Two Ocean Grove buildings have been fitted out with solar installations thanks to Ocean Grove Community Association’s (OGCA) renewable energy project.
Ocean Grove Park Pavilion and Ocean Grove Senior Citizens building have been fitted out with 6.6Kw of rooftop solar systems and there is the further potential for some benefits sharing between the Ocean Grove Senior Citizens and the Ocean Grove Community Garden.
“Our project always envisioned a community benefit component where we hoped to realise the installation of a renewable energy system for a worthy local not for profit organisation,” OGCA chairperson Phil Edwards said.
“The success of the project meant the financial benefit was enough to pay for the total cost of the installations at the Ocean Grove Park Pavilion and the Ocean Grove Senior Citizens.
“The OGCA , which initiated and led the project, would like to acknowledge the efforts of all the team members who came together in great cooperation to deliver two fantastic renewable energy community benefit outcomes.
“When the community works together there are great outcomes to be achieved.”
Mr Edwards said in February and early March 2020, just before the pandemic hit, more than 400 people attended across four community renewable energy forums held at the Shell Road Pavilion.
“Presentations were given by Mondo, one of our partners in the project who provide solar and battery solutions and City to Surf, our partner in the supply and installation of solar systems and batteries,” he said.
“The presenters did a great job in answering a large number of questions and provided answers in layperson language for all to understand. 357 people expressed interest, and City to Surf carried out
163 site inspections including one on one discussions with householders and provided 159 quotes resulting in more than 60 installs.
“Importantly, in total 303.8kw of solar panels and 109.6kw of battery storage have been installed through our renewables project. A great outcome for the environment and to the individual householders and businesses who took up the opportunity.
“Our project always envisioned a community benefit component where we hoped to realise the installation of a renewable energy system for a worthy local not for profit organisation.
“The success of the project meant the financial benefit was enough to pay for the total cost of the installations at the Ocean Grove Park Pavilion and the Ocean Grove Senior Citizens.
“In particular we thank our former OGCA committee member Suzie Brown who had the idea and was the energy that drove the setup of the project and the community forums.
“We also thank City of Greater Geelong who provided a grant of $6K to offset the costs of a project manager and the conduct the forums, Mondo our partner in the project who were excited in enabling more renewable energy generation in the region and provided $10k seed funding to support the
community benefit solar installations.
“Also City to Surf Solar our installation supplier and partner, 100% Clean Bellarine who were our administration partner and Shell Road Sports Pavilion who provided us the venue for the forums at a discounted rate.”
