Floating solar, locally made batteries, share in grants for Latrobe Valley ventures

Nine community-led ventures in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley will share in almost $2 million in grant funding from the state government, including floating solar demonstration project and support for remote and off-grid power supplies.

On Monday, the Victorian state government announced that it would award the nine grants with funding through the Latrobe Valley Energy and Growth Program, designed to boost the use of renewable energy and job creation in a part of the state that has traditionally been dependent on coal industries.

Projects supported include a floating solar demonstration plant developed by the Gippsland Climate Change Network, which will receive a $210,000 grant.

The floating solar project will be deployed on an under-utilised lake at Lardner Park, avoiding the need to deploy the plant on agricultural land and helping to reduce evaporation from the local lake.

The Earthworker Energy Manufacturing Cooperative has received a $240,000 grant to develop and commence the local manufacture of portable solar and battery power systems that can be deployed by emergency services during extreme weather events.

The Earthworker Cooperative also produces heat pump and solar hot water systems that are also manufactured at its worker-run factory in Morwell.

The Yarram Recreation Reserve received $390,000 in funding for the installation of solar power and battery storage, as well as its own portable renewable energy system, which can be used by local emergency services, including the SES, CFA and the Red Cross, during emergency situations.

The threat of interruption to power and communication services became evident throughout large parts of Victoria during the 2019-20 summer bushfires and is a present situation impacting communities across New South Wales and Queensland currently experiencing significant flooding.

Communities have found themselves disconnected from supplies of power during these precarious periods, leading to the failure of other critical services as a consequence.

Victorian energy minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the projects would help cut energy costs and improve the reliability of power supplies across the regional Victorian communities.

“Renewable energy projects are creating jobs and driving down local community power bills, and projects like these mean regional Victoria will remain a leader in energy, engineering and innovation,” D’Ambrosio said.

“This is about supporting local businesses to deliver renewable energy systems that not only slash emissions and electricity bills but provide power during extreme weather events, improve community resilience and new jobs.”

Solar installer Sunny Afternoons has also received $210,000 to deploy solar and battery storage systems at dairies across the Latrobe Valley.

The first stage of the Latrobe Valley Energy and Growth Program awarded just over $1 million in grants, supporting the 4.9MW Ramahyuck Solar Farm, owned by the Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation, and four small-scale solar installations throughout Heyfield and Coongulla.