Community Power Hub Ballarat

Australian Renewable Energy

kW

Utility Scale

Household Scale

Australian Renewable Energy

kW

Community Owned

Renewable Energy

Household Scale

Utility Scale

Policy reform underway - Victoria

• The Pilot Community Power Hub Initiative

• VRET Target set at 40% by 2025, currently at 13%

• Victorian Climate Change Act Review

• VC82 and Community Wind – precedent with MRSG, discussion

paper for community wind, PiLoR

• Government support – Newstead and MRSG

• Guide for Community Owned Renewable Energy for Victorians

• New Energy Jobs Fund Round 1 = 22 community projects

• Parliamentary Inquiry into Community Energy

• Discussion paper on community energy

And…

• Strong focus and support programs for the Latrobe Valley

8

The Development Process

Coalition for Community

Energy

Presentation title Subtitle

SV Community Power Hubs

Outcomes Increase in CE projects implemented across pilot areas

Increase in financial benefits returned to community

Proof of concept of Hub Model

Evaluation Report – findings to inform future expansion of the program

Increase intellectual property which can be shared with others

Local Economic Activity

Increase in community knowledge and acceptance of community

renewable energy

Work closely with SV

Greg to insert slides on Why, purpose and program

from a SV perspective. What is a CPH, What isn’t?

title Subtitle

Hub timeline

Hub case studies

In Australia we have had some version of Hubs working for

a while….

Moreland Energy Foundation (MEFL): broader scope

• Advocacy, consultancy and services, energy advisory services,

community engagement etc

Embark Australia: non geographical scope

• Toolkits, probono assistance, new business models, research etc

CPH Ballarat Sustainability Victoria awarded a contract to BREAZE to establish a

CPH in Ballarat.

BREAZE, in consultation with community, is required to establish a governance process that will deliver at least four community energy projects in the next two years.

One of the projects will have the status of ‘implemented’ and the other three will have feasibility studies completed.

This event is part of the process of identifying possible community energy projects throughout the region.

Hypothetical case study

• CPH is hosted by local sustainability group who have brought

together stakeholders from their local community

• Network advisory approach to governance

• Members/ Advisory = NGO, LGA, renewable installer, business

network, local school, university, water authority, local grid

network distributer and a farmer.

• Have a database of other members and contacts that they

engage and communicate with

• Working on an innovation bioenergy project and a replication

project which is small-scale solar.

So… what isn’t a Hub in this context?

• Not an energy efficiency service provider

• Not a renewable energy installer

• Not designed to fund the capital works of projects

• Not designed to fully own the projects once built

• Not be a campaigning or advocacy organisation

Presentation title Subtitle

Wider success Outcomes for Community Power Hubs

• The projects represent a mix of Community Energy technologies,

applications and models

• Hubs regularly sharing information

• Develop community capacity to implement CE

• Those interested in CE and Renewable Energy know about the

hubs, engage with the hubs and do their own CE

• Victorians have greater awareness and acceptance of CE

Community-owned renewable energy

“… “individuals, groups or organisations that want to develop and

operate a community power project from a renewable energy resource

or energy efficiency initiative that benefits the community …”

CE projects may be developed to:

• maximize local ownership and decision making

• generate jobs

• use resources efficiently and sustainably

• match energy production to local energy needs and circumstances

• help address climate change

• Solar PV (Photo-voltaic) Panels • Solar Thermal • Biomass Heating • Biomass Gasification • Biodigestors • Biofuels • Wind Generators • Mini Hydro • Integrated (hybrid) solutions

Types of Renewable Energy

CPH Ballarat Governance

CPH Ballarat will work within a collaborative governance arrangement that enables the interests of stakeholders to be represented in pursuit of a common purpose which is:

“To support and progress community energy that is strongly governed, financially viable, and

socially and environmentally sustainable.”

Project Control Group

Roundtable Advisory Group

Working Groups

Roles

• Project Control Group – To ensure that the funds provided by SV are used

appropriately.

• Roundtable Advisory Group – To advise on appropriate projects, from those identified

through community consultation processes, for implementation and/or for feasibility studies and to suggest support strategies for other projects.

• Working Groups – To facilitate and progress each of the community energy

projects identified.

Photo Voltaic Systems

33

Social Renewable by BREAZE Ballarat Regional Industries

In 2016 BREAZE with crowd funded donations and a Federal Government Grant installed a 30Kw PV system on the community owned enterprise BRI which now provides 40% of its power, providing affordable renewable energy

Social Renewable by BREAZE

Uniting Housing Victoria’s Ararat Social Housing receives PV through BREAZE’s Social Renewables Donation Program

Sunlight can be concentrated to heat gasses or liquids which are then able to be used in a heat exchanger to heat water which can be circulated as a heating source or used to drive steam turbines.

Solar thermal

Beaufort Hospital Woodchip Heating

Wood waste from Chute Timber Mill is being dried and screened to provide year round supply for heating. Creates savings for hospital, local jobs in the timber mill and provides renewable energy source.

Community scale biodigesters could operate with food waste, manures, non woody green wastes, crop residues and offel. Biogas can produce distributed energy through electricity or steam / hot water.

Berrybank Farm - Windermere

Schematic of seven-stage waste management system

Berrybank Farm Biodigester

Primary digester

Gasification

Can utilise wood, straw, olive pits, grain to provide heat and potentially electricity

Biomass Heaters

Small Scale Wind Generators

Rotary and Vertical Axis Generators 50W to 1KW e.g. Solazone Australia

Meredith Dairy has installed an extensive PV array for its electricity supply and woodchip heater for its heating, running on chips from dead farm trees in its vicinity. Previously its energy sources were LPG and mains electricity, the investment provides renewable secure supplies, while insulating the farm from unbudgeted energy cost rises.

Ian Rossiter, Peter Reid, Jane Lean www.breaze.org.au/programs/cph 5364 2909 cphballarat@breaze.org.au PO Box 1301, Bakery Hill 3354 19 Dawson Street South, Ballarat