Australia has a global reputation for having the highest rate of rooftop solar home installations. However, more than 30% of Australians cannot install solar on their roofs! The solar garden is a solution for those who find themselves short of solar energy.
Kristy, previously a member of the team of Solar Citizensnow lead the Community Electricity Agency (CPA). CPA campaigned to support Solar Gardens. These allow access to distributed clean energy for those who rent or live in an apartment.
“The concept is similar to a community garden, except instead of providing a garden plot for vegetables you can’t grow at home, a solar garden builds off-site solar plots and then provides bill credit. solar power to members’ electricity bills,” she explains. It’s a simple but effective method: buying a plot in an offsite solar garden, which is similar to a community garden but for clean energy!
CPA is now launching the Haystacks Solar Garden, a solar option for renters and apartment dwellers! The deadline for purchasing plots is September 30. Everyone can participate in the renewable energy revolution!
NSW Riverina – site of Haystacks Solar Garden. Photo courtesy of Narranderra Shire Council
Leah from Sydney explains why she bought her land: “I live in a very large terraced house. The quotes for installing panels on my inaccessible roof are way too expensive. The Haystacks solar garden is the perfect solution for me.
CPA has partnered with Pingala, Komo Energy, and the electricity retailer is Energy Locals to provide citizen energy supply. Despite a pandemic and because of recurring energy crises, CPA worked hard to bring the project to harvest. In effect, Clean Technica first wrote about the project 2 years ago!
Out of a total of 333 solar garden plots, there are still more than 200 plots available until September 30, 2022. Each plot is 3 kW of solar panels and costs $4200 to purchase. The owner then receives a credit of $505 per year for 10 years, which equates to a feed-in tariff of 12 c/kWh.
“Solar Gardens are pioneering a way to have solar that moves as you move. Since the panels will be physically installed on a rural property in the NSW Riverina, when you move you just need to change address with the participating electricity retailer Energy Locals and your solar benefits continue to arrive on your bill.
“Anyone who pays an electricity bill can be a solar gardener. Whether you are a tenant in Bendigo who wants solar power or someone in Brisbane who already has solar power and wants to help make this model a reality.
Now, finally, there is a solar solution for renters, apartment dwellers, and those without a solar-enabled roof — solar gardens!
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