Energy and Climate

We are already experiencing more severe and frequent floods, storms, mega bushfires, droughts and heatwaves. Northern Australia has become wetter; southern Australia has become drier. In Darebin we are experiencing more days of above 35C which disproportionately impacts our most vulnerable community members.

These changes are the result of the build-up of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane in our atmosphere. This is largely due to our heavy reliance on burning fossil fuels (petrol, gas and coal) for energy generation, and in transport, agriculture and construction.

Darebin’s Climate Emergency Plan outlines the leadership, advocacy and mobilisation directions this Council is taking to respond urgently, and at the scale required to address the climate emergency.

This plan has, at its heart, the understanding that we can find the solutions locally, nationally and globally by working together.

It has been three years since Darebin Council’s historic climate emergency declaration, and we are still calling for urgent State and Federal action on climate change. We have outlined five key demands relating to renewable energy, electric vehicles, construction and the use of recycled materials for roads, footpaths, products and packaging, to help Australia achieve zero emissions by 2030.

Darebin Climate Emergency Plan

We adopted the Darebin Climate Emergency Plan in 2017. Read the Darebin Climate Emergency Plan or the 8-page summary to see some of the steps that Darebin Council is taking. Click here to read more about what Darebin Council is doing to take action.

Want more information on Climate Change?

•  The Climate Council provide independent, authoritative climate change information to the Australian public
• Darebin Residents Taking Action in the Climate Emergency
• Climate Change in Australia
• The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
• NASA
• Australian Government Department of Environment and Energy

Get involved

While it can feel overwhelming at times, there’s so much we can each do to act on climate change. When we all play our part, we inspire each other and our impact grows. Click here to find out what you can do.

Darebin Council has developed written resources aimed at supporting other Councils who have either declared a climate emergency, or are wanting to.

A shorter summary document provides a framework and articulates key processes involved in a climate emergency response. A longer document links these processes to Darebin’s climate emergency journey and key actions and challenges. You can read these resources here:

• DCC Climate Emergency Resource

• DCC Framework

Solar Saver Program

Solar Saver helps Darebin residents, businesses and organisations to install solar panels - saving you money on your energy bills.

There are two streams of the Solar Saver program:

• Solar Saver Bulk Buy stream - where you pay the upfront costs 
• Solar Saver Rates stream - where Council pays the upfront costs and you pay back the cost of the system over 10 years. 

Solar Saver Bulk Buy stream

• We have done the homework for you, via a competitive tender process, to find a reliable installer and value for money.
• We have negotiated a 10 year warranty for parts and installation and a 25 year performance warranty on panels.
• While we don’t use the most expensive products, we have set a high quality standard in terms of manufacturing quality and the efficiency of the system.
• Installers must be Clean Energy Council registered installers and adhere to strict safety and quality standards. 
• Many households may be eligible for the Solar Homes rebate from the Victorian Government, which can reduce the cost by $1850 (inc GST), and you may also be able to apply for a four year loan to the same value as your rebate. Going through the Bulk Buy stream also offers you more choice of products, and a shorter wait-time.
• The solar provider will assist you in applying for the Solar Homes rebate. Please visit Solar Victoria for more information about the rebate and to see if you are eligible.
• You pay the upfront cost of the system (including GST).  Many households decide to finance this via their mortgage, however these decisions are up to each household based on what makes sense for them.
• Households can save money on power bills with estimated payback period on standard systems between 2-10 years (depending on your energy use, rebate eligibility, roof size and other factors).
• If you wish you can customise your solar system including, by adding a battery, choosing a different inverter (potentially including micro-inverters), different panels, or other variations.  Note that some customised options are at the discretion of the solar company and the prices may be different from the standard option.
• Businesses and other organisations can also register for the Solar Saver Bulk Buy (for installations up to 10kW).
• If you want to go ahead, you just need to let us know by registering below and choosing the Bulk Buy option and we will pass your contact details on to our solar provider. If solar is a viable option for you, you will be offered a no-obligation quote. The solar provider will talk you through what size of system will work for your house and your budget.

• We'll pay the upfront cost for the system, and you (or your landlord) pay it off over ten years, interest free.
• The savings you make on your energy bills will more than outweigh your repayments to Council, leaving you better off.
• A range of sizes of systems are available. For most properties, the bigger the system, the better the payback.
• Council has done the work to help you access:
  Quality systems
  Extended warranties
  A reputable supplier
• There have been three previous rounds of the Rates stream of Solar Saver, with nearly 1400 households benefiting from the program. 

Currently our waiting list is full, but you can register now for any future rounds of the program. Please click on the appropriate button below to register. For all residential premises please click "Register for home", and for all non-residential organisations please click "Register for business".

Register for home

Register for business

 

Solar Homes Rebate

 In August 2018 the Victorian Government announced a new solar rebate through the Solar Homes program. Currently Darebin Solar Saver participants are eligible for the rebate but applications can only be made twice a month via the Solar Homes portal. Click here for more information about the rebate and to see if you are eligible.

Read more in your language: Arabic, English, Chinese, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Macedonian, Somali, Vietnamese.

The Energy Conservation Hierarchy

• Minimise energy use – use natural light, passive heating, and passive cooling where possible. Insulate and draught proof your home to keep summer heat out and winter heat in and reduce the need for additional heating and cooling
• Use energy efficiently – choose efficient lighting such as LED and select appliances with a high Energy Star Rating
• Use renewable energy – consider installing solar electricity, solar hot water and switching to GreenPower
• Offset – your remaining emissions

The Sustainability Victoria website has more tips about how to save energy at home.

The Federal Government’s Energy Made Easy website has further tips.

If you are looking to build or renovate your home, Your Home has a wealth of information.