MASH-wide news Archives - Page 20 of 53

MASH systems being installed every day

The combination of sunny weather and a new State Government solar rebate is keeping the MASH team very busy with installations happening at a record rate – at least one or two per day!

Carl Harvey is the latest MASH customer to be installed. His new 5kW system is going up today and Jo Kaptein, from MASH, went to see how it was going.

“The new solar rebate was too good to pass up”, says Carl Harvey, who has just had MASH system installed. From L to R: Mike Wright, Buddy Norris, installers for the MASH project, with Carl Harvey, MASH customer in Castlemaine

“We had been thinking of going solar for ages. So when we heard about the Victorian State Government solar panels rebate it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up”, said Carl.

“We went with MASH because we like that the MASH supplier and solar systems have been endorsed by the Alternative Technology Association. We also like that MASH gives back to the local community with free solar for schools and community groups.”

“Our experience with the MASH solar supplier, Energy Matters, has been great – very smooth.”

MASH to receive Environment Victoria award

The MASH team has just heard the fabulous news that our community solar bulk-buys will be receiving a Community Environment award at Environment Victoria’s 2018 AGM on 31 October.

The award is “For repowering central Victoria with over one thousand solar installations and for their dynamic community engagement,” said Mark Wakeham, CEO of Environment Victoria.

MASH (the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes) is a community solar bulk-buy for households. It was launched in mid 2014 as an initiative of the Hub Foundation, founded by Neil and Heather Barrett, with the first installations taking place in September 2014.

“We’re rapt!” said Jo Kaptein, manager of the MASH community bulk-buy, as well as it’s sister, the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy. “It’s always good to celebrate and we couldn’t have done it without the support of so many people and organisations. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of our story.”

Environment Victoria say that all are welcome to attend their AGM. So if you would like to join the MASH team at the awards night, RSVP here.

MASH* results since Sept 2014 to now:

1150 MASH solar homes adding 5.3MW of solar (with around 20,000 solar panels installed!)
CO2 emissions cut by around 8,400 tonnes/yr (around 1700 less cars on our roads)
Household electricity bills cut by around $1M/yr.
Raised over $70,000 for free solar for community groups and schools.
More local jobs – We currently have three local installation companies working full-time on our bulk-buys. They are working under contract to Energy Matters, our solar supplier. In addition, we have around six people based in Mount Alexander Shire who are working on MASH, either part-time, casual or as freelancers in customer service, admin and project management roles.

MASH is available in the Mount Alexander Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire and City of Greater Bendigo. MASH’s sister bulk-buy – the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy – is available in the Hepburn Shire. MASH will shortly be launched in new regions across central Victoria starting with Swan Hill.

MASH is now being hosted by the not-for-profit Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance.

For more information about MASH, visit mash.org.au or, if you are in the Hepburn Shire, visit mash.org.au/hepburn. Alternatively call 1300 466 274.

*includes results from the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy which was launched in April 2018.

Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy Going Strong!

Orders for solar panel systems through the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy are extremely strong, due in part to the new State Government Rebate – worth up to $2225 for eligible households – which was announced on 19 August 2018.

On track to meet targets

In just five months, 135 solar and battery systems have been ordered through the bulk-buy program. This represents an additional 750 kilowatt of solar generation capacity in the Hepburn Shire which will be cutting CO2 emissions by 1,200 tonnes annually, equivalent to 240 less cars on our road each year.

The Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy aims to reach 200 solar household installations and 800 kilowatts of solar installed by the end of December 2018. “At this rate, the targets are looking very achievable”, says Jo Kaptein, manager of the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy. “The support received from Hepburn Shire Council, Hepburn Wind and Z-NET Hepburn Shire, as well as the local sustainability groups has been a huge factor in the success of this bulk-buy”, said Jo.

Good news for the community

This is great news for community groups and schools in the Hepburn Shire as it means that the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy together with Hepburn Shire Council should be in a position to donate up to $20,000 in free solar in early 2019.

“We will be putting out a notice in the local papers seeking expressions of interest in early 2019, as well as details of the selection criteria and application process and timeframe”, said Jo Kaptein.

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

For more information about the State Government’s solar panels rebate, visit www.solar.vic.gov.au

State Government now accepting applications for the new solar panels rebate

Anyone interested in applying for the Victorian Government’s Solar Panels rebate will be pleased to hear that Solar Victoria, the independent body set up to administer this rebate, is now accepting applications. Go to www.solar.vic.gov.au to find out how to apply for the Victorian State Government’s Solar Panels Rebate worth up to $2225 for eligible households. Alternatively call Solar Victoria on 1300 363 744.

The Solar Victoria website says: “The rebates are available for systems installed from 19 August 2018 to 30 June 2019, eligible households will only have to pay 50 per cent of the cost of a solar panel system. The Package will provide a 50 per cent rebate on the cost of a solar PV system, up to a maximum rebate of $2,225.”

Please note: Neither the MASH project or the MASH solar supplier, Energy Matters, can apply for the rebate on your behalf, neither can we guarantee that you will receive it. You need to put in an application for the rebate via the Government website, www.solar.vic.gov.au.

Megawatt milestones

Since the 1^st of April 2018 the MASH project has taken orders for an amazing 1.3 megawatts of solar. Now, over 5 megawatts of solar have been ordered through MASH since we started four years ago. That’s saving 8,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year – equal to a whopping 1,600 less cars on our roads.

One thing for sure, with the newly announced solar panels rebate from the Victorian State Government, there’s no sign of things slowing down!

The sun’s shining on solar. A new system being installed through the MASH project on a home in Barker Street in Castlemaine in September.

A huge thank you to the Midland Express for its support of MASH – and most importantly of all, to everyone out there who’s bought a MASH system. We’ll be getting ready to donate more free solar to community groups and schools in the Mt Alexander, Macedon Ranges and Hepburn Shires very soon!

Battery rebate election promise

More big news for solar homes! The Daniel Andrews Government announced on 10 September 2018 that it will subsidise the cost of home battery storage by almost $5,000 if re-elected. This would only be for households that ALREADY have solar.

Possibly the first Powerwall battery on Barker Street Castlemaine. Installed day after the Daniel Andrews’ announcement about solar battery rebate, if they are re-elected. Mike Thorbeke the proud owner of this shiny new Powerwall installed through the MASH community solar bulk-buy says, “We did it because we want to make and store our own electricity. It’s about cutting our electricity bills as we head towards retirement.”

To be eligible, applicants will have to be owner-occupiers of a house worth less than $3 million and with an annual household income of less than $180,000.

There will be no “double dipping”, the government says, with only existing solar users able to claim the subsidy for the batteries.

Government’s official media release here.