Ryan Pollin for Zondits, October 7, 2015. Image credit: suzanne chapman
The Australian town of Uralla is taking the direct approach – aiming for a 100% renewable energy town. The town of 6,000-plus will use proven energy reduction strategies to minimize their energy needs, then bring on as much on-site power as they can. A 20% reduction in energy use is expected from broadly adopted retrofit measures, bringing energy costs down from the current $12 million spent each year. Better yet, their “Z-Net Blueprint” (or zero net energy) is publicly available and already creating waves in other towns in the area. Here’s wishing them swift success!
NSW town provides blueprint for 100% renewable energy communities
Renew Economy, October 6, 2015
The NSW town of Uralla has outlined plans to go 100 per cent renewable energy, in a government-sponsored blueprint that could become the model of many other towns in NSW and other states to follow suite.
The Zero Net Energy Town – the Uralla Case study – was released today and describes a two-stage process that the town could adopt to go 100 per cent renewable, or “zero net energy”. It is a blueprint that others can follow, and two dozen towns in the state have already expressed interest.
The good news is that Uralla – population 6,034 and in the heart of Barnaby Joyce’s New England electorate – can get most of the way to their council’s objective of becoming “zero net energy” just by using measures that are proven and that will save them money.
These include things such as LED lighting and home insulation, and producing energy on site, particularly with solar PV. These measures will save the town around $2.2 million a year in energy costs, the study finds.