By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Greater Dandenong’s public lighting will be 100 per cent renewably-powered under a new 10-year deal.
Under the power purchase agreement (PPA) between Alinta Energy and Procurement Australia, the electricity will be supplied by Bald Hills Wind Farm in Gippsland.
Greater Dandenong, 12 other Victorian councils and a Victorian Government Authority will benefit from the agreement.
The deal begins on 1 July.
Mayor Jim Memeti said the agreement brought certainty and reinforced the council’s declaration for a climate and ecological emergency response in January 2020.
“By getting electricity from renewable energy sources, instead of coal-fired power, we are not only tackling climate change head on, but we are also ensuring value for money.”
Councillor Matthew Kirwan said a second PPA covering the rest of the council’s electricity needs is also expected to be signed soon.
“By July 2021 we will then be using a 100% renewable electricity.”
Cr Kirwan said it was an important first step but “hard but necessary choices” were required for the council to emit net-zero carbon emissions by 2025.
“We need to remove gas installations from our existing council buildings and ensure that new buildings don’t use gas.
“In particular our current aquatic centres are huge users of gas so our new Dandenong Aquatic Centre planned to be built by 2024 needs to use heat pump technology to be gas free.”
The council is committed to being a net-zero carbon city by 2040.
Its draft climate change strategy and action plan is due for endorsement this year.
Greater Dandenong is also part of the National GreenPower Accreditation Program that ensures that the council’s voluntary commitments are matched with renewable energy added to the grid.
