By Michael Doran
More than 200 people attended the Healesville CoRE Community Solar and Battery Offer presentations on 25 February, progressing the project towards its goal of a Net Zero carbon town by 2027.
The presentations, opened by Yarra Ranges Mayor, Tony Stevenson and Councillor Fiona McAlister, detailed what the CoRE offering entails and how the project can benefit the whole of Healesville.
CoRE has worked tirelessly to develop the project and founder, Jeff Barlow said the solar and battery offer is the first step in transforming Healesville into a renewable energy town.
“Yes, it’s about getting solar panels on roofs, but it’s also about educating the community and encouraging smart energy use,” he said. “Mondo has been a huge partner on both counts and we now set our sights on the installation phase.”
More than 30 percent of attendees submitted an expression of interest in the offering and have agreed to a no-obligation consultation for a solar energy system.
Partnering with CoRE, is Mondo Power, a pioneer in bringing together homes and businesses to generate and share energy. Mondo is involved with community projects in Barwon, Hume, Yackandandah, Beechworth, Thurgoona and at Deakin University in Waurn Ponds.
Community engagement partner at Mondo, Matthew Charles-Jones, said, “It’s great to see communities rally together around a common goal.”
“Healesville CoRE has been incredibly driven and we look forward to seeing the project come to life in the coming months.”
If Healesville CoRE is recognised for nothing else, its work and ongoing commitment in educating the local community on solar power has been outstanding. The group has already programmed community meetings in April, May, July, September and November on the various steps towards Net Zero carbon emissions.
The next of these is on Saturday 6 April from 10.30am – 12.30pm at the Darron Honey Centre in Healesville by Glen Morris and will look into solar technology and microgrids. Future presentations will cover topics such as achieving zero emissions in your home, solar hot water systems and smart monitoring of energy usage.
CoRE representatives will always be present to talk about participation in the Healesville Community Solar & Battery Offer and the future Micro Grid.
