Orange City Council has promised that the installation of solar panels will save taxpayers "thousands of dollars in energy costs".
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Contractors began installing the solar panels on three council buildings this week, including the Orange Civic Centre and Orange City Pound, while the existing system at the Orange Aquatic Centre will be doubled in size.
Mayor Reg Kidd said Orange City Council pledged to ensure best-practice use of renewable energy options for Council and community projects in its Community Strategic Plan 2018-2028.
"Through consultation, we found the community felt strongly about being more sustainable by promoting renewable energy, reducing waste and protecting our natural resources," Cr Kidd said.
"Installing solar panels on Council assets was one of the strategies chosen to achieve this goal and funding of $500,000 towards renewable projects was allocated in the budget every year for three years, starting in the current financial year."
The Orange City Pound will receive a 15.9kW system at a cost of $20,500. It is estimated to provide 55.4 per cent of the pound's annual electricity requirements and save about $3900 in the first year.
We found the community felt strongly about [Council] being more sustainable by promoting renewable energy.
- Mayor Reg Kidd
The Civic Centre will receive a 99kW system at a cost of $89,500, which is expected to contribute 9.4 per cent of the centre's annual electricity requirements and is estimated to save $29,000 in the first year.
The Orange Aquatic Centre will receive a further 99kW system at a cost of $143,800, which will contribute an estimated 15.2 per cent of the annual electricity requirements and save about $23,000 in the first year.
"The reason the Civic Centre's system costs less but saves more money than the Aquatic Centre's system is because energy savings certificates can be claimed for the Civic Centre under the NSW Government's Energy Savings Scheme, but have already been claimed for the Aquatic Centre," Council explained.
Council Environmental Sustainability Policy Committee chair Stephen Nugent welcomed the $253,800 investment in renewable energy.
"The remainder of the budgeted $500,000 will be rolled over to the next financial year, when more council buildings will be fitted with solar panels," he said.
"This is a step in the right direction in reducing council's operational costs. The solar panels installed at the Orange Airport at the end of last year have already resulted in a 78 per cent reduction in energy costs for that building."
The solar panels are expected to be installed and commissioned by the end of June.
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