Solar boost for Western Downs community groups
Published Tuesday, 13 September, 2011 at 01:59 PM
Energy and Water Utilities
The Honourable Stephen Robertson
Energy Minister Stephen Robertson officially launched a new 1.9kW solar panel installation at the Drillham Community Hall today, as part of Powerlink Queensland’s Community Environmental Program.
Attending a celebration with representatives from Powerlink, the Western Downs Regional Council, and local residents, Mr Robertson announced four community groups from across the Western Downs had received more than $51,000 in funding to install solar panels on their rooftops.
“This initiative, which is run in partnership with Western Downs Regional Council, will bring about long-term benefits for the environment and the local community,” Mr Robertson said.
“New solar panels are now installed on the Drillham Community Hall, the Dulacca Pioneers’ Memorial Hall, St John’s Lutheran Church Hall at Downfall Creek and at the Condamine Sports Association Hall.
“The solar panels will help to reduce Queensland’s carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions while assisting regional and rural communities to operate and upgrade important facilities.
“They can also help ease operating costs of the halls which is invaluable support for the volunteers who operate these community groups.
“Initiatives like this provide a win-win for the environment and the community.”
Western Downs Mayor, Cr Ray Brown said community halls remained a focal point for local districts.
“We can’t underestimate the importance of our community halls and this latest round of support from the Community Environmental Program means local volunteers can maintain and continue to enhance our much-needed halls in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way,” Cr Brown said.
Powerlink’s Chief Executive, Merryn York said the installation of the solar panels was just one of 11 projects funded as part of Round Three of the Community Environmental Program.
“As Powerlink works to meet the growing demand for electricity in the region, we are committed to providing long-term, tangible benefits to communities in and around our essential community infrastructure,” Ms York said.
“Our community and environment programs are in addition to our environmental management works which form part of the development of a transmission line and are an important way in which we support the communities in which we operate.”
Mr Robertson said the Powerlink Community Environmental Program complemented the Bligh Government’s solar initiatives which are helping Queenslanders save money on their power bills and cut greenhouse emissions.
“Our Solar Bonus Scheme is one of the most successful schemes of its kind in Australia,” he said.
“At the end of July 2011, approximately 107,000 Queensland households were participating in the Scheme, and eligible to receive 44c/kWh for surplus electricity fed into the electricity grid.
“In the Warrego electorate approximately 600 systems, with a total generation capacity of just over 1MW, have been installed under the Scheme.”
The Bligh Government has also committed to significant investments in medium-scale solar energy generation including:
• $5.7 million in Cloncurry toward the development of a solar farm to capitalise on what is some of Queensland’s best solar resources;
• $4 million in Hervey Bay for solar photovoltaic panels at the Hervey Bay hospital and a solar farm at the Wide Bay Water Corporation’s operations; and
• $4.4 million on the Gold Coast for a fully integrated 200 kilowatt solar photovoltaic roof which is estimated to provide for more than 20 per cent of the Carrara Stadium’s electricity needs.
At the large-scale level, leveraging Commonwealth funding is a core component of the Government’s strategy to develop Queensland’s renewable energy industry and solar energy capacity. Examples of this include:
• Contributing $35.4 million to the CS Energy’s Kogan Creek Carbon Reduction Program has supported the Kogan Solar Boost Project near Chinchilla. The Kogan Solar Boost Project, believed to be the world’s largest integration of solar generation technology with an existing coal-fired power station, will generate an additional 44 megawatts of electricity in peak solar conditions; and
• A contribution of $75 million to support the Commonwealth Government’s Solar Flagships program’s successful solar thermal project for Program Round 1 - Solar Dawn. The Solar Dawn project is a 250 megawatt solar thermal and gas hybrid power generation project that will be located near Chinchilla.
Media contact: Zoe Russell – 0437436 914
Attending a celebration with representatives from Powerlink, the Western Downs Regional Council, and local residents, Mr Robertson announced four community groups from across the Western Downs had received more than $51,000 in funding to install solar panels on their rooftops.
“This initiative, which is run in partnership with Western Downs Regional Council, will bring about long-term benefits for the environment and the local community,” Mr Robertson said.
“New solar panels are now installed on the Drillham Community Hall, the Dulacca Pioneers’ Memorial Hall, St John’s Lutheran Church Hall at Downfall Creek and at the Condamine Sports Association Hall.
“The solar panels will help to reduce Queensland’s carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions while assisting regional and rural communities to operate and upgrade important facilities.
“They can also help ease operating costs of the halls which is invaluable support for the volunteers who operate these community groups.
“Initiatives like this provide a win-win for the environment and the community.”
Western Downs Mayor, Cr Ray Brown said community halls remained a focal point for local districts.
“We can’t underestimate the importance of our community halls and this latest round of support from the Community Environmental Program means local volunteers can maintain and continue to enhance our much-needed halls in an environmentally-friendly and sustainable way,” Cr Brown said.
Powerlink’s Chief Executive, Merryn York said the installation of the solar panels was just one of 11 projects funded as part of Round Three of the Community Environmental Program.
“As Powerlink works to meet the growing demand for electricity in the region, we are committed to providing long-term, tangible benefits to communities in and around our essential community infrastructure,” Ms York said.
“Our community and environment programs are in addition to our environmental management works which form part of the development of a transmission line and are an important way in which we support the communities in which we operate.”
Mr Robertson said the Powerlink Community Environmental Program complemented the Bligh Government’s solar initiatives which are helping Queenslanders save money on their power bills and cut greenhouse emissions.
“Our Solar Bonus Scheme is one of the most successful schemes of its kind in Australia,” he said.
“At the end of July 2011, approximately 107,000 Queensland households were participating in the Scheme, and eligible to receive 44c/kWh for surplus electricity fed into the electricity grid.
“In the Warrego electorate approximately 600 systems, with a total generation capacity of just over 1MW, have been installed under the Scheme.”
The Bligh Government has also committed to significant investments in medium-scale solar energy generation including:
• $5.7 million in Cloncurry toward the development of a solar farm to capitalise on what is some of Queensland’s best solar resources;
• $4 million in Hervey Bay for solar photovoltaic panels at the Hervey Bay hospital and a solar farm at the Wide Bay Water Corporation’s operations; and
• $4.4 million on the Gold Coast for a fully integrated 200 kilowatt solar photovoltaic roof which is estimated to provide for more than 20 per cent of the Carrara Stadium’s electricity needs.
At the large-scale level, leveraging Commonwealth funding is a core component of the Government’s strategy to develop Queensland’s renewable energy industry and solar energy capacity. Examples of this include:
• Contributing $35.4 million to the CS Energy’s Kogan Creek Carbon Reduction Program has supported the Kogan Solar Boost Project near Chinchilla. The Kogan Solar Boost Project, believed to be the world’s largest integration of solar generation technology with an existing coal-fired power station, will generate an additional 44 megawatts of electricity in peak solar conditions; and
• A contribution of $75 million to support the Commonwealth Government’s Solar Flagships program’s successful solar thermal project for Program Round 1 - Solar Dawn. The Solar Dawn project is a 250 megawatt solar thermal and gas hybrid power generation project that will be located near Chinchilla.
Media contact: Zoe Russell – 0437436 914