General News
20 July, 2023
Solar boost for Dunolly hub
Leading the charge towards a renewable future, Dunolly’s community hub has kicked off a fundraiser for its solar project on a high note — with a significant donation powering the cause. In a major boost to it’s rooftop solar panels initiative...
Leading the charge towards a renewable future, Dunolly’s community hub has kicked off a fundraiser for its solar project on a high note — with a significant donation powering the cause.
In a major boost to it’s rooftop solar panels initiative, the Dunolly and District Neighbourhood Centre (DDNC) has received a grant worth $2600 from the Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance (CVGA) as part of their More Australian Solar Homes Community scheme.
CVGA’s project director Dr David Gormley-O’Brien said that the organisation recognised DDNC’s commitment to reducing emissions and wanted to support them in achieving their goal.
“Part of the objective of the program is not just promoting solar but also helping community groups,” he said.
“[DDNC] wants to play a leading role in promoting renewable energy in the Dunolly community. We are very pleased that this project will soon come to fruition allowing the centre to produce a lot of their own electricity, reduce their bills and carbon emissions.
“Projects like these also really normalise the take up of renewable energy through solar. By having solar panels in community groups, residents and businesses around them can see how well it works and they become more encouraged to take it up themselves.”
While the panels will help DDNC bring down emissions and reduce costs, it will also assist the centre in directing those savings back into the community.
“CVGA has kick started our project and we’re so happy. It’s not just a pipedream anymore, we’ve actually got money in the bank and that has started us off and has driven us to progress further,” the centre’s coordinator Kath Ryan said.
“We are certainly on our way now. I’m feeling very positive and I love the idea that the neighbourhood centre is becoming a leader in the community with this.
“The daytime is normally when we use most of our power so this will really help in keeping the costs down and now I can put more back into the neighbourhood, into the pantry and other programs that are very important — we will also be better able to assist those who are looking to be involved and connected in a meaningful way with the activities we offer.”
Ms Ryan said the centre will continue its fundraising efforts through grant applications, donations and raffles over the next couple of months.
“Our plan is to put up about 15 solar panels on our woodwork shed and with the CVGA grant, we’ve got a third of the funding and we’ve already agreed to a quote and paid the deposit.
“We’re also applying for two more grants and the rest of the funding will come from our fundraiser event planned for September.
“I’m very excited and we’re hoping that the installation will happen by the end of this year.”
The project has been coordinated since the start of 2023 by an enthusiastic committee of locals in partnership with the Goldfields Renewable Energy Group (GREG).
DNC Solar Panels Project convenor Tony Macer said that the initiative came out of the Central Goldfields Shire Council Climate Action Plan via GREG.
“We were able to procure solar panels for the Maryborough Community House last year and wanted to support the Dunolly Neighbourhood Centre this year,” he said.