Friday, February 7, 2025

$100m fund to power up community energy upgrades

The Federal Government has announced it will partner with local government to deliver energy upgrades and bill savings for community facilities.

A new $100 million Community Energy Upgrades Fund will co-fund upgrades with local councils and has the potential to unlock over $200 million in high-impact energy upgrades to save community facilities on bills over the medium and long term, said Energy Minister, Chris Bowen.

“Local councils run many of the sport and public facilities that keep our communities and clubs thriving. We want facilities that Australians know and love, like cricket grounds and local pools, to be able to save on their energy bills and spend more on the things they do best.”

“The Albanese Government is not just providing short term relief on power bills, with our Community Energy Upgrades Fund and Energy Savings Package, it is also making the investments needed to deliver cleaner, cheaper power for the long-term,” said Mr Bowen.

He said the new funding will unlock energy saving upgrades for community facilities around the country, and could include upgrades like replacing energy-intensive heating in council pools with heat pumps and energy efficient lighting and battery storage at sporting fields, libraries and community centres.

“Local governments are trusted delivery partners of a range of services communities rely on, which is why we continue to provide them with targeted assistance to help them meet the needs of their local communities,” said LG Minister, Kristy McBain.

“We know that every dollar local governments save goes back into their community, which is why the Community Energy Upgrades Fund is great news – it will mean more energy efficient operations and better experiences for communities to enjoy.”

Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Jenny McAllister said local government were on the front line of combating climate change.

“More than 1,000 council pools in Australia are owned or operated by local government. They’re big energy users and efficiencies can make a real difference on the path to net zero.”

“We want to make every watt count. This fund will help local councils install efficient systems, reduce energy bills and lower emissions,” she said.

The Government says the guidelines for the Fund will be designed in close consultation with key stakeholders, including the Australian Local Government Association.

Latest Articles