Central Victoria Solar City
The Central Victoria Solar Cities consortium will involve thirteen central Victorian municipalities, including Bendigo and Ballarat. The Central Victoria Solar Cities project is working with governments, businesses and the local community to rethink the way they produce and use energy.
Practical benefits for the local community
Energy options being trialed through the Central Victoria Solar City include:
- 300 residential photovoltaic systems. The Central Victoria Solar City will make use of a subsidised buy-back rate for PV output to encourage uptake.
- 2 iconic ‘solar parks’ or concentrated 300 kW photovoltaic installations with an ability to track the sun, one each in Bendigo and Ballarat. The Bendigo solar park will have battery storage to trial the potential for meeting peak demand that does not necessarily co-incide with peak production times.
- 1200 smart meters will be installed to give residential customers timely information on energy use; 500 of these will have display panels.
- 1500 energy efficiency packages, 500 of which will recommend retrofits on aspects such as insulation, sealing and lighting, 500 will consist of energy education and audit measures, and the remaining 500 will receive all measures.
- 100 businesses and community facilities will receive energy efficiency audits and advice.
- 700 solar hot water systems installed in residences.
- 700 households will trial demand side management measures, including cost reflective pricing, time of use and critical peak pricing. A further 500 households will undertake energy demand management measures.
Additional benefits
These measures are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 13,000 tonnes a year.
Consortium members
The Central Victoria Solar City consortium is led by Sustainable Regional Australia Pty Ltd (a community owned special purpose company) trading as ZCO2-e, Bendigo Bank, Origin Energy, PowerCor and Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance. The project is also supported by the Victorian Government and the University of Ballarat.
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