The Australian Greens have outlined a plan to cut local government energy bills by fitting council buildings with solar.
The new policy announced by the Greens last Monday would allow solar companies to install PV panels on local government council buildings and infrastructure, as well build new solar car parks and shades at community centres.
“Council can offer up the roofs of its libraries, swimming pool buildings and bus depots, in exchange for cheaper power bills,” said Greens deputy leader and climate spokesperson Larissa Waters
Waters, who launched the “Shading Our Suburbs” plan at the Solar Citizens Political Forum at QUT on Monday, said it was an example of the “proactive, positive work forward-thinking local governments can do to be part of the solar-powered economy.”
The announcement follows the release, also on Monday, of results from a survey commissioned by Solar Citizens, which found that a majority of Australian voters wanted stronger solar policies from the major parties, to support rooftop PV growth and innovation.
It also coincides with the latest data on solar growth in Australia, showing that 2016 is off to an even worse start than last year, with January marking the worst month for volume of PV installations in four years.
Ben Pennings, a Brisbane Lord Mayoral candidate from the Queensland Greens says the plan would not only encourage solar PV installations, but would also invite tenders for new structures for solar panels that created shade.
“For example, solar companies could build solar panel shade structures for car parks at Council’s swimming pools to run the power-hungry pumps,” he said.
© 2016 Solar Choice Pty Ltd
