Council is proud to have reached its 2020 Carbon Neutral Target, showing leadership in environmental sustainability in response to the challenges of climate change. Council has a strong history of striving to demonstrate environmental leadership and climate action as an organisation.
"Since 2010, Council has reduced its emissions by 65% and its 2020 carbon neutral target was the culmination of a decade of energy efficiency, renewable energy and emissions reduction work," said Mayor Kate Hanson.
The emission reduction projects implemented by Council include the installation of 275kW of solar generation capacity at Council facilities such as offices, the library, the depot and Visitor Information Centres; shire-wide street lighting upgrades to LEDs; office and facility lighting upgrades; installation of energy efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems and energy efficient solar hot water systems; greatly improved building management systems as well as improved insulation and double glazing at the Bluewater Centre.
The long-term approach to a cleaner, greener and more sustainable shire is paying off with an investment of $1.5 million (including $500,000 in grants), fully paid back through ongoing savings resulting from the upgrades, with an average payback period of 5 years.
For the 2020-21 financial year, Council purchased and retired carbon emissions offset credits equivalent to 1520 tonnes of CO2-e, as per the Pangolin carbon offsetting certificate and in line with the National Carbon Neutral standard ensuring there is integrity, transparency and rigour to its claim of carbon neutrality and the offsets purchased are certified accordingly. For all residual corporate emissions that cannot yet be eliminated, Council deemed it a priority to offset these emissions.
The offset projects chosen were a rainforest protection project in Papua New Guinea and a wind power generation project in India. These offset projects were chosen as they provide a diversity of project type and location, while also delivering important social and environmental co-benefits.
"This year, we chose certified projects for our offsets, which are based overseas," said Mayor Hanson. "However, in years to come we would like to support more locally-based offset projects."
Other work in the environmental leadership space includes Council purchasing 100% Green Power (since 2020) and recently joining the Victorian Energy Collaboration (VECO), which is the largest emissions reduction project ever undertaken by the local government sector in Australia saving 260,000 tonnes of carbon emissions from entering the atmosphere — the same as taking 90,000 cars off the road. Through VECO, Colac Otway's operations are powered by 100% renewable electricity, including street lights and all Council facilities.
Council is currently compiling and verifying its 2021-22 greenhouse emissions inventory and will be offsetting any residual emissions to maintain its Carbon Neutral status beyond 2020, with the help of rapidly evolving technology and market forces promising exciting emissions reduction possibilities in the future.
Current residual emissions that require the purchasing of offsets to maintain Council's Carbon Neutral status will continue to be reduced by future emissions reduction projects focusing on Council's gas and transport fuel usage over the next 10 years, however this will require time, funding and technological advances.
"We plan to move away from use of gas at facilities by doing things like replacing gas hot water and heating with electric systems powered by renewables, and we have started transitioning our fleet to electric and hybrid vehicles. Council is already the proud owner of 12 hybrid electric vehicles." said Mayor Kate Hanson.
"The Colac Otway Shire community has a long history of demonstrating environmental stewardship and is passionate about protecting our region for future generations," said Mayor Hanson. "Our community can play a role in reducing their emissions through continuing to support the transition to clean renewables and away from fossil fuels, protecting our local natural environment and supporting our local environmental and climate action community groups."
Council would also like to encourage all local businesses to consider taking measures to reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions arising from their actions.
