October 6th, 2022Saving money on energy bills

Community groups across the state will save money on their energy bills and help drive down emissions thanks to the state government.

Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio has announced that 88 community groups across the state will receive grants to upgrade or install solar and renewable energy batteries to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities saving almost $900,000 on annual energy bills.

The government has invested $1.8 million through the second round of the Community Climate Change and Energy Action (CCCEA) program, which helps community groups reduce their energy costs while slashing greenhouse gas emissions.

The upgrades include converting to solar electricity with battery storage, switching to more efficient LED lighting, upgrading older air conditioning units or installing efficient electric hot water systems. These sustainable changes are outside the budgets of many Victorian community groups.

Through the program, a total of $3 million will be invested to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency for community groups – cutting bills by $1.2 million a year and saving over 4400 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.

In 2021, the CCCEA program funded more than $1.16 million for community organisations to make energy upgrades or conduct an energy audit. This has already delivered $300,000 of annual savings.

For more information and a list of recipients, visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/community-climate-change-and-energy-action-funded-projects.

Minister for Energy Lily D’Ambrosio: “We’re giving community groups like kindergartens, sports clubs and cultural groups the opportunity to reduce their energy costs by upgrading their facilities with simple switches which save money and slash emissions.”

“We’re helping community groups reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by over 4,400 tonnes per year — bringing us closer to our goal of reducing Victoria’s emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.”