Council seeks solar surge

We all know the benefits of using solar energy instead of non-renewable energy. Yet less than 13 percent of compatible homes across the Northern Beaches currently have solar installed.

Why? Results from recent Council-led research indicate the reason our community’s uptake is relatively low compared to the rest of Australia - which is tracking at almost a quarter of homes - is due to several barriers. The main barriers are perceptions - of cost, the uncertainty of payback periods and development controls and policies. A knowledge gap regarding the different systems and technologies available and a lack of confidence in solar power suppliers/installers are common obstacles too.

But, the good news is that Council is helping the community turn this around. Half of all homes across the Northern Beaches will be powered by the sun by 2030 - that’s the ambitious target we are aiming for.

Council is now planning what it can do to help get more solar panels on Northern Beaches households.

Plans so far include:

Promoting the NSW State Government interest-free loans when activatedInvestigating working with organisations that offer financing options for our communityImplementing a solar hub on Council’s websiteDeveloping and implementing a tailored solar education and communications planReviewing current programs to reallocate resources to accelerate solar uptakeReviewing the operating model of Council’s environment centres to accelerate solar uptakeImproving existing development planning checklists and forms and provide ‘user friendly’ information on Council’s webpagesAdvocating for the Clean Energy Council to increase the number of post-installation inspections to help improve confidence in the market place

There’s a lot of work to be done. Watch this space for updates and news.