Rethinking electricity use is a key initiative for the proactive management team of Yackandandah Health as they announce the launch of a program incorporating dramatic reductions in their power demands and the installation of 90kW solar panels.
Totally Renewable Yackandandah (TRY), a community group aiming to switch Yackandandah to be 100% renewable by 2022, is partnering Yackandandah Health in this innovative energy venture.
Health Service Chief Executive, Annette Nuck is very excited to be introducing this new energy program. “We looked at the finances for the efficiency and generation plan and it made strong economic sense for our community owned, not-for-profit organisation. At Yackandandah Health we use power consistently and predictably. So it has been relatively easy to map savings and to determine the optimal photovoltaic installation capacity,” explained Ms Nuck. “But we are also mindful of the critical importance of reducing our carbon footprint, and at the same time working with the local community to achieve the 100% renewable aspiration. The solar installation is part of a broader program at Yackandandah Health where we are looking at making our organisation more environmentally aware and lessening our footprint. We are considering all activities on-site with the aim to decrease waste and our impact on the environment and hope others follow our lead”.
Paying back the initial cost of the solar installation is calculated to take only five years and offer an anticipated carbon emission reduction of more than 200 tonnes annually. The panels will generate an equivalent amount of electricity to power fifteen average Victorian homes.
TRY is assisting Yackandandah Health to raise capital for the energy program. Using a combination of crowd sourcing campaign named Totally Renewable Yackandandah Perpetual Energy Fund and an enthusiastic local fund raising program, TRY is aiming to raise $60,000 as a loan to the Health Service. This loan will be repaid to TRY using savings in Yackandandah Health’s electricity bills. The repaid capital will then be reinvested in TRY’s Perpetual Energy Fund to enable community energy projects around Yackandandah.
TRY President, Matthew Grogan said yesterday “The pioneering heritage of the Yackandandah Bush Nursing Hospital, (now Yackandandah Health), fits neatly with TRY’s aspirations with energy reinvention.”
“TRY is thrilled that the health service is helping to lead the way in local energy thinking and it will save money, stabilise the supply of electricity and respond to our collective need to reduce carbon emissions.”
Community initiatives in Yackandandah already include photovoltaic installations at the Council office and depot, the Primary School, the community owned petrol station, the Kindergarten, the Community Centre, the Museum and the newly built stand-alone power supply on the Men’s Shed. This 90kW Yackandandah Health installation fits nicely into the rapidly evolving community energy transformation.
To donate funds to the Totally Renewable Yackandandah Perpetual Energy Fund please go to the TRY crowd funding link at https://chuffed.org/project/totally-renewable-yackandandah-perpetual-energy-fund or TRY’s webpage https://totallyrenewableyack.org.au/kookaburra
For further information contact Matt Grogan, President of Totally Renewable Yackandandah – 0428 529 705
