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Solar my School wins state award

Solar my School wins state award

21 June 2019

Waverley, Woollahra and Randwick City Councils’ Solar my School program has won the Local Government Professionals NSW Excellence Award for Environmental Leadership and Sustainability.

The Awards highlight the exceptional achievements in local government across NSW and focus on significant areas of the industry including leadership, environment, community, operational performance and partnership, and were announced on 20 June in Sydney

Waverley Council was also awarded Highly Commended in the Community Partnerships and Collaboration category, and took out third place in the Management Challenge last week in Sydney.

Solar my School is a multi award-winning program launched in 2017 by the 3-Councils to provide independent support and guidance to primary and secondary schools looking to power their facilities with locally produced clean energy.

Offered to all schools across the eastern suburbs, the program helps local schools navigate a path to solar success from start to finish, from initial solar feasibility and funding advice, through to tender assistance and installation, as well as education for students.

Waverley Mayor, John Wakefield, said Solar my School was an example of how local government is leading the charge when it comes to the environment.

“More than 90 per cent of schools in Sydney's eastern suburbs are on the path to getting solar, as part of the Solar my School program,” Mayor Wakefield said.

Woollahra Mayor, Peter Cavanagh, said he is proud that this innovative program launched in Woollahra, and that it has had a great response from local schools.

“The uptake has been amazing and this is testament to the hard work of the school staff and students who have joined with us to increase clean energy usage in our neighbourhoods,” Mayor Cavanagh said.

Randwick Mayor, Kathy Neilsen, said schools are ideal sites for solar with their large roof space and high energy demand.

“When I see students adopting new and innovative ways to combat carbon emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels it gives me a great deal of hope for our future,” Mayor Neilson said.

Solar my School is a project of Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra’s Tri Council Regional Environment Program. Initiated in 2009, the program aims to undertake significant projects to achieve meaningful reductions in energy, carbon emissions, water and waste across the region.

On 5 June 2019, Randwick, Waverley and Woollahra councils became the first councils in NSW to provide public on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The project is internally funded by the Tri-Council Regional Environment Program.

Solar my School will now be considered for the national Local Government Professionals Excellence Award for Environmental Leadership and Sustainability. Late last year, Solar my School also won the Climate Change Action award in Local Government NSW’s annual Environmental Excellence Awards and the Renewable Energy Achievement Award in the inaugural national Cities Power Partner Awards (Climate Council).

In December, Solar my School also won the Climate Change Action award in Local Government NSW’s annual Environmental Excellence Awards.

To learn more about Solar my School, visit https://www.solarmyschool.org.au/