2020-08-28
Today marks the first day of construction for a new community-owned solar farm in the ACT which will make solar energy more accessible for Canberrans.
Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability Shane Rattenbury said the Solarshare community-owned solar farm at Majura Valley will be co-owned by around 500 local community members and will provide enough power to support approximately 250 homes in Canberra.
“Putting solar power in the control of our community allows more Canberrans than ever to reap the rewards of solar energy,” Minister Rattenbury said.
“Renters and people who live in apartments have had difficulties in the past seeing the benefits of solar power in the same way that homeowners have. Our new community-owned solar farm is a great way for them to feel the same support.
“With a lower minimum spend overall, community initiatives like this are a terrific alternative for people when the upfront cost of rooftop solar is too high.
“The Solarshare farm offers further benefits to the Canberra community, with Solarshare Canberra collaborating with and providing internships to students from the University of Canberra, CIT and both the Fenner School of Environment and Society and Engineering Research School at the ANU.
“The new solar farm is supported by a 20 year feed-in tariff granted by the ACT Government and will also help us achieve our Climate Change Strategy’s target of net zero emissions by 2045.”
This project was an item in the 2012-16 Greens-Labor Parliamentary Agreement to advance community owned solar.
For more information on the ACT’s Climate Change Strategy visit: www.environment.act.gov.au/cc/act-climate-change-strategy