Support is available to fund solar energy for your
community building, business or facility?

Bendigo Sustainability Group [BSG] & the Community Power Hub Loddon Mallee are making a stand for clean energy, that is locally driven & owned, in order to benefit OUR region.

They are available & willing to support groups & individuals to realise solar power on their facilities, including helping to find funds and develop strategies to enable viable infrastructure for you or your organisation.

If you would like to take up this opportunity, learn more, or share your views on clean energy for your community, you can do so by:

LOW INCOME HOMES

Solar for low-income homes, facilitated by local sustainability group & funded via community donations plus government rebates

Town                          Bendigo area

Project                       Solar for low-income households

Org name                Bendigo Community Health Services

Address                    Various

What happened
Fifteen low-income households were identified for the installation of 3 kW of solar on each dwelling in order to reduce their power bills, and bring some equity to accessing renewable energy. The installations are due for completion by 30 June 2022.

Funded how
Under the Community Power Hub Loddon Mallee project, funding of approximately $3,000 per site was organised with almost 50% coming via the Solar Victoria Solar Homes program.  A further approximately 25% was donated via pro bono consulting services undertaken by BSG volunteers, and the final 25% was raised via crowd funding of donations from the public.

RECREATIONAL FACILITY

Solar for a community facility funded through community donations

Town                          Eaglehawk, Bendigo

Project                       Eaglehawk Badminton and Table Tennis Stadium

Org name                EBTTS Committee of Management

Address                    140 Victoria Street, Eaglehawk

What happened
In 2018 a 31 kW solar PV system was installed onto the roof of the high quality stadium used by the table tennis and badminton organisations.  This system overall generates electricity in excess of the site’s needs.  The system reduces the sites power bills and carbon emissions.  The BSG assisted in setting up the project & the crowdfunding campaign.

Funded how
The $32,000 solar installation was entirely funded by community, facilitated by the BSG in partnership with the host site organisations through a community “donate a solar panel” campaign.  Funds were raised from local community organisations, businesses and individuals mostly over a two month period.  The donations ranged from $10,000 down to the target cost of a solar panel at $300. Under a benefit sharing arrangement a portion of the savings will go to the BSG for ten years, in return for their support.

COUNCIL FACILITY FOR COMMUNITY BENEFIT

Solar for a Council facility funded by multiple sources, set up to financially benefit local community group

Town                          Bendigo

Project                       Bendigo Regional Archive Centre

Org name                City of Greater Bendigo

Address                    Bendigo

What happened
In 2017, the BSG in partnership with the City of Greater Bendigo installed 30 kW of solar on the Bendigo Regional Archive Centre.  The solar supplies over 25% of the Centre’s electricity needs.

Funded how
The project was funded using a mixture of financial mechanisms including, a grant from Bank Australia, a loan, and the BSG’s own funds.  Under the agreement between the City of Greater Bendigo and the BSG, the electricity generated by the solar system is sold to the council at a commercial rate, providing an income stream to the BSG. After 15 years, the Bendigo Sustainability Group will hand the system over to the Council to remain with the city and the community.

LOCAL BUSINESS VIA COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP

Solar for the commercial building of a local business, funded through government grants via partnership with local community group

Town                          Bendigo

Project                       Large solar for Bendigo Woollen Mills

Org name                Bendigo Woollen Mills

Address                    Bendigo

What happened
In early 2022, local company Cola Solar completed installation of a 96 kW solar installation at the Bendigo Woollen Mills in partnership with the Bendigo Sustainability Group under the Community Power Hub Loddon Mallee project.  The main objective of the project is to provide local businesses with renewable energy to power their operations.
The Bendigo Woollen Mills site was originally used to generate coal power in the early 1900s and created numerous emissions burning tonnes of coal in its early days of operation. The site is now partly powered by clean, renewable solar energy, coming full-circle from coal production to running off solar power, saving about 96 tonnnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year.

Funded how
The Bendigo Woollen Mills site was awarded funding by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government.  Approximately 20% of the cost was funded directly by the BSG.
The Woollen Mills lease the solar system and an agreement is in place for them to repay the cost of their brand new solar solution to the BSG over a period of five years using the savings generated from having solar.  This will provide a sizable income stream to the BSG to continue their important work in community energy.

Or take action for your own organisation, facility & community:

• Share your views, express your interest via: surveymonkey.com/r/bsg-solar
• Connect with the BSG via: https://www.bsg.org.au/solar

For more information on clean energy benefits & the support, subsidies & funds available, contact Bendigo Sustainability Group: 03 5443 5244 | [email protected] | www.bsg.org.au/contact