A unique partnership between St Kilda Community Housing and The People’s Solar will result in job training opportunities for at least 80 of the 337 disadvantaged people housed by St Kilda Community Housing (SCH), as well as lower energy bills for all tenants.
In a sign of the times, it is all made possible with crowdfunded solar power.
The People’s Solar, a national crowd-funding platform for solar projects, aims to raise $30,000 as a first step, to have a 15kW solar system installed on the roof of one of the SCH rooming houses. If successful, it will be the largest crowd funded solar project in Australia, and the only one of its kind dedicated to supporting those at risk of homelessness right here in St Kilda.
St Kilda Community Housing’s General Manager, John Enticott, said, “If people get behind the fundraising effort, in addition to lowering our carbon footprint, we’ll be able to use projected energy savings of over $5,000 per annum on reducing rents and training more of our tenants through T2M, our social enterprise in the property maintenance industry”.
Director and co-founder of The People’s Solar, Alex Houlston, emphasised, “In anyone’s language, spending less than $400 to create employment for someone in social housing is a compelling investment. The fact that we do can it using clean energy, just makes it all the more remarkable”.
It begs the question, if so much good can come from one solar project, why are we waiting for the clean energy revolution?
You can learn more about the project and donate, by visiting
www.thepeoplessolar.com/StKildaT2M
This is a Joint Press Release from St Kilda Community Housing and The People’s Solar
yes2renewables.org 