Day 1
International Keynote address
Lancaster reborn -How we became the clean energy capital of California – R.Rex Parris, Mayor, City of Lancaster, California (2 MB PDF)
Climate science update-impacts for towns and cities
Professