
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.

Key points:

In the summer period this Solar PV and Battery solution will be able to take care of the usage (61kwh per day average) but in the wintertime it is estimated to take care of one-third of the requirements.
This site is 3-phase so the Tesla Powerwall 2 is only able to back up one of the three phases in the case of a black-out. The system supplier and installer Specialized Solar have, in consultation with the client, designed the system so that it back-ups the light and power load of one phase which will provide the site for at least 1 day of autonomy.
There is the option to add a generator in future if required, and increase the size of the solar and battery system.

Hepburn Recreation Reserve – role during a bushfire

The Hepburn Recreation Reserve is a dedicated Place of Last Resort or Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP). It is a place of last resort during the passage of bushfire, and is intended to be used by persons whose primary bushfire plans have failed. NSPs are places of relative safety only and they do not guarantee the survival of those who assemble there. Furthermore, there may be serious risks to safety encountered in travelling and seeking access to NSPs during bushfire events. Depending on the direction of a particular fire, it may not be a safer place to assemble than other places within the municipal district.

Hepburn SES Scores Solar Gift

Hepburn Shire SES has a new 6.3kW solar power system thanks to a $6,700 grant from the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy, the sister bulk-buy to the MASH community solar bulk-buy. Made possible through the community bonus element of the bulk-buy, in addition to Hepburn Shire Council’s Towards Zero Community Grants, this solar system is expected to save the Hepburn Shire SES at least $1,250 a year off their electricity bill. These savings will go directly towards the purchase of new equipment and vehicles, as well as help the unit move towards its goal of carbon neutrality.

Celebrating the new solar installation at the Hepburn Shire SES

As a not-for-profit volunteer-based organisation, budgets are tight. “Funding solar from our own budget was going to be a struggle,” said Brad Climie, Unit Controller at the Hepburn Shire SES. “So when I saw on the Hepburn Shire Council website that the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy was offering a community bonus for solar, I thought ‘yes’, let’s go for it!”

Cutting bills and CO2 emissions

“We’re always looking for ways to reduce our operating costs,” said Brad Climie. “Our electricity bills are around $2,000 a year, so bill reduction was a big driver for us. Also, we want to have a green footprint. As part of that, we are trying to move as many systems as possible over to electric. Going solar makes sense to us environmentally as well as financially.”

Hepburn Shire SES contributed $1,000 to the purchase of the solar system. “That was a requirement of the bulk-buy community bonus which was more than reasonable,” said Brad. “The payback on our investment is less than a year, which is amazing.”

20 panel system

The 20 panel solar system – which includes a Fronius inverter, JA Solar 315 watt panels and a tilt frame – was installed by Macedon Ranges Solar Power, the solar provider for the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy.

MASH solar provider “did a great job”

“Macedon Ranges Solar Power were really easy to deal with and they did a great job,” said Brad. The solar power system had to be integrated with our generator so that we are operational 24/7, 365 days a year, including on Code Red Days. This was no drama for Macedon Ranges Solar Power. They sorted out the special switching required for solar to integrate with the generator and the whole thing was done in just a day.”

“The system is working really well. A big thank you to the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy and also the Hepburn Shire Council for making this community bonus available to us.”

Council proud to support

Hepburn Shire Council Mayor, Cr Don Henderson said “Council is proud to support community groups to reduce their environmental footprint and running costs. Many of these groups could not operate without countless volunteer hours, this is one way in which we can recognise and support that contribution.”

Helping the transition to zero-net emissions by 2030

Program partner Hepburn Wind’s General Manager, Taryn Lane, stated: “We have a goal of zero-net emissions by 2030 through our Hepburn Z-NET program – key to this is ensuring our essential services are more resilient. This rooftop solar array provides important savings so that our SES can further support our community.”

To learn more about the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy visit mash.org.au/hepburn-solar or call 1300 466 274.

About the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy

The Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy is organised by the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, a not-for-profit organisation which also runs the MASH community solar bulk-buy and supports councils throughout central and northern Victoria with projects that help move the region towards a renewable energy future.

The Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy is supported by Hepburn Shire Council and Hepburn Wind. This is the third community bonus system installed through the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy since the program started just over a year ago. Just over $30,000 in free solar power systems has been donated through the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy and Council’s Towards Zero Community Grants this year. The three recipients to-date are Doxa Malmsbury Camp, Trentham District Primary School and Hepburn Shire SES.

www.mash.org.au/hepburn-solar

About the Hepburn Shire SES

The Hepburn Shire SES is a volunteer-based organisation which provides assistance in cases of emergencies such as floods, storms and landslides as well as road rescues.

On average, the Hepburn Shire SES responds to 250 call-outs a year. It is also a divisional command post for a much larger area. This means that the unit has to be ready to respond to emergencies 24/7, 365 days a year.

www.facebook.com/hepburnshireses/

Solar Gift Helps Neediest Youth

Over 70 students from the most disadvantaged schools in Victoria will get free places at Doxa’s Malmsbury Camp thanks to a solar gift from the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy, the sister bulk-buy of MASH.

‘Giving kids a break’. These solar panels are going to make it possible for an extra 70 students a year from Victoria’s most underprivileged schools to go to camp at Doxa Malmsbury

Massive bill savings

Bill savings of around $6,500 a year from the 11.5kW solar system will make it possible for Doxa to offer their ‘positive life experience’ camp to the neediest young people in the state.

These are students who might not normally have the opportunity to attend camps due to financial hardship” said Jess Case, Manager at Doxa Malmbury. “We’re so happy that this solar system is making it possible for an extra 71 students a year to come on our 3-day residential camp and have a great time outdoors in the bush.”

With around 4,500 students going to the Doxa Malmsbury Camp each year, power costs are high. Before solar, electricity bills at the camp were around $25,000 a year with usage at around 10 times that of the average home.

We had been trying to get solar and improve our energy efficiency for ages,” said Jess. “But being a small not-for-profit, we don’t have lots of money sitting in the bank. Luckily Dominic Murphy, the Sustainability Officer at Hepburn Shire Council was a great help. He told us about the community bonus grant from the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy and helped us through the whole process.”

Solar installer “excellent”

The 42-panel system was installed by the solar provider for the Hepburn and MASH Bulk-Buys – Macedon Ranges Solar Power. “Our experience with MRSP was excellent. We had no issues from start to finish. There was great communication from Luke and his team every step of the way.”

Learning opportunity

State-of-the art monitoring – provided by a Fronius inverter – is helping Doxa staff and students get hands-on with how solar works. “We have the monitoring on an iPad so that students can see how much power is being generated by the solar panels and how much is being used by the camp. Most of the students who come to camp haven’t been exposed to what sustainability is all about, and why it’s so important. So this is a great opportunity to do that.”

Going forward

With around 25% of the electricity needs of Doxa being met by the new solar system, Doxa is keen for more.

We’d love to get more panels within the next year or so,” said Jess. “If we did, we’d be able to install air conditioning in the accommodation areas so that students can be comfortable on hot summer nights. If we install aircon now, it’s going to increase the likelihood of the power tripping in summer. We’re at the end of the powerline and there are issues with voltage variance that need to be addressed. More solar would help us overcome that.”

Giving kids a break

“We’re thrilled that Doxa was selected as one of the three recipients of the community bonus from the first round Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy,” said organiser of the not-for-profit bulk-buy project, Jo Kaptein. “It’s great to know that this gift is going to directly benefit kids who could really do with a break.”

“This is the 13th community bonus system donated through our bulk-buy projects,” said Jo.

To learn more about the Hepburn and MASH Solar Bulk-Buys, visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.

About the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy

The Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy is organised by the same team as the MASH Community Solar Bulk Buy. Both bulk-buys are owned and managed by Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance, a Castlemaine based not-for-profit organisation that supports 13 councils in central and north western Victoria with climate change mitigation activities. The Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy is supported by Hepburn Shire Council and Hepburn Wind. For more information and to request a quote, visit mash.org.au/hepburn-solar or call 1300 466 274.

About Doxa

Doxa Youth Foundation, is a not-for-profit organisation that provides positive life experiences for students from the most disadvantaged schools in Victoria. Doxa Malmsbury is a residential camp with outdoor activities that concentrate on building teamwork and resilience. It is situated on bushland that is crosses the boundaries of three shires – Mt Alexander Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire and Hepburn Shire. Visit doxa.org.au to learn more.

Trentham Primary Thrilled to receive a 10.5kW solar system

Trentham and District Primary School students and teachers were thrilled to see a new 10.5kW solar system installed at the school recently. The system was gifted to the school as a result of the community bonus from the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy, which is supported by Hepburn Shire Council and Hepburn Wind. The system, which is valued at $14, 465 will save the school an estimated $3,220 annually.

The Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance organizes the bulk-buy, as well as a similar one in the Mt Alexander, Macedon Ranges and Bendigo regions known as the MASH community solar bulk-buy. These projects have installed more than 1500 rooftops on homes across the region, cutting power bills by around $1m and CO2 emissions by 9,000 tonnes annually.

Students excited

The students, who are learning about sustainability as part of their science studies were excited to learn that as a result of the newly installed system CO2 emissions will be cut by about 16 tonnes annually. Students will work with the science teacher to monitor the system and learn how much solar power is being produced by the panels, and how much is being used by the school. This will help them with their understanding of renewable energy and sustainability.

New learning experience

School Captains Lola and Ari said “It’s great we have got solar panels because we are reducing our CO2 emissions. Electricity from the grid is mainly acquired by burning coal and fossil fuels which contribute to climate change. These solar panels will provide a new learning experience for kids at our school as well as helping to save our environment.”. Ms Carmody, the principal at the school, welcomed the installation including the educational benefits it would bring in the field of sustainability and the financial savings which will result as a consequence of lower electricity bills.

Great example of local action

The Sustainability Officer at Hepburn Shire Council, Dominic Murphy said it was fantastic to see yet another solar system installed within the Shire as a result of the Bulk Buy’s community bonus and Hepburn Shire Council’s “Towards Zero” grants. In June Trentham Neighbourhood House also benefited from a 6.325kW system being installed, courtesy of Hepburn Wind. Said Dominic “We shouldn’t underestimate the potential for local action; communities are leading this transition. Every renewable energy project or energy efficiency measure brings us closer to zero net emissions”

For more information about the Hepburn Solar Bulk Buy, visit mash.org.au/hepburn or call 1300 466 274.

MASH helps Harcourt Valley Primary Go Solar

A 10.5kW solar power system has just been installed on Harcourt Valley Primary School thanks to a $9,200 donation from the More Australian Solar Homes (MASH) community solar bulk-buy.

This 38-panel solar system will generate an average 45 kilowatt hours of electricity a day, supplying around 30% of the school’s electricity needs. Bill savings will be around $3,000 a year and CO2 emissions cut by around 16 tonnes annually. The balance of the system’s cost was covered by the school’s fund-raising program.

“Money saved on power bills will enable additional funds to be directed into maximising the learning outcomes of all students at Harcourt Valley Primary School,” said principal, Andrew Blake.

Solar embedded in curriculum – not just sitting on the roof!

The penetration of solar PV is over 30% of all homes in Harcourt, which is partly due to the fact that there’s no mains gas in this locality

The educational opportunities presented by this solar PV system will be a big focus, said Jo Kaptein, manager of the MASH community solar bulk-buy. “A ‘Solar TV’ will be installed in the library so students can understand how solar works as well as its financial and environmental benefits.”

“Students and staff will be able to see how much solar power is being produced at any time – and how much of that power is being used by the school, instead of drawing power from the grid”, says Jo.

“Integrating the educational benefits of this system into the school curriculum will achieved by supplying the school with multiple logins to the online solar monitoring system, Fronius Solar.web.

A very ‘real way’ of helping students understand solar

Every student in this photo had the opportunity take a look at the solar array on the gym roof thanks to the wonderful Shayne Hill, the drone photographer, who gave the kids the chance to file past the drone camera screen to see the solar from the air

“We see the monitoring as a terrific way of helping students engage with the solar on the school’s roof in a way that is very real and practical”, said Andrew Blake. “It will help us bring the energy aspects of their sustainability studies to life.

Informed citizens of the future

“We want to help students become fully informed citizens of the future in terms of the environment and renewable energy”, said Andrew. “This solar system, donated through the support of literally hundreds of MASH participants, is going to play a huge part in helping us achieve this goal. Thanks MASH!”

MASH’s solar supplier came up with “best possible solution”

“Ultimately we’d love to have a bigger system”, said Andrew Blake. “Even with 38 panels on our gym roof, there’s room for more. We were really pleased with the advice we got from the MASH supplier, Macedon Ranges Solar Power, as we feel that they took all our requirements into account and came up with the best possible solution.

“Another big benefit is that the Fronius inverter actively monitors the amount of solar that’s being generated. So if anything goes wrong, Macedon Ranges Solar Power will receive an automated alerted so they can fix it. That gives us huge peace of mind!”

Find out more about MASH and get a solar quote

For more information about the MASH community solar bulk-buy, including details of how to request a quote for a solar power system, visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.

Acknowledging our partners in Mount Alexander Shire

MASH would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of the Mount Alexander Shire Council and Mount Alexander Sustainability Group who are partners of the MASH community solar bulk-buy in the Mount Alexander Shire.

Key stats about the new solar PV system for Harcourt Primary School

School uses around 90kWh per day, on average, throughout the year
Solar system will generate around 45kWh per day on average throughout the year
Solar will provide at least 30% of the school’s annual electricity requirements
Electricity bill savings will be around $3,000 a year
CO2 emissions cut: around 16 tonnes per year (3 cars less on our roads); over 25 years that 75 fewer cars on the road

Solar system details

System size: 10.5kW
Number of panels: 38 panels
Type of panels: JA Solar 275 watt panels
Inverter: Fronius Symo 3 phase 10kW inverter
Monitoring: Fronius Solar.Web Premium monitoring platform including the Fronius Solar.TV
Fronius Smart Meter (providing analysis of consumption in real-time) so the school can see to what degree they are self-sufficient for their electricity requirements at any point in time – or for any time period.

Installed by Macedon Ranges Solar Power.

Social Foundry receives $20k solar grant from Powershop

Kyneton-based social enterprise, the Social Foundry, has installed a 20kW solar system thanks to a $20,000 grant from energy retailer, Powershop, and support from the More Australian Solar Homes (MASH) Community Solar Bulk-Buy.

Celebrating the installation of 68 solar panels on the The Social Foundry, not-for-profit, social enterprise based in the heart of Kyneton in the Macedon Ranges Shire

Solar to cut electricity bills by around $5,000 each year

The 68 panel solar system will generate an average 75 kilowatt hours of electricity a day, cutting the Social Foundry’s electricity bills by around $5,000 a year. The savings will support the further development of mentoring and work-skills programs offered to more than 70 young people annually in the areas of hospitality, carpentry and conservation land management.

MASH Solar Bulk-Buy Team helped make it happen

Paul Dettman, Co-founder of the Social Foundry with their new Fronius solar inverter

Paul Dettman, Co-founder of the Social Foundry said, “We approached the MASH team over a year ago asking if they could help us go solar. They suggested we seek funding through Powershop’s ‘Your Community Energy’ program and facilitated the entire process for us. We are delighted to have such a good sized system, not only because of the obvious financial benefits, but also because we want to support renewable energy.

Savings will enable Social Foundry to consolidate and expand

“Financial sustainability is key to the growth of this not-for-profit that’s got big plans for the future.” Paul Dettman said, “The savings from solar will help our Kyneton projects operate on a sound financial platform and, once we have achieved that goal, we will be in a strong position to replicate our model in other regional communities. We’d like to say a big thank you to the thousands of Powershop customers who’ve made this possible.”

Through Powershop’s Your Community Energy program, Powershop customers have the option to purchase power with a premium attached to support projects like the Social Foundry. The premiums are pooled and distributed in grants for initiatives that positively impact the environment. To date, Powershop customers have collectively raised more than half a million dollars in funding.

Massive environmental benefits

Whilst the financial benefits of the solar system are significant, so are the environmental benefits. Jo Kaptein, Manager of the MASH Community Solar Bulk-Buy said, “This system is cutting CO2 emissions by around 30 tonnes a year. Over the 25-year life of the system, that’s the equivalent of around 150 fewer cars on our roads. That’s something worth celebrating!”

MASH would like to acknowledge the ongoing support of its key partners in the region which include Macedon Ranges Shire Council, Mount Alexander Shire Council, Macedon Ranges Sustainability Group and Mount Alexander Sustainability Group. For more information about MASH visit mash.org.au or call 1300 466 274.

ENDS

The Social Foundry

The Social Foundry is at 81 Mollison Street, Kyneton in the Macedon Ranges. It was founded by Paul Dettman and Simon Burnett in 2015 and seeks to mentor and impart work-skills and life-skills to young people with limited opportunities.

It has a cafe serving simple, wholesome food 6 days a week and provides a welcoming, light-filled community space based around good food and coffee.

In the last 12 months, 68 young people have learnt new skills in hospitality, carpentry and land management through the mentoring and practical training programs provided by the Social Foundry. In addition, the Social Foundry employs three people full-time and has around 30 volunteers.

Solar system

20.06kW solar power system comprising of 68 Flex 295 watt panels and a Fronius inverter. This system was supplied and installed by SkyGreen through the MASH community solar bulk-buy.

Powershop

Powershop Australia powers more than 120,000 homes and businesses across Victoria, New South Wales, South East Queensland, and South Australia. Powershop is Australia’s only electricity and gas retailer to be certified 100% carbon neutral by the Australian Government. Powershop’s parent company, Meridian Energy is the owner-operator of two wind farms in Australia, Mount Mercer in Victoria and Mount Millar in South Australia, and three hydro power stations in New South Wales.