When it comes to renewable energy, community groups like Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY) are out in front, setting their own ambitious target to hit 100% renewable energy by 2022. With National Volunteer week finishing up last week, Y2R celebrates the work … Continue reading Stories from Nth Victoria: Totally Renewable Yackandandah
“The best kind of energy is renewable and the best kind of renewable energy is community owned” Cam Walker, Friends of the Earth “The secret is the ingenuity of communities coming up with their own solutions” Kate Auty, Strathbogie Voices … Continue reading Victoria: Community powered state?
A small and remote Pacific nation, with a population less than many Australian country towns, is striving to go 100% renewable energy by 2020 using “Te Mana o te Ra” or “the power from the sun”, as it’s largest project so far is called.
Continue reading “Cook Islands heading for 100% renewable electricity”
Historic Chewton Primary School struck solar gold with the completion of fundraising for a 4kW solar system. The Chewton project is the third for The People’s Solar, a community-based approach that “crowd-sources” tax deductible donations to pay for solar panels … Continue reading Historic Goldfields School Strikes Gold
Published by ClimateProgress. View original article.
CREDIT: SHUTTERSTOCKSolar energy is booming across the U.S., with capacity up an astounding 418 percent in the last four years alone, according to data released this week by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Residential and commercial rooftop solar, along with other forms of photovoltaic (PV), have grown steadily over the past four years, specifically those that are net-metered. When customers install their own solar panels in states with a net metering policy, they are compensated for the excess electricity they send back to the grid. According to the EIA, these net metered applications have increased every year by approximately 1,100 MW since 2010. California currently has the largest net metered solar capacity with 38 percent of the nation’s total. Not far behind are New Jersey and Massachusetts, which together represent 21 percent of the total capacity in the U.S. Continue reading “U.S. Solar Capacity Grew 418 Percent In The Last Four Years”
Gippsland is the frontline of the battle against unconventional gas in Victoria. Mining and resources companies have their sights on the region as the next frontier for expanding the onshore gas industry. Unconventional gas extraction has taken root in Queensland and New South Wales, and industry players want Victoria to follow suit.
The Lock the Gate Alliance invited Yes 2 Renewables to Maffra to speak with the community about the broader context of energy and the potential of renewables.
Yes 2 Renewables was pleased to join Merryn Redenbach from Doctors for the Environment Australia and Felicity Milner from the Environmental Defenders Office to present to 50 people at the Maffra Football Club last week.
Those opposed to wind energy like to say regional communities are divided on wind farms, so I was unsure how my presentation on community-owned renewable energy would be received. Continue reading “Gippsland locks the gate on CSG, opens it to renewables”
On November 16, BEAM-Mitchell Environment Group and Yes 2 Renewables will present a Energy Futures Forum in Seymour. The event is already sparking interest. The following article appeared in The Seymour Telegraph. BEAM President Richard Telford points to the potential community-owned solar in the Mitchell Shire region. View original article.
Imagine 1000 solar panels on a large rooftop in Mitchell Shire, community owned and run.
BEAM Mitchell Environment Group will be hosting an Energy Futures Forum in Seymour on November 16 where a grand idea like this will be featured.
One of the key speakers will be David Robinson, from the group LIVE — Locals Into Victoria’s Environment.
Mr Robinson is spearheading a push to install up to 1000 solar panels on the roof of the South Melbourne Market, adding to about 150 already in place there.
The sharp decline in the cost in panels, as much as 80 per cent cheaper in recent years, has made community-owned solar economically viable. Continue reading “Solar future for Seymour?”
Victoria stands at a crossroads. Will our energy future be defined by more business-as-usual: fossil fuels, pollution, the threat of fracking and climate change? Or will we transition to clean renewable energy sources such as rooftop solar, community-owned renewable projects and wind farms?
On November 16, BEAM-Mitchell Environment Group and Yes 2 Renewables present the Energy Futures Forum to explore these very questions. The event provides a way for the Mitchell Shire community to engage in the issues surrounding energy generation in Victoria. Continue reading “BEAM/Y2R present Energy Futures Forum in Seymour”
Yes 2 Renewables are a proud member of the Fund Community Energy campaign. The collaboration between the Community Power Agency, 40 community-owned renewable energy (CORE) groups from around Australia, and Yes 2 Renewables, has put the issue on the election agenda for the first time.
While the Greens have taken policy leadership by calling for a 100m community energy fund, yet it remains to be seen whether the Labor party and Coalition will support the burgeoning CORE sector.
Manny Pasqualini of Community Power Report was at the Melbourne policy launch. He writes: Continue reading “Community power given a boost by Australian Greens $100 million community renewable energy policy”
Dozens of community groups from around Australia have joined national environment organisations to publish an open letter calling on Labor and the Coalition to commit to a $50 million fund for community energy projects.
The open letter, addressed to the minister for climate change, Mark Butler (ALP) and shadow minister for climate change, Greg Hunt (Coalition), calls on both major parties to lock in their support the emerging community energy sector.
The campaign believes politicians risk killing off the infant community renewable energy sector if they fail to establish a multi-million dollar fund.
“Like any new sector, community-owned renewables are growing quickly and will need short-term support to succeed,” said Nicky Ison, spokesperson for the Fund Community Energy campaign.
“Over 40 communities across Australia are developing community-owned wind and solar projects, but only two are up and running. If the other 38 groups don’t receive start-up assistance soon, they risk dying on the vine,” added Miss Ison. Continue reading “Election ’13: Community groups call on Labor, Coalition to back $50m community energy fund”
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