As of July, The City of Sydney will be powered using 100 per cent renewable electricity, generated from wind and solar farms in regional NSW.

Valued at over $60 million, it is the biggest green energy deal of its kind by a council in Australia.

All the City’s operations – including street lights, pools, sports fields, depots, buildings and the historic Sydney Town Hall – will now be run on 100 per cent renewable electricity from locally-sourced clean energy.

The switch is projected to save the City up to half a million dollars a year over the next 10 years, and reduce C02 emissions by around 20,000 tonnes a year – the equivalent to the power consumption of more than 6,000 households.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the new agreement will generate jobs, support communities impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and create new opportunities in drought-affected regional NSW.

“We are in the middle of a climate emergency. If we are to reduce emissions and grow the green power sector, all levels of government must urgently transition to renewable energy,” the Lord Mayor said.

“Cities are responsible for 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, so it is critical that we take effective and evidence-based climate actions.  

“The City of Sydney became carbon neutral in 2007, and were the first government in Australia to be certified carbon neutral in 2011. This new deal will see us reach our 2030 target of reducing emissions by 70 per cent by 2024, six years early.

“This ground-breaking $60 million renewable electricity deal will also save our ratepayers money and support regional jobs in wind and solar farms in Glen Innes, Wagga Wagga and the Shoalhaven.”

VIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD:

Sapphire wind farm
https://cityofsydney.wistia.com/medias/9t4kb4ryut

Bomen solar farm
https://cityofsydney.wistia.com/medias/zwkn6nan00

The innovative green electricity deal is a power purchase agreement with retailer Flow Power. CEO Matthew van der Linden said the City’s commitment to achieving 100 per cent renewable energy would help accelerate Australia’s transition to a net-zero carbon future.

“This is a landmark achievement for the City of Sydney. If organisations can follow in the City’s footsteps, a net-zero carbon future is achievable,” Mr van der Linden said.

Around three-quarters of the power will be wind-generated, and the remaining quarter by solar.

The project will see the City source renewable energy from three different generators - the Bomen Solar Farm in Wagga Wagga, Sapphire Wind Farm near Inverell and the Shoalhaven solar farm in Nowra.

The Shoalhaven project is being developed by Flow Power in partnership with local community group Repower Shoalhaven, a not for profit volunteer community enterprise that develops community solar projects. On completion, the 3-megawatt Shoalhaven solar farm will have around 10,000 panels and generate enough energy to power 1,500 homes.

On behalf of Repower Shoalhaven, member Bob Hayward said the power purchase agreement will directly support the regional community.

“Shoalhaven solar farm could not have become operational without the City’s investment. By partnering with this project, we’re creating local jobs and helping the renewables sector grow,” Mr Hayward said.

“The City of Sydney decision to include a regional community-based scheme brings us a step closer to a sustainable decarbonised future while supporting regional investment and employment. We congratulate the City for this significant commitment.”

Owned by the Australian-listed company, Spark Infrastructure, the 120MW Bomen Solar Farm has more than 310,000 solar panels on 250 hectares of land. It is one of the first projects in Australia to use bi-facial panels that absorb sunlight on both sides, with tracking technology that shifts each panel throughout the day to capture the sun’s energy.

Spark Infrastructure Chief Executive Rick Francis said this is an exciting milestone for the City of Sydney, and the regional communities playing an increasingly critical role in the State’s energy supply.

“This project has not only delivered clean energy for Australia’s largest city, but represents a significant investment in the Wagga Wagga community and Riverina region, anchoring the region’s role as a future renewable energy hub for New South Wales,” Mr Francis said.

The Sapphire Wind Farm near Inverell is the largest wind farm in NSW, with a 270MW capacity generated by 75 turbines that stand 200 metres high. Partly owned by CWP Renewables, CEO Jason Willoughby said the company was proud to support the City’s renewables program.

“Wind is a natural energy choice providing a much needed alternative to fossil fuels. We hope this inspires other councils and organisations to follow the City of Sydney’s lead,” Mr Willoughby said.

“The Sapphire Wind Farm produces enough clean energy to power 115,000 homes and displaces 700,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, while bringing economic benefits to the local NSW New England region and the ACT.”

For media inquiries or images, contact Belinda Wallis.

Phone 0467 810 160 or email [email protected]

For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, contact Julia Lenton.

Phone 0410 748 039 or email [email protected]

For more stories, visit City of Sydney News

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悉尼完全实现100%绿色能源运营

      从7月开始，悉尼市政府启动了使用来自新南威尔士州远郊地区太阳能和风力发电站的电能，完全实现了以可再生能源供电。

      这是澳大利亚地方政府所达成价值最高的一项绿色能源协议，总计$6,000万澳元（60,000,000）。

      包括街道照明、游泳池、运动场、仓库、楼宇和历史悠久的悉尼市政厅建筑在内的所有市政运作都会使用本土清洁能源，从而100%的实现了利用可再生能源供电。

      预计在未来10年里，悉尼市政府每年将节省$50万澳元（500,000）的能耗开支，年均减排量高达20,000吨 —— 相当于6,000多户居民的用电量。

      悉尼市市长Clover Moore认为此项购电协议可促进就业、为饱受新冠疫情重创的人群提供相应的扶持，同时为新南威尔士州旱灾区带来新生。

      她说：“当下正处全球气候危机。要想成功减排、发展绿色电能产业，各级政府对转换使用可再生能源支持内部运作的行动迫在眉睫。”

