City of Mitcham’s Community Renewables Program has been recognised as winner of the Government category and Overall winner of the Premier's Climate Change Committee 2024 SA Climate Leaders Awards.
City of Mitcham won the awards for its Community Renewables Program that provides no up-front cost solar panels and batteries, easing cost of living pressures and reducing carbon emissions.
It is the second major accolade for the program this year after the City was awarded Excellence in Environmental Leadership and Sustainability Award at the Local Government Professionals SA 23rd Annual Leadership Excellence Awards in May.
City of Mitcham Mayor Dr Heather Holmes-Ross said the award was testament to the dedication and innovation of the City of Mitcham's Community Renewables Program.
“We are proud of what we have achieved so far and we’re looking forward to helping achieve equitable access to cheap renewable power for the whole community,” Dr Holmes-Ross said.
The City of Mitcham Community Renewables Program has developed an innovative roadmap for local government to play a role in the global shift to a new energy system by mobilising residents, businesses, sporting clubs and associations to accelerate their uptake of renewable energy technologies.
Since 2022, the Council has run three community bulk buys reaching over 4,000 residents and resulting in over 900 households signing up for solar panels, batteries and joining a virtual power plant. The carbon emission reductions from the solar panel systems ad 1,700tCO2e which is the equivalent of taking 405 petrol-powered vehicles off the road for one year.
Collectively households have saved over $2 million off their energy bills, easing cost of living pressures.
City of Mitcham is delivering a range of other innovative renewable energy programs including procuring a 100% renewable energy retail plan for Council's electricity energy consumption and partnering with SA Power Networks to run a trial for EV chargers on Stobie poles.
The cities of Charles Sturt, Campbelltown and Unley are set to replicate parts of the program for their own communities.
Presented by the Premier’s Climate Change Council, the awards have been held every two years since 2016 and attract entries from a wide array of industries and sectors.