Saving on power bills and addressing climate change at a local level

Greater Shepparton City Council will install solar panels on two council buildings as a way to save on power bills and address climate change at a local level.

The new panels will be installed on the main council building at 90 Welsford St and at Shepparton Sports Stadium.

Eastbank - one of the two council buildings
to have solar panels installed this month.

Greater Shepparton City Council’s sustainable development director Geraldine Christou said the panels would cost $212 000, forming part of council’s plan to reduce energy by 20 per cent by the year 2020.

‘‘Council is consistently seeking paths to improve the environment we live in and to address climate change.

‘‘By creating a community that embraces sustainable energy, the solutions will provide benefits not only today, but for many generations to come,’’ Ms Christou said.

She said the solar panels had been estimated to save about $30 000 in power costs a year while generating more than 177 000 kWh.

Ms Christou said about 400 businesses around the Shepparton district already had solar panels installed and were greatly reducing power bills and assisting to reduce the impacts of climate change.

The installation of the solar panels will be taking place this month

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Ms Christou said during this period of construction there may be some noise and restrictions in parking access around council’s Welsford St building and Shepparton Sports Stadium.

Story from the Shepparton News by Laura Briggs - “Council solar upgrade.”

French and Australian experts on solving the world’s sustainability challenge

Since the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, sustainable development has gradually become a key issue for public policy in many countries. Despite many global efforts - for example - to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, most small initiatives are being taken at the local level.

Take the example of sustainable mobility in cities. The majority of urban agglomerations have been designed or redeveloped for cars. In order to limit the use of cars, various devices have been put in place, such as the introduction of urban road tolls (for example in Singapore, London and Stockholm), the removal of parking lots in inner city centres, or more recently the installation of eco stickers (road tax) for polluting vehicles in Paris.

In parallel, many French cities have seen a reduction in car use in favour of more sustainable forms of transport. As well as public transport such as trains, buses or trams, bikes and walking are alternative solutions to cars. However, depending on the urban environment, bicycling or walking is not always possible, or is dangerous.

Read the piece on The Conversation - “French and Australian experts on solving the world’s sustainability challenge.”