Mount Alexander Shire Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hub Foundation to formalise a collaborative approach to reducing the shire’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Hub Foundation is the not-for-profit Castlemaine organisation behind several projects including the popular solar photovoltaic bulk-buy program More Australian Solar Homes (MASH).
The Hub Foundation has made a dramatic impact on the take-up of solar power throughout the shire, and helped many people to make informed environmental choices, said Jason Taylor, Director Sustainable Development, Mount Alexander Shire Council.
Council is very pleased to formalise our relationship with the foundation and we look forward to working together and continuing to support sustainability projects that benefit the community, said Mr Taylor.
Chair of the Hub Foundation Neil Barrett said Council had been a supporter of the Hub Foundation and its work since 2014.
We welcome this MOU as it is through agreements like these that our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions can be made more effective, said Mr Barrett.
Council has shown strong leadership in its support of the MASH community solar bulk-buy in particular and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Mayor, Councillors and Council staff for their unwavering belief and support of our efforts, he said. MASH customers in Central Victoria now exceed 580 households, with over 350 in Mount Alexander Shire.
Today, 27 percent of homes in our shire have solar photovoltaic. The Victorian figure overall is only 11 percent. Our aim is to do our bit to keep raising the Mount Alexander figure to well over 30 percent, said Mr Barrett.
Mr Taylor said there was widespread support for Council to work closely with local groups. “Council carried out extensive consultation as part of our Environment Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan and a clear message was the importance of formalising relationships and working in partnership with local environment groups,” said Mr Taylor.
For more information on MASH events and solar power systems visit www.mash.org.au.