Works to install rooftop solar systems at Bass Coast Shire Council's Wonthaggi Depot site and the Inverloch Community Hub are now complete.
These works were carried out as part of Council's participation in the Local Government Energy Saver Program (LGES) administered by Sustainability Victoria.
The 74 solar panels installed across two rooftops at the Wonthaggi Depot replace and expand on an older system providing a total of 28kWs of power.
The Inverloch Hub installation has extended of the existing system of 48 (12kWs) solar panels with a further 52 (19.7kWs) panels, providing a total of 32kWs of power generation.
The cost of this project was $73,000, which included $36,503 grant funding from Sustainability Victoria, with the remaining funding coming from Council.
The installation is expected to reduce the annual electricity costs of these sites by $15,217 a year, with the investment payback of approximately four years.
Energy audits of Council's top five energy-using sites were undertaken in 2018 to determine actions to improve their energy efficiency and to identify opportunities for renewable energy upgrades.
The LGES recognises that Local Governments, particularly in rural and regional Victoria, own and manage a range of facilities that present opportunities for emissions reduction through the increased use of renewable energy.