      “全球温室气体排放总量的70%来自城市，为此，在应对气候变化工作中，我们都应本着循证的态度采取有效的行动。”

      “悉尼市政府于2007年开始实现碳中和，并于2011年成为了全澳首个通过国家排碳量补偿标准（National Carbon Offset Standard）检验而获得碳中和认证（carbon neutral certification）的地方政府。此项可再生能源低碳运营购电协议能让我们原打算在2030年减排70%的目标提前六年，在2024年实现。”

      “这项总值$6,000万澳元的再生能源购电协议极具开创意义，不但为纳税人节省了开支，还为位于新南威尔士州北部格伦因尼斯高原（Glen Innes）、以南的沃加沃加城（Wagga Wagga）以及东南沿海肖尔黑文地区（Shoalhaven）的风力和太阳能发电厂带来了就业机会。”

      相关视频请看以下链接

      蓝宝石风力发电厂（Sapphire Wind Farm）
      https://cityofsydney.wistia.com/medias/9t4kb4ryut

      曼太阳能发电站（Bomen Solar Farm）
      https://cityofsydney.wistia.com/medias/zwkn6nan00

      这是市政府与创新型能源公司Flow Power达成的革新性绿色购电协议。该公司总裁马修·范·德·林登（Matthew van der Linden）认为悉尼市政府对可再生能源的重视和承诺让澳大利亚全国能耗体系未来的低碳转型迈出了至关重要一步。

      范·德·林登先生说：“对于悉尼市政府而言，此举是一个里程碑式的成就。如果各大机构都能追随悉尼市政府的脚步，那么在未来实现零耗能的设想离我们也就不会遥远了。”

      约有四分之三的悉尼市政运作将选择纯风能供电，剩余的四分之一则由太阳能完成。  

      市政府会从新南威尔士州北部因弗雷尔（Inverell）附近的蓝宝石风电场（Sapphire Wind Farm）购买风力电能，并从新南威尔士州西南沃加沃加地区（Wagga Wagga）泊曼太阳能发电站（Bomen Solar Farm）和东南部沿海诺拉地区（Nowra）肖尔黑文太阳能发电厂（Shoalhaven solar farm）购买电力。

      肖尔黑文发电厂是由Flow Power通过Repower Shoalhaven投资方案理念进行开发建造而成的一处非盈利性社区型太阳能发电体系。自建成以来，这座3兆瓦的发电厂可容纳10,000块太阳能电板，可为1,500户家庭供电。

      该项目成员鲍勃·海沃德（Bob Hayward）代表Repower Shoalhaven投资供电体系表示，悉尼市政府的购电协议能让新南威尔士州远郊群体直接受益。

      他说：“没有悉尼市政府的投资就不会有肖尔黑文地区太阳能发电厂的存在。我们通过参与该项协议为本地创造了就业机会，同时推动了再生能源产业的发展。”

      “悉尼市政府吸纳远郊社区型发电体系加入购电协议的举措让我们向可持续性脱碳未来又迈近了一步，同时为远郊经济和就业打下了一剂强心针。我为悉尼市政府做出的重大承诺而感到欣慰和钦佩。”

      120兆瓦泊曼太阳能发电站归属于澳大利亚上市公司Spark Infrastructure，总面积250公顷，共纳310,000多块太阳能电板。该发电厂是澳大利亚首批使用双面太阳能电池组建技术（bi-facial panels）的机构之一，该技术通过追踪探测科技自动移动电池板方向，使其持久保持储能最佳位置，电池板正反两面均可吸取阳光，最大程度储备太阳能量。

      Spark Infrastructure公司总裁里克·弗朗西斯（Rick Francis）认为悉尼市政府的购电协议是一场激动人心的大变革，同时证明了远郊社区在新南威尔士州能源供应市场中扮演了越发重要的角色。

      弗朗西斯先生说：“这项购电协议不仅说明我们为澳大利亚最大的城市提供清洁能源的能力，也体现了新南威尔士州西南沃加沃加地区和瑞福利纳区（Riverina region）所吸引的投资规模，巩固了本地区作为新南威尔士州未来可再生能源枢纽的角色和作用。

      因弗雷尔地区附近的蓝宝石风电场是新南威尔士州最大的风力发电站，这里由75台200米高的涡轮机生成电能，产量高达270兆瓦。CWP Renewable公司拥有该电厂的部分所有权，公司执行总裁杰森·威洛比（Jason Willoughby）表示，该公司为能支持悉尼市政府的可再生能源计划而感到自豪。

      威洛比先生说：“风能是取代矿物能源（又称：化石燃料，包括煤、石油、天然气等）不可或缺的替代品。我们希望悉尼市政府的抉择能成为其它地方政府效仿的典范。”

       “蓝宝石风电场所产清洁电能总量可为115,000家用户供电，减排总量高达700,000吨，同时为新南威尔士州新英格兰地区（New England）和澳大利亚首都领地（ACT）创赢显著。”

媒体信息或图片，请联系悉尼市政府媒体顾问Lulu Shen

电话0467 760 604或邮件[email protected]

采访市长 Clover Moore, 请联系Julia Lenton.

电话0410 748 039或邮件[email protected]

更多悉尼市内媒体稿件请查阅悉尼市政府新闻主页

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