Electricity bills at Munro Avenue Kindergarten in Benalla will be cut thanks to a solar installation that demonstrates the power of local renewable energy projects.
The project in question was officially opened on Thursday by Federal Member for Indi Helen Haines.
She described it as a “shining example of how regional people are seeing real benefits from renewable energy".
It was delivered by local community energy group Renewable Energy Benalla (REB) and was part-funded with cash and in-kind donations, and a grant from the new Winton Solar Farm.
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“The new solar farms we are seeing around Benalla are now hiring our young people and giving a boost to our local businesses,” Dr Haines said.
“Through projects like this one, they are injecting money right back into our communities.”
This is the first installation of solar panels under REB’s Community Energy Project, which will fund energy savings on community facilities.
Savings from the reduced power bills will be paid forward for an energy-saving project for the next recipient.
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Dr Haines has put forward legislation to set up a new Australian Local Power Agency that would deliver $310 million worth of grants to similar projects across regional Australia.
“What Benalla saw on Thursday is how small-scale renewables can help regional people save money, so our kindergartens can spend less on power and more on taking care of our kids,” she said.
“Every single childcare centre in Australia should be able to access these same benefits.
“Every regional hospital should be able to install solar and batteries, so they spend less on power and more on keeping us healthy.
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“That’s what my proposed agency would deliver – real investment into regional communities to lower our electricity bills with cheap, local power.
“This project is fantastic, but there’s so much more we could do if the government backed my agency.”
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Benalla kindergarden benefits from local renewables project that pays it forward - Riverine Herald
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