Cooma-Monaro Express 9/4/09

A bulk sale of solar panels has been organised so that Monaro residents wanting to make use of solar rebates can do so, helping the environment, saving money on power bills and give something back to the community at the same time.

There was support for such a project when about 15 people gathered with Clean Energy for Eternity (CEFE) members for an information session at the Monaro Rural Fire Station (RFS) in Polo Flat on Tuesday afternoon.

It was hoped that 30 people would sign up for the 1kw grid connected deal and that a 2kw photo voltaic system would be donated to the Cooma-Monaro Shire Council for use on a community building of their choosing if the numbers reach 30 or more.

Twelve people, including Cooma-Monaro Shire mayor Vin Good expressed interest in the scheme for their own homes.

CEFE’s Antia Brademan said the discounted scheme works due to member support.

“You can get a new 1kw system installed for as low as $1,400 and the company will receive the rebate for you,” she said.

“A 1kw system will cover about one third of an average rural households energy use per year, and save about $350 a year.”

The proposed community building chosen should a system be donated is the RFS, which Ms Brademan said would kick start the next stage of the Life Saving Energy project in the shire.

“This would be really exciting, as the aim is that each fire shed that is installed with a solar system under this campaign will donate savings on electricity generated towards installing the next system so the project will perpetuate itself.”

Michelago property owner Peter Bottomley said he was extremely interested in the bulk buy plan for his home on “Ingelara”.

“I’d try to add to it, but a 1kw system would allow us to break even a 1.5kw system or higher would actually save us money.”

“Either way its all saving.”

Expressions of interest in the scheme are open until the end of May. A minimum of 10 people must commit to the scheme before the bulk buy can go ahead.

If you are interested fill out the questionnaire available from the CEFE website and drop it into the pigeonhole of councillors Stephanie McDonald at the Cooma-Monaro Shire Council.

A GRAND structure will take pride of place in Nimmitabel’s main street shortly when a four metre high, two metre wide sculpture is erected.

The sculpture commissioned by Kybean artist, Jesse Graham features a large tree made from metal and wood, which houses ornate and delicate birds of the region.

The arrival of the sculpture will complete a yearlong effort from the local community and partnership with the Cooma-Monaro Shire Council and the RTA. Nimmitabel resident Gwen Knaebler said the project was kick started by proceeds from the Show Society’s Art Expo last year and was backed by further private donations and funds from businesses.

“We held a town meeting after the Art Expo and decided to buy a sculpture,” Mrs Knaebler said.

“The tree signifies the dividing of the waters, it has a timber trunk and a metal top with birds from different regions in it.”

The sculpture was made possible through the support of the Show Society, Country Club, Lions Club, CWA and private donations.

Mrs Knaebler said Cooma-Monaro Shire Council was instrumental in seeing the project through.

Posted Thu Nov 27, 2008 2:07pm AEDT

ABC web site

A Monaro school will have to wait a little longer before it can install its own mini-wind farm.

The Nimmitabel Public School has received a $9,000 community grant and a further $4,000 in fund-raising for the project, estimated to cost about $17,000.

But the Education Department says it is worried about the structure's safety.

The company given the job of installing the wind turbine, Pyramid Power, says the department's backflip has come as a surprise.

Company spokesman Steve Garret says safety is not an issue.

"Those reasons I think are varied reasons, but the questions of safety, I think, are stalling questions because of all the equipment that needs to go into schools needs to come under the engineering, they have to come under the licensing, they have to come under complete Australian standards. It has as much risk as a flag pole in a school or a light post," he said.

SONIA BYRNES COOMA-MONARO EXPRESS

One of the strong messages highlighted by Dr Mark Diesendorf (Uni of NSW) at the Monaro/ Snowy Mountains Renewable Energy Forum held in Berridale on Nov 6 08 was that we do have the necessary technologies available right now to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% within just a few decades given social and political will to make it happen.  Dr Mike Kelly (Federal Member for Eden-Monaro) agreed that action on climate change was necessary and praised his electorate for its forward thinking and action on the issue so far.

This praise is well justified as illustrated by Philippa Rowland who informed the forum that our region has procured $100,000 in Green Precinct funding for Clean Energy For Eternity to conduct a feasibility study to establish Australia’s first community owned 2MW solar farm in the Bega Valley.  This farm will not only move the Bega Valley shire towards achieving a 50% reduction in GHG emissions, but also provide an investment opportunity in the SE region by prospective investors from all over Australia.    

The forum also heard that wind power has the potential to provide great ecological and economic benefits for our region due to the availability of this resource on Monaro.  As an example, CEFE’s founder Dr Matthew Nott pointed out that the proposed Boco Rock windfarm would generate a total investment of $20 million over 25 years as well as contribute significantly to our region’s ability to meet a 50/50 by 2020 target. 

But the possibilities don’t end there, as David Shapiro (Future Energy) illustrated with his presentation about the (smaller scale) Hepburn Community Wind-farm in Victoria which has now launched its prospectus and is accepting investment by shareholders, thanks to the commitment and vision of a regional community willing to take leadership and create local solutions.  As an electricity producer, rather than consumer this will be one rural community that has turned the tables on rising electricity costs. 

Real solutions that reduce GHG emissions and safeguard our children’s future ecologically, socially and economically are needed to tackle climate change, and the forum demonstrated that we are well placed to do so.  Look out in future CEFE columns for more detailed information on Community Renewable Energy Farms.

Antia Brademanns

 

At the Berridale climate change forum on 6/11/08, it was pointed out that the proposed Bocco wind farm would inject $20 million into the local economy over its 25 year lifespan.

A strong objection was made, stating that the majority of that money would be going to only 10 farmers.

Wind Prospects, the company planning to develop the 75 turbine wind farm at Bocco will put $75 000 into local community projects each year. This money goes into a trust account, and is administered by local trusties. The Cooma community decides where that money goes.

Next year CEFE are hoping to form a partnership with the Rural Fire Service, and start getting fire stations set up with solar panels. I’m confident that the RFS would be happy to help fundraise, and if you were able to inject an additional $75 000 into that effort, I reckon we could easily get 5 or 6 fire stations set up with solar panels each year.

That’s just an example of the sort of thing that could be done with $75 000 coming into the community each year.

The objection made at Berridale was correct. In addition to the $75 000 going directly to the community each year, land owners with wind turbines on their property will be paid $10 000 per year per turbine. For a 75 turbine wind farm, that amounts to $750 000 a year, and that money would go to the 10 farmers in the Bocco region.

Matthew Nott