Council's draft Net Zero Emissions Action Plan - have your say

Published on 30 September 2020

With Council’s draft Net Zero Emissions Action Plan for Council Operations 2025 on public exhibition until Monday 5 October – this is a final call out to anyone who’d like to provide feedback or a submission and have their say.

“We must keep pushing forward with our efforts to tackle climate change, not let our attention waver - even during a pandemic,” Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson said.

“We made the commitment to achieving Net Zero Emissions as a Council back in 2017, we set out our strategy last year and now this plan maps out the actions we will take to reach our goal,” Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson said.

“On top of this, we have also committed to sourcing 100 percent of our energy from renewable sources by 2027 and this draft Action Plan sets out the steps we need to take to achieve this.

“To date, we have installed more than 600kW of solar across numerous Council sites and we have a plan for the potential 5MW Solar Farm at Dingo Lane, Myocum.

“Council is in the feasibility stage with plans for a bioenergy plant as an innovative and Australian-first solution to our region’s organic waste management problem - given that the majority of commercial waste, Australia-wide, currently goes to landfill.

“The Byron Shire Bioenergy Facility would process the region’s organic green waste locally, including commercial organic waste, sewage biosolids and grease trap waste and turn it all into about 4 million kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity – helping Council to become carbon neutral as well as sending electricity to the grid.

“Renewables are so exciting, they’re tried and tested overseas and we need to be moving forward with these actions if we want to really make a difference for our planet,” Mayor Richardson said.

Council’s draft Net Zero Emissions Action Plan is mapped out using five high-level objectives, which correlate with the five principal contributing sources of emissions within Council Operations:

Objective A - Electricity: improve electricity efficiency and transition to 100% renewable energy. Example projects: The potential 5MW Solar Farm at Dingo Lane, and the potential bioenergy facility at West Byron Sewage Treatment Plant.

Objective B - Fuel: optimise fuel efficiency and transition to renewable fuel sources. Example project: Review Council’s passenger vehicle policies and procedures to encourage Hybrid and Electric Vehicle ownership.

Objective C - Waste, water and sewer: reduce waste and improve water efficiency. Example project: Progress the closure and rehabilitation of the Southern Expansion landfill cell at the Byron Resource Recovery Centre.

Objective D - Governance: disclose and improve emissions reporting and invest in high quality carbon offsets. Example project: Become certified carbon neutral under the Australian Climate Active standard by 2025/26.

Objective E - Community Infrastructure: minimise emissions from the construction of community infrastructure.  Example projects: Implement the Integrated Transport Plan and Bike Plan, and investigate alternative materials for construction of infrastructure. 

For more information and to have a say, see our website at https://www.yoursaybyronshire.com.au/net-zero-action-plan