$24 million for smarter energy use in community facilities

The Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus, and the Federal Member for Maribyrnong, Bill Shorten, have announced the opening of the new Local Government Energy Efficiency Program to help local councils install solar or heat pump hot water systems in community facilities.

Improving energy efficiency is a central element of the government’s Clean Energy Future plan as it will help improve the productivity of our economy and move Australia towards a prosperous low‐carbon future.

“The $24 million Local Government Energy Efficiency Program provides support to all local councils across Australia to install low-pollution, clean energy solar and heat-pump hot water systems,” said Dreyfus.

“This program will help support local business, while driving smarter energy use in local government buildings and community facilities,” said Shorten.

“Extra support is provided to councils in low socio‐economic or otherwise disadvantaged areas. Extra assistance is also available to small regional and rural local governing authorities to meet project management costs,” said Shorten.

“I am excited, as the Minister for Employment, about the investment in a clean energy future and the jobs growth that will generate,” Shorten said.

“Moonee Valley City Council has been working hard to reduce our greenhouse emissions and we’re making great progress with a 40% reduction in our energy consumption at our civic centre in the last five years,” said Mayor of Moonee Valley Cr Narelle Sharpe.

“We welcome the federal government’s support and the opening of the Local Government Energy Efficiency Program to further our local energy saving initiatives,” said Cr Sharpe.

“Council has installed solar hot water here at our civic centre, as well as rolling these systems out at five local preschools in the last year - saving 19 tonnes of CO₂ emissions and $2200 in energy costs,” she added.

“Through this program, the federal government and energy smart councils like Moonee Valley City Council will support Australian jobs and help local industries remain skilled, innovative and competitive into the future,” said Dreyfus.

For more information on the Local Government Energy Efficiency Program or to access an application form visit: www.climatechange.gov.au or call the hotline on 1800 463 008.

The $24 million Local Government Energy Efficiency Program is part of the government’s Clean Energy Future package. For more information visit: www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au.