Provide feedback on Council's prospectus for a greener future

Alpine Shire Council is seeking community feedback on its Draft Community Energy and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Prospectus.  

This initiative, endorsed at the April Ordinary Council Meeting, represents a collaborative effort funded by the Australian and Victorian governments. 

The draft Prospectus aims to enhance renewable energy infrastructure and promote sustainable transportation options within the Alpine Shire.  

Manager Growth and Future, Michael MacDonagh, said the draft Prospectus, funded by Recovery and Resilience funding from the Australian and Victorian governments, was developed to ensure Council has a number of investment-ready community scale battery sites and public EV charging sites. 

"Being prepared will ensure that Council is in a favourable position to seek funding for this infrastructure as grant opportunities or commercial investment opportunities arise," he said. 

"We invite interested community members to review the draft Prospectus and share your feedback to help shape our efforts towards a more resilient and sustainable future." 

The draft Prospectus outlines several key objectives and benefits, including: 

Improving resilience by providing backup power during emergencies and power outages.  Delivering locally generated renewable energy to communities.  Providing cost savings on electricity bills for host sites.  Offering network benefits through battery exporting during peak demand times.  Facilitating the uptake of zero-emission vehicles.  Establishing a robust business case for community batteries in regional Victoria. 

The sites selected for analysis in the draft Prospectus were chosen based on existing infrastructure suitability, enabling the installation of solar PV and battery systems along with public EV charging infrastructure.  

Detailed modelling and design briefs were provided for each of the identified sites. 

Ten sites were modelled for Community Power Plants and Energy Nodes, with five sites deemed suitable for Community Power Plants capable of supplying electricity needs and exporting excess power to the local community.  

Additionally, six sites were identified as suitable for public EV charging infrastructure. 

The draft Prospectus documents, including Executive Summary, Community Power Plant documents, Energy Node Documents, and supporting material, are available to view and provide feedback online at https://engage.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/community-energy-and-ev-charging-p...

Submissions close at 5pm on Wednesday, 12 June 2024.