ENERGY EFFICIENT GRANTS FOR RIVERINA AND CENTRAL WEST

Two Riverina and Central West organisations have been given a helping hand to lower their power bills, play their part in reducing Australia’s emissions and support their local communities.

Member for Riverina and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the Federal Government’s Energy Efficient Communities Program would deliver $10,000 to the Harden Murrumburrah Junior Rugby League Football Club and $6,022 to Weddin Landcare Steering Committee Incorporated.

Under the Program, up to two community groups in each Federal electorate will receive support for an energy-saving project, such as installing a solar PV system, upgrading to more energy efficient equipment or having an energy audit done on their premises.

The Harden Murrumburrah Junior Rugby League Football Club’s grant will be used to help install a 15Kw 3 phase solar system on the new facilities building at McLean Oval.

The Weddin Landcare Steering Committee Incorporated’s grant will be used to buy and install a 6.6Kw solar system for the Weddin Community Native Nursery site on 43 East Street, Grenfell.

“These grants will not only benefit the environment by lowering emissions, they will support two groups doing great work for their communities and improve key infrastructure,” Mr McCormack said.

“It is vital we back these groups; sometimes it is a small grant which gets their worthy projects over the line.”

The Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Angus Taylor, said energy bills were often one of the biggest overheads for volunteer organisations.

“We want to help ease some of the financial pressures facing our hardworking community groups,” Minister Taylor said.

“These groups are the lifeblood of our towns and regions. The more they can save on running costs, the more they can spend to support their communities.”

Mr McCormack said the Government was delivering on its promises to help community organisations in the Riverina and Central West save on power bills during this particularly tough time.

The Energy Efficient Communities Program was announced as part of the Government’s Climate Solutions Package in the 2019 Budget.

The program will deliver grants to help businesses and community organisations to improve energy efficiency practises and technologies as well as better manage energy consumption to reduce their power bills.

Harden Murrumburrah Junior Rugby League Football Club president and McLean Oval project co-ordinator Kai Steele said savings generated by solar-powered lighting would allow juniors to train at night.

“Due to expensive power costs it has forced the Junior League to only train kids during the daylight, which cuts down training time for the kids,” Mr Steele said.

“A number of times our kids are finishing training in the dark and the Senior League has had to cut down on its training days.”

Mr Steele said the junior and senior clubs had tried to reduce electricity usage by switching off all fridges and water heaters after each footy session.

He said McLean Oval’s lights were also used for the landing of emergency service helicopters at night and the football clubs met all the electricity costs for that lighting.

Chair of the Weddin Community Native Nursery, Jan Diprose, said the new solar system would help the organisation reduce one of its main overheads.

“We’ve had it pretty tough over the past few years due to the drought, but with the lovely recent change of conditions we are now seeing a dramatic increase in the demand,” Mrs Diprose said.

“Installation of a solar system will allow us to materially reduce our power bill, which will assist us to remain viable and keep the sale price of our plants reasonable.”

In addition to grants to community organisations, the program will provide $10 million for dairy farming businesses, $9 million for small businesses and $15 million for high energy-using businesses.

Applications are now open for the dairy and small business round. Further information on the Energy Efficient Communities Program is available at energy.gov.au. Businesses which wish to apply for a grant can access the guidelines and application forms at business.gov.au or by telephone on 13 28 46.