Maitland City Council has announced it will run on 100% renewable energy from 1 January 2025 after agreeing to a partnership with green energy utility operator, Iberdrola Australia.
Major community facilities, including the Maitland Regional Art Gallery, Maitland Aquatic Centre, the Maitland Administration Centre and Maitland Town Hall, as well as 10,273 public street lights, will be 100% renewable under the new scheme.
This complements Council’s current small sites contract which uses 100% GreenPower under a State Government contract.
Maitland City Council General Manager, Jeff Smith (pictured) says the partnership will result in cost savings of around $564,000 or 9% compared to current rates over the life of the six year contract.
“Not only is this a great environmental outcome, it’s a sound and smart economic one also,” Mr Smith said.
“It will allow us to redirect that spend back into providing key services and infrastructure to our community.”
Wind and solar will power Maitland Council’s clean energy future, with three sites in NSW
set to serve as sources; Capital Wind Farm and Bodangora Wind Farm in Bungendore and Bodangora respectively plus Avonlie Solar Farm in Sandigo.
Adopted last October, Maitland Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2030 outlines “several ways in which we’re forging ahead with a more sustainable future,” Mr Smith said.
“Reducing our reliance on non renewable energy sources across our large community facilities will mark a major step forward in attaining our target of net zero by 2050.”
Mr Smith said Maitland Council would continue to show leadership in this space in the coming years.
“One of the actions in our Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2030 is to develop a net zero emission plan in the coming years, as we work towards halving emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050.”
