Council has adopted an ambitious Corporate Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP), which aims to achieve net zero emissions for Council’s operations and facilities by 2031.

In addition, a milestone target aims to have at least 50 per cent of electricity used annually by Council provided by renewable sources by 2025.

As onsite solar currently accounts for 5 per cent of Council’s electricity use, increasing solar and procurement of renewable energy are priority actions.

A Community ERP will also be developed to encourage similar aims by residents and businesses throughout the Municipality.

Research by staff has highlighted “that Council has a responsibility and opportunity to show leadership to the community by taking a forward step and committing to an ambitious emissions reduction target and actions, for its own facilities and operations before requiring the community to commit to doing the same.”

Council’s CEO, Jane Stroud, agrees, “It’s much better for us to change the way we do our business first and show some leadership in this regard.

“It’s very exciting to be able to make change internally and to show that leadership for the community.

“We want to set the standard and then hope they will follow our example.”

As a member of the Cities Power Partnership since 2017, Council has already introduced energy measures that have resulted in emissions and financial savings, including the installation of photovoltaic systems on Council facilities (the Leisure Centre, Council Chambers, Kiama Library and Blue Haven Aged Care Facility), and energy efficient lighting upgrades for street lighting and Council’s Administration Centre.

Actions will be prioritised to streamline the transition with the least impact on economic, environmental and social resources.

Council will take advantage of the multiple opportunities to source funding for proposed actions through State and Federal grants/schemes, and look for opportunities to partner with other councils in the Illawarra and the member councils in the Cities Power Partnership Program on larger scale projects and actions.

Some of the Council team with the Leisure Centre's invertors

In 2019/20, Kiama Council’s emissions profile showed 51 per cent of its emissions arising from the use of electricity and 24 per cent from the use of diesel. 21 per cent of the electricity was used by Blue Haven and 20 per cent by street lighting.

In addition to the environmental gains, there will also be economic benefit in implementing the ERP.

“We have already saved over $6000 a month at Blue Haven by changing our provider up there and some of the lights, so there are significant cost savings to be had,” says Council’s Director Environmental Services, Jessica Rippon, whose team are leading the process.

The plan recommends continual research into the opportunities for emissions reduction and for funding, as well as collaborating with member councils of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation and dedicating resources to monitoring and reporting.

It also puts in place actions to reduce emissions, based around building design, on-site renewable energy generation and employee behaviour. These include:

• further upgrades of street lighting, in collaboration with Endeavour Energy
• installing more LED lighting upgrades and smart control lighting on Council facilities
• including low carbon options as a key selection criteria in its procurement policy
• developing and embedding best practice environmentally sustainable design specifications (such as the Green Star buildings rating system) into capital works and maintenance progams
• choosing energy efficient plant and equipment, and water efficient applicances, for new installations and upgrades
• continuing waste minimisation strategies.

Measures to replace existing energy supplies with that from renewable sources include:

• installing more solar PV systems
• sourcing a competitive renewable Power Purchase agrement
• investigating battery storage options and mid-scale solar farm opportunities
• continuing with the Revolving Energy Fund which reinvests financial saving from energy efficiency and renewables projects to reinvest in future projects
• an accelerated phase out of diesel engines
• transitioning Council’s fleet to hybrid or fully electric vehicles where effective and practical
• investigating Council providing electric vehicle charging stations, for use by it and the public, as well as developing a policy to encourage the installation of private and commercial charging stations.

Remaining emissions will be counteracted by the purchase of offsets (after ensuring the offset projects align with Council’s values), investigating bulk buying opportunities, and initiating its own emissions reduction projects to create its own offsets.

A renewable power purchase agreement with an independent power generator is seen as critical in meeting both renewable and emissions targets.