Call for community support

Agroup dedicated to making Natimuk self-sufficient in energy needs is calling on community support in its next phase of developing a $2.4-million Natimuk Community Energy Solar Farm.

Natimuk Community Energy, which has scheduled an annual meeting on December 1, has encouraged new members to attend the gathering to gain an insight and update on the project and to get involved.

Natimuk Community Energy president Edwin Irvine said planning for the community solar farm was progressing well and was now entering a critical stage that involved gathering greater community backing. “The next phase of the project needs strong community support, especially around further defining the community benefit and helping with the capital raising of about $2-million to $3-million to build the solar farm,” he said.

“If people support the idea of a community solar farm for Natimuk, now is the time to become a member of NCE.”

The group plans to build the 4572-panel farm is on a 2.224-hectare site east of Natimuk.

It made major advances in turning the concept into a reality in mid 2019 when the State Government provided $339,000 for a study-development phase to finalise approvals, connection studies, develop detailed design and operational plans and a financial model and market prospectus to attract investment for construction phase.

Mr Irvine said the farm design had undergone further development and detailed work on electricity-grid modelling was complete.

“The project is, however, about to enter the next critical phase,” he said.

Mr Irvine said the project to allow the Natimuk community to realise a goal of relying 100 percent on renewable energy remained ambitious for a small group of volunteers.

Natimuk Community Energy has consistently promoted the ideal of a community owning and generating its own energy to establish a combination of financial benefits for the district and environmental benefits overall.

Its mission statement is to be a leader in community-generated energy in western Victoria and to endeavour to establish ‘workable and shareable community-energy systems for small regional towns and aim to be 100 percent renewable by 2030’.

The meeting will be in Natimuk Soldiers Memorial Hall at 7.30pm.

Natimuk Community Energy is directing people seeking more information about the group and its project to website www.natimukcommunity energy.org.