RENEWABLE ENERGY BENALLA
  • Home
  • About
  • Reduce
  • Replace
  • Switch
  • BCEP
  • News
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Green Electricity Guide
    • Forms of Renewable Energy
    • Energy Advice - Australian Energy Foundation
    • Energy Saving - Reducing Emissions
    • Local Case Studies
    • Other Communities
    • Glossary
    • Resources for Printing/Media
  • Contact
  • BSFG
  • Home
  • About
  • Reduce
  • Replace
  • Switch
  • BCEP
  • News
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Green Electricity Guide
    • Forms of Renewable Energy
    • Energy Advice - Australian Energy Foundation
    • Energy Saving - Reducing Emissions
    • Local Case Studies
    • Other Communities
    • Glossary
    • Resources for Printing/Media
  • Contact
  • BSFG

Renewable Energy Benalla Report 2020 - BSFG  AGM

13/10/2020

0 Comments

 
Renewable Energy Benalla (REB) Action Group Report 2020

Renewable Energy Benalla Vision:


For Benalla to become a zero net energy town by reducing and balancing energy demand with 100% renewable energy supply. Whilst Renewable Energy Benalla (REB) was busy during the last six months of 2019 the arrival of the COVID 19 pandemic early in 2020 has resulted in the cessation of monthly meetings and most other activity.

Transition Strategy to 100% Renewables

The major focus for REB is to implement the Transition Strategy that was developed in conjunction with Beyond Zero Emissions. The transition strategy detailed three major strategies that need to be implemented to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve zero net energy.

These strategies are:
  1. Energy efficiency measures to reduce energy use,
  2. Promote and install local roof top solar,
  3. Investigate utility scale renewables, battery storage and micro grids.

Strategy 1. Promoting Energy Efficiency A series of six fortnightly sessions focussing on improving the energy efficiency of existing houses were conducted during August to October. These sessions were advertised with the heading, Reduce Energy Bills and Increase Thermal Comfort, and covered the following topics: Understanding energy bills; Draught Proofing & Insulation; Lighting & Windows; Efficient Hot Water Systems, Heating and Cooling; Appliances & Cooking; Energy Monitoring, Solar Power & Batteries. Renewable Energy Benalla was successful in obtaining a Community Sponsorship Grant from Benalla Rural City to enable us to conduct these sessions. While the content of these sessions was well received we were somewhat disappointed with the relatively small number of participants. We will give consideration to what changes we need to make to have more people attend as our plans are to repeat these sessions for a number of years to help achieve the goal of reducing energy demand by one third over the remaining eight years of the transition strategy.

Strategy 2. Promoting Roof Top Solar The final session of the Energy Efficiency series was about the advantages of installing solar panels and issues around battery storage.

Another way to promote roof top solar was our work on establishing a community energy project.

​Community Energy Project

As part of promoting roof top solar REB has been investigating the establishment of a Community Energy Project based on donations from the community that would provide solar panels for community buildings such as kindergartens.  BSFG has established a Benalla Renewable Energy Fund that community members can donate to.   This fund will be used to enable the installation of solar panels on kindergartens and other community buildings with no upfront costs required from the community organisation.

We are planning to adopt the CORENA model of providing loans to the host sites with loan repayments based on the savings made on energy bills. The fund then becomes a revolving fund that enables loans to be made to other host sites for the installation of solar panels or implementation of energy efficiency measures.

REB has been successful in obtaining a small grant from the Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning (DELWP) to enable us to employ consultants to prepare guidelines for project management of the Community Energy Project including governance, fundraising, selection criteria, publicity and community engagement.

Communication Materials: 

​As reported last year REB was successful in obtaining a grant from DELWP for the production of four communication pamphlets designed to encourage people to install solar panels and to provide information about energy efficiency. The titles of the pamphlets; Renewable Energy Benalla - Our Vision Energy Efficiency at Home, Keeping a rental house comfortable and energy efficient, Installing Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) and Batteries. Strategy

3. Investigating Utility Scale Renewables One member of the REB committee has been doing a lot of work investigating the possibility of establishing a regional utility scale waste to energy project in Benalla. A number of discussions have been held with Council staff about the feasibility of such a project. Further investigation and discussion with council will continue.

Community Engagement:

Hume Region DELWP, as part of their Climate Ready Hume project had funds available for free screenings of the documentary film "2040" which looks at the effects of climate change over the next 20 years and what technologies that exist today can reverse the effects. BSFG and REB applied for a screening at BPACC in December which was very successful with 160 people attending.

The REB website, www.reb.org.au has been very successful and receives lots of 'hits'. Our thanks to Bev Lee and Peter Maddock, for their great work in maintaining the website.

North East Community Energy Network (NECEN) This network consists of representatives from all the ten community energy groups in North East Victoria. Meetings are held every 2 months in Wangaratta but of late have been via Zoom. A lot of valuable networking takes place at these meetings with each group reporting on their activities. This network is supported by Indigo Power.

One major initiative that REB took part in was a regional hot water bulk buy. There were two systems available; a very efficient heat pump system or an evacuated tube solar system. The major purpose was to encourage people to reduce energy demand by installing a very energy efficient hot water system. Four people took up this offer in Benalla with 65 systems being installed across the region.

Launch of Indigo Power REB took part in promoting the launch of Indigo Power, a community owned energy company. There were a series of launches to be held in regional centres, including Benalla, but COVID 19 came along and the launches were conducted by Zoom. Indigo Power is a registered Social Enterprise, which means that 50% of profits will be shared amongst the community. Indigo Power aims to encourage the move to 100% renewable energy for our region.

