May ‘26

The CERP needs you again

But not quite yet.  Get ready. 

Our Climate Action Emergency Plan, the CERP, was drawn up in 2020 by the local community with input from hundreds of residents and other locals.  The Plan sensibly included a requirement to review the document after five years.  And here we are, ready to review it and consider modifications to it, for the next five years.  Council is co-ordinating the review process.  It is getting late, but we expect Council to set up an online survey soon seeking suggestions and ideas for any changes from members of the community.

It is likely that the survey will be open for comment for only a short while.  So we need to think about it now.

It is important that Council receive lots of responses – even if your only comment is that it is fine as it is.  QCAN is looking at it carefully of course; we will make a submission and will respond to the survey as well.  We will also share our ideas with you.

Council has indicated that it will hold two community meetings, either of which you might like to attend.  But you will need to book in early because each meeting will be limited to 30 people.  Council will soon publish the dates for the meetings and for the survey.  And we expect Council will issue a background paper and a checklist of work completed under the Plan.

This chart shows the result and the power of the community’s efforts to date in implementing the CERP. 

The analysis is based on power consumption and solar export data sourced from Powercor

Rapid growth in local solar generation is the main driver of this progress.  Our community’s concerted efforts have increased solar capacity in the Borough by two and a half times - in homes, schools, community organisations and businesses.  All helped along the way by QCAN’s expertise and initiatives.

This is good progress but clearly, we have some way still to go; we must continue to increase our local solar generation and battery storage.

This progress could not have been achieved without the original ‘climate emergency’ declaration and the consequent development and implementation of the CERP.

For those new to the CERP, here is a very potted history:

2019  A petition to Council, from the community, called for a declaration of a climate emergency

2020-21  Council embraced the concept; community developed the CERP

2021  The CERP was finalised and published

2021-2025  The CERP helped us all achieve these successes

2026   Achievements will include installation of community batteries, more solar panels and storage, more energy efficiency appraisals, a new sustainable transport initiative, and more…

QCAN has worked closely with the Point Lonsdale Bowls Club management and Vortex, our installer friends, who have just set up a 32kWh battery at the Club.  It is a sensible complement to the 25kW solar panel system the Club installed in 2022 with QCAN’s assistance.  We used a donation for the panels from a community solar program, and Geelong Sustainability helped too.

the grid during the evening peak demand period; it will use it’s own power bank.  And during the day it will use it’s own solar generators on the roof.

A generous contribution from Queenscliff Music Festival’s Carbon Emissions Offset Fund of 25% of the total cost, was enough subsidy to make the project financially viable for the Club. A zero interest loan from Geelong Sustainability’s Community Energy Revolving Fund tipped the scales.  It was all arranged by QCAN.

You can join in the fun and help in the battle against climate change by joining the QCAN team - become a member.

It seems the Point Lonsdale Bowls Club is pleased.  They have sent us an email worth sharing with our readers, not so much to pat ourselves on the back, as to show people what can be done with a little help from some friends.

I wanted the members and the (QCAN) Executive team to know how grateful the Board and members are at Point Lonsdale Bowls Club with your invaluable assistance to help us install a battery.  Once again Neil Mathison has been vital in steering this through and QCAN has secured the grants to ensure a community club like ours can access all the benefits.  Congratulations on all the work you do.  I commend your efforts to make a difference for our community.  It’s working! 

Michele Higgins President PLBC

Fossil-fuels now ‘fossil-escent’

We like to bring you good news, even if we have to invent new words to bring it.  Here’s a story to warm the cockles (ventricles) of your heart.  This news comes from Renew Economy, and tells about progress towards the inevitable demise of fossil fuels.  It also explains how renewables are energising remote Australia – aboriginal communities, mining towns and coastal communities.  It’s a great story.

Fossil fuels are well on their way out.

More Good News from CSIRO

This fairly technical article from CSIRO gives us encouragement in our efforts towards even a small-scale solar farm for Queenscliffe.  In summary, this is what the report tells us:

• Solar farms play an essential role in the transition to renewable energy in Australia

• Their rapid deployment is an Australian success story

• Collaborative solar research is advancing the development of the next-generation of systems

• Researchers from CSIRO are developing innovative solutions to address the challenges facing us

The more distressing news, not mentioned in this article, is the newly announced cuts to jobs at CSIRO in the climate change area.  Disappointing from a Government claiming commitment to climate change action.