The Bogie Bulk Buy

by Strathbogie Shire Council

(Government)

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Strathbogie Shire Council has partnered with energy experts Yarra Energy Foundation (YEF) to bring Shire residents, businesses, clubs, farms, weekenders and off-grid properties the opportunity to learn more about solar energy and purchase at a bulk buy price.

Project implemented: July 2017

Project goal

To offer equitable and affordable renewable energy for rural residents wanting to access energy at home and work.

delivering on

why is this project important?

The program installed half a megawatt of solar in the small shire of Strathbogie in under one year, avoiding over 25,000 tCO2-e, with approximately $250,000 of annual community savings on ‘black’ energy now going back into local families and communities. The Bogie Bulk Buy program was shared to a number of local councils who undertook similar programs, so these positive impacts are being replicated across Victoria and other states.

impact to date

25,293 tCO2-e
Avoided greenhouse gas emissions
$237,000
annual savings of community from installing solar
532.21 kW
kilowatts of solar installed through the Bogie Bulk Buy in 12 months

Increased trust in Council sustainability initiatives.

The Strathbogie Shire Council solar and battery bulk buy – otherwise known as the ‘Bogie Bulk Buy’ was born from a desire to offer rural communities energy equity on par with their counterparts living in metropolitan Victoria.

Community feedback has consistently shown Council that there is an appetite in rural Victoria for alternatives to fossil fuel energy and a desire to find relief from financial stress. Our feedback also showed that a lack of trust in provider information and services had prevented the majority of residents from taking up renewable forms of energy as their primary household energy source.

The rural energy experience is vastly different to metropolitan Victoria, including:

  1. regular energy blackouts lasting more than 24hrs;
  2. limited or no access to internet services which affects uptake of renewable technology and also access to information;
  3. no connection to the grid linked to the very high connection costs for many rural properties;
  4. some of the highest retailer and distributor costs in Victoria because of a categorisation as ‘remote/rural’;
  5. Limitations with grid capacity creating a barrier for solar feed-in back into the grid.

This project enables the council to support residents, businesses and producers to live smarter and healthier in a changing climate by empowering their communities to make decisions about their energy future and assisting residents in overcoming the knowledge barriers associated with purchasing solar.

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