The Australian Government’s Solar Cities program is designed to trial new sustainable models for electricity supply and use, and is being implemented in seven separate electricity grid-connected areas around Australia. It is administered by the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, in partnership with local and state governments, industry, business and local communities.
Australia’s Solar Cities are Adelaide, Alice Springs, Blacktown, Central Victoria, Moreland, Perth and Townsville.
As at June 2011, the Solar Cities program had:
- installed 5,301 kW of PV
- 20,174 Smart meters
- delivered 10,945 home energy assessments.
The Australian Government’s Solar Cities program is focused on the future. Each Solar City trials a unique combination of energy options such as energy efficiency measures for homes and businesses, the use of solar technologies, cost reflective pricing trials and community education about better energy usage in an increasingly energy-reliant world.
Significant community, industry and environmental benefits are also expected:
- consumers will better understand their energy use and be rewarded for managing energy wisely
- electricity companies will understand the extent of cost savings in servicing peak electricity demand periods and investing in infrastructure, as well as building new client relationships
- industry will be able to test new sustainable energy options in a low-risk environment, strengthen corporate citizenship and improve market position
- government will have access to better information on the environmental and economic costs and benefits of the various energy options, on which to base future energy and greenhouse policy.
Successful strategies that are sustainable in the longer term can be replicated in other towns and cities around Australia and will be an exciting showcase for the rest of the world. The information is being analysed to see how different members of a community can best reduce energy consumption, and how governments, industries and individuals can support wise energy use.