The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council and City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder are among seven Western Australian recipients of grants under the federal government’s Community Energy Efficiency program.
The $200 million program is run as part of the federal government’s Clean Energy Future plan, with the aim of boosting local productivity and moving Australia towards a low-carbon future.
Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Greg Combet, announced the seven successful WA applicants at Bayswater Aquatic Centre today.
“Grant recipients in this program are required to demonstrate and encourage the take up of improved energy management practices within the broader community,” Mr Combet said.
“[The Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council]…will help inform the community about the benefits of smart energy use, provide improved community facilities, lower energy use and support local industries.”
It has been allocated $647,420 towards the shires of Bassendean, Bayswater and Mundaring.
Just over $622,000 was allocated to Kalgoorlie, which will use the funds to upgrade the Goldfields Oasis Leisure Centre with the installation of ground source heat pumps and solar thermal heating for the centres’s swimming pool.
An independent committee was formed to assess the submitted applications and the success of the applications was determined by their potential to improve energy efficiency and encourage and demonstrate sound energy management.
Other recipients of the government grants include the city of Busselton, who will receive $1.06 million to upgrade the heating systems at Geographe Leisure Centre with geothermal heat sources, and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of WA, who will receive $60,113 to install geothermal pool heating and upgrade air conditioning.