The CANWIN Think Tank held on Sunday has produced practical resolutions for clean energy in the Wingecarribee area.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Inspired by the speeches of Australian energy authorities, resident focus groups brainstormed ideas for four areas: energy efficiency, local generation of energy by business and households, and by the community, as well as community engagement and organisation.
Scientist Craig Memery discussed the options available to a community such as bulk buying and more efficient building.
Residents extended these possibilities into concepts appropriate for the local area.
Attendee Helen Saville was impressed with the format.
“We came up with a range of ideas and got down to an idea with a strong commitment to the production and storage of solar energy,” she said. There was a lot of expertise in the group.”
Guest speaker Professor John Martin, from Latrobe University, focused on the importance of communities in resolving these issues, which are more often discussed at a state or national level.
“Local solutions are based on an understanding of the local area, its conditions and its resources,” Mrs Saville said.
The importance of integrating councils into all areas was a theme of the speeches and the brainstorming.
Councillor Graham McLaughlin attended the forum, along with acting mayor Larry Whipper and other council members and staff.
“I think it is important to listen to the community as there is such an interest in the area, so we can see how we can facilitate these ideas,” Cr McLaughlin said. “I thought we came up with some great ideas in our group in the area of bulk purchasing and making solutions such as PV glass available to the community.”
He also discussed the possibility of installing solar panels on public buildings, such as Mittagong Playhouse.
Event organisers were delighted with the turnout.
Convenor Miles Lochhead said he felt these ideas would be able to flow through to local government and yield practical results.
“The Energy Workshop was a tremendous success and concentrated on providing residents with the opportunity to ‘workshop’ ideas that will make a difference in their community,” he said.