Future of Renewable Energy Benalla:

​
REB began as an action group of BSFG but then in August 2018 REB decided to become an incorporated association basically to protect the name from a potential commercial organisation wanting to adopt it.

The REB group has always been a small group and has struggled to meet its objectives and meet the requirements of the model rules for incorporated associations. We have decided to cancel REB's incorporation and revert to being an action group of BSFG once again.

Community Engagement to help Achieve our Vision: A plan to achieve zero net energy by 2028 is an ambitious and complex task. REB need more people from the community to assist with implementing the Transition Strategy. This may be to help with a small distinctive task or to become involved in the organisation of a specific event or project. REB is currently investigating ways to improve our engagement with the Benalla community and to encourage people to become involved in achieving 100% renewables by 2028.

John Lloyd, Convenor,
Renewable Energy Benalla
0 Comments

    News

    Check out our posts and Facebook  to find out more about events - both upcoming and recent - issues and items of interest. ​
    Banner - launch of REB's Munro Avenue Pre School 'behind the meter' solar panel installation, May 6 '21

    Categories

    All
    AECOM Solar Farm Proposal
    Annual Report
    Ausnet Services
    Baseline Emissions Report For BZE
    Behind The Meter
    Benalla Business Breakfast
    Benalla Business Network
    Benalla Community Energy Hub
    Benalla Community Energy Project
    Benalla Communty Energy Project
    Benalla Men's Shed
    Benalla Rural City Council
    Benalla's Baseline Emissions
    Benalla's Zero Net Energy Transition Strategy
    Benalla Youth Action Society
    Bernard Briggs Kindergarten
    Beyond Zero Emissions
    Brad Foletta
    BSFG Presentation To Council
    Building Efficiency Group
    BZE
    Campbell
    Climate Change Targets
    Combet Report
    Community Affairs Victoria
    Community Energy
    Community Energy Forum
    Community Energy Fund
    Community Energy Model
    Community Energy Plan For Regional Australia
    Community Energy Project
    Community Energy Projects
    Community Energy Retailer
    Community Engagement Strategy
    Community Grants
    Community Participation
    Community Power Agency
    Day In The Gardens
    DELWP
    Desert Rose Hose
    Donate
    Dr Denis O'Brien
    Dr Helen Haines
    Electrifying Industry
    Emissions Targets
    Energy Audits
    Energy Efficiency
    Energy Efficient Hot Water Bulk Buy
    Energy Freedom Home
    Feasibility Study
    Fiona Roberts
    FRV Services Winton Solar Farm
    Fund Raising
    Future Of REB
    Glenrowan Solar Farm
    Goorambat Solar Farm
    Goulburn Valley Community Energy
    Grants
    Graphic Design Project
    Greta Thunberg
    Helen Haines
    Hot Water Bulk Buy
    Hume Renewable Energy Roadmap
    Independent Expert Panel On Interim Emissions Targets
    Indi Energy Action Group
    Indigo Power
    John Lloyd
    Kennedy's Creek Solar Farm Proposal
    Kevin Smith
    Lake Mokoan Solar Farm
    Lightsource BP
    Locard Energy
    Manufacturing
    Membership Drive
    Micro-grids
    Minutes
    Mokoan Solar Farm Proposal
    Mokoan Solar Project
    Mondo Energy
    Mondo Power
    MP
    Munro Ave Kindergarten
    National Construction Code
    Neighbourhood Battery Initiative
    New Energy Jobs Fund
    Next REB Meeting
    Pacific Partnerships
    Passive Design
    Pingala Solar Garden
    Powering Communities Program
    Pumped Hydro
    REB Action Group
    REB Action Groups
    REB Efficiency Group
    REB Information Sheet
    REB/Mondo Offers
    Reduce 1/3
    Reducing Energy Costs For Business
    Renewable Energy Benalla (REB)
    Renewable Energy For Benalla
    Renewable Energy For Benalla Action Group
    Renewable Energy Forum
    Renewable Energy Webinar
    Renewable Energy Working Party
    Replace 1/3
    Report To BSFG AGM
    Report To BSFG Meeting
    Report To Community
    Repowering Industry
    Rustik Cafe
    School Strike For Climate
    Solar Energy Facilities Guidelines
    Solar Farms
    Solar For Rentals
    Solar Gain
    Solargain Wangaratta
    Solar Gardens
    Solar Home Program
    South Energy
    Stalls
    Strathbogie Pumped Hydro Project
    "Sunulator"
    Supporting Our Regions To Adapt
    Sustainability Victoria
    Sustainable Design
    Sustainable Houses
    Switch 1/3
    'Tents To Castles' Report
    The Local Power Plan
    Tim Bowtell
    Totally Renewable Yackandandah
    UBI Smart Control Device
    Utility Scale
    Vanessa Petrie
    Virtual Power Plants
    Waste To Energy
    Winton Solar Farm
    Winton Wetlands
    Wipe Out Your Gas & Electricity Bills Workshops
    Workshops
    Z-NET Uralla

    Archives

    January 2023
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016

    RSS Feed

Picture

Renewable Energy

REB Pamphlets
Forms of Renewable Energy

Local Case Studies
Other Communities

Support

Join REB
Benalla Community Energy Project 
Contact Us

RENEWABLE ENERGY BENALLA IS AN ACTION GROUP OF THE BENALLA SUSTAINABLE FUTURE GROUP
© COPYRIGHT 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.