Pomonal Power, a subcommittee of the Pomonal Progress Association, in conjunction with BREAZE Inc., are hosting the Pomonal Power Community Energy Project information evening and Q&A session on Thursday November, 11, 2021 from 5:30pm - 7pm at the Pomonal Community Hall.
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The event will discuss Pomonal's community energy options, including what a battery hub is and what benefits can it bring to the region. The evening will commence with a sausage sizzle hosted by the Men's Shed and feature a presentation by Taryn Lane, Hepburn Branch partner in the Grampians Community Power Hub, who will outline multiple options for the Pomonal community in the renewable energy space.
The session will close with a Q&A featuring a panel of community leaders and energy specialists: Taryn Lane, Manager, Hepburn Wind; Dr. Tim Harrison, CEO, Ararat City Council; Peter Boadle, Grampians CPH Project Control Group; and John Van Rooden, Regional Engagement Lead, Sustainability Victoria.
Dee-Anne Kelly, Pomonal Power Committee Member said the Pomonal community is really progressive around climate change action and renewable energy.
"Having a battery hub would help when there's an emergency, such as the bushfires we've seen come through in recent years," she said.
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"This event is a means of community consultation and an information session on what a battery hub could look like."
The role of the Grampians Community Power Hub - being delivered by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the Victorian Government - is to identify community energy projects across the 11 local government areas of the Grampians region.
The Hub's underlying purpose, however, is fivefold: to reduce GHG emissions; to facilitate energy cost savings; to increase communities; energy resilience; to support local jobs in the renewables sector; and to grow public awareness of, and social licence for, renewable energy.
Paul Duggan, BREAZE Inc. Board and Grampians CPH Project Control Group said we're really excited to be working with the Pomonal community on our (Grampians CPH) first major engagement and going over the potential options for renewable energy in the area.
The Hub's role is primarily about identifying projects and getting them shovel-ready, via strategic networking and expertise - funding feasibility studies or development of a business case. Communities themselves need to drive project funding and implementation - although the Hub will assist with identifying funding pathways.
"Engaging with communities across the Grampians region, the CPH will assist the development of projects that might range from small scale solar PV and micro-grids to larger community-scale battery or utility wind and solar.
Mary Debrett, BREAZE Inc. President and Grampians CPH Project Control Group said getting a community energy project up and running takes collaborative effort and perseverance but the pay-off is fantastic - cuts in GHG emissions, energy cost savings, and energy resilience, particularly important when bushfires hit.
RSVP by Friday 5 November 2021 by sending your name and number to Dee-Ann Kelly on 0407 407 185.
UPCOMING GRAMPIANS CPH EVENTS:
This event is followed by the launch of the Grampians Community Power Hub in Halls Gap in November.
The Launch will showcase simple solar projects that can be implemented in a community setting. This will also be an opportunity to meet with the Grampians CPH project control group and staff. Dates and keynote speakers to be confirmed.
An online Community Energy Forum will take place on Thursday 18 November from 7:30pm - 8:30pm via Zoom. The programme features guest speakers: Matt Vallance, McCallum Disability Support Executive Manager Infrastructure & Business Development; Bryce Ott, Community Engagement Manager, Mollongghip and District Community Power Hub; Jerry Ham, Group Manager, Uniting; and Sowmya Nagaraj, Grampians Community Power Hub Project Manager.
This event is designed to engage with communities in the Grampians region about what possibilities lie ahead in their transition to renewable energy.. Registration via Humantix.
BREAZE Inc, join six other organisations in Sustainability Victoria's expanded regional CPH program: Loddon Mallee hosted by Bendigo Sustainability Group; Barwon South West hosted by Geelong Sustainability Group; Hume hosted by Indigo Power; Gippsland hosted by Gippsland Climate Change Network. The 2021 program also includes two metropolitan CPHs - Yarra hosted by Yarra Climate Action Network and Healesville hosted by Healesville CORE Group.
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