SA honours local climate action leaders

The City of Mitcham last night was awarded a $10,000 prize by the Premier’s Climate Change Council (PCCC) for its Community Renewable Energy Program.

The awards are an initiative of the PCCC to recognise achievements of individuals and organisations taking action to address climate change in South Australia.

Mitcham’s program provides solar panels and home batteries to households and businesses across the council area with no up-front costs.

More than 900 systems have been installed as part of the program, which was first launched in 2021 and is managed by solar energy supplier ShineHub.

The program also includes the option for residents to participate in a virtual power plant, which is a network of connected solar batteries coordinated to work together.

The City of Mitcham was also named the winner of the Government category. Other winners include:

• Business and Industry (Large Enterprise): Electrolux – for its new electric furnace, located in the business’s Dudley Park factory. The furnace reduces energy consumption by 70 per cent compared to its old gas-powered furnace.
• Business and Industry (Small Enterprise): Sparc Hydrogen – for the development of a planned pilot power plant using green hydrogen production technology. The plant is designed to use no electricity or produce any carbon emissions, and its location near Adelaide will enable continuous testing and optimisation, ensuring the technology is ready for large-scale deployment.
• Community: Biodiversity McLaren Vale - a collaboration between local community, industry and government to rehabilitate the native landscapes and waterways and increase indigenous biodiversity within the region, helping to reduce carbon emissions and improve climate resilience.
• Research and Education: Waite Arboretum, The University of Adelaide - for a study that has combined data from 20 councils to build a large single-city tree database, which can help identify vulnerabilities in the urban forest and find opportunities to increase resilience of green spaces.
  

Department for Environment and Water Director Climate Change Mary-Anne Healy said it was wonderful to see South Australians taking a leading role in combatting climate change.

"All of the winners and nominees in this year’s SA Climate Leaders Awards undertake incredibly important work and deserve the recognition they have received," she said.

"Lowering carbon emissions and reducing cost-of-living pressures are key priorities for the State Government.

"It is wonderful to see South Australians taking a leading role in combatting climate change."

PCCC chair Martin Haese congratulated the entrants, finalists and overall winner of the 2024 SA Climate Leaders Awards for their innovative solutions to address climate change in South Australia.

"Well done to the City of Mitcham for their Community Renewable Energy Program to reduce carbon emissions and ease cost-of-living pressures for their local residents," Mr Hease said.

"This is an example of practical climate action that is a win-win for the environment and the local economy.

"South Australia is leading the nation with its uptake of renewable energy and as the pre-eminent advisory body to the State Government, the PCCC believes that it is important to celebrate the success of those organisations and individuals who are taking positive action to address climate change across South Australia."

City of Mitcham Mayor Dr Heather Holmes-Ross said the council was excited and honoured to receive the awards.

"Starting as a kernel of an idea to provide no-up-front solar for residents, the chamber and administration have worked together over the last four years to create a program will continue to reap benefits for all of our community," Dr Holmes-Ross said.

"From residential bulk-buys of solar and battery systems, through the creation of a Mitcham Virtual Power Plant, to a massive roll-out of solar panels and batteries across council properties, this program is saving residents money on their power bills, decreasing the cost of council’s electricity bills, providing income for residents and council, paving the way for access to cheaper power for disadvantaged cohorts such as renters and significantly reducing our city's greenhouse gas emissions.

"We are so proud of what we have achieved so far and look forward to helping achieve equitable access to cheap renewable power for the whole community."

More information about the winners and finalists is available here.