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Please see below an invitation to connect with a new local Community Energy group called 2030 Yea, which has formed following the Yea community planning process, with the goal of developing a local micro-grid.
Please get in touch with Elaine Furniss – [email protected] if you’d like to learn more and/or connect with the group.
2030 Yea: Community Energy
The 2030 Yea group. (John Anderson, Elaine Furniss, Alister Huth, Ron Litjens) started after the Community Planning Process (Murrindindi Shire Council 2019-2020), with the goal of developing a Yea microgrid. However we see energy efficiency more broadly as the goal of our group. We want to work together with groups in Yea who share our goal. Are you this group? These are our proposed goals:
1. Ensure Yea has totally renewable energy sources by 2030
This will involve encouraging the purchase of solar PV , providing solar PV for public buildings, encouraging the purchase of heat pumps, and working towards a community- scale solar battery.
2. Work towards building a Yea microgrid. (this will take a few years).
Microgrids are formed by sharing energy generated by solar panels between neighbours, even those without their own panels. Electricity energy sharing only occurs between consumers moni-tored by a common microgrid operator. This requires a device that monitors electricity use: solar system and battery, sending fast, accurate information to watch energy flow in real time. The mi-crogrid operator shares (buys and sells) the available power between the consumers and only purchases from the grid when required. https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2019-12-03/microgrids-set-to-transform-how-we-use-energy/11756672; https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/microgrids adapted from Richardson,T. (2018) Taggerty MicroGrid Financial Model
3. Increase energy efficiency in Yea
This may involve retrofitting energy efficiency measures in older buildings (lights, insulation, gap stopping etc. It will also build on earlier projects, see Greening your Business: environmental business assessments in Yea (2013).https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZOKfWppSrY
The Australian Photovoltaic Institute shows incidence of solar in each postcode in Victoria. https://pv-map.apvi.org.au/historical#8/-36.880/144.141 For 3717 (Flowerdale, Ghin, Glenburn, Homewood, Killingworth, Limestone, Murrindindi, Yea), 32.6 % of dwellings already have Solar PV
installations. We are well on the way!
4. Community Engagement for energy efficiency in Yea
We want to Initiate a FB site involving links to other projects in NE Victoria; use short Vox Pop grabs with locals who have existing residential or commercial buildings with solar PV; provide Vir-tual Sustainability tours in local residential and commercial buildings, and tips on retrofitting for Yea locals. We want to link heart and head, by involving existing arts, sports and environment groups in community engagement about energy efficiency in Yea.
Will you join us in this new venture?
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) is a technology that converts sunlight (solar radiation) into direct current
How do you direct your solar energy toward a community battery set up.?
Currently, Eg. any excess Solar energy goes to the grid.
I currently have 26 solar panels on my roof and receive a measly 5.2 cents per KWH for the power that goes to the grid.
A community battery set-up, on paper seems a great idea.
Norman A. in Kinglake.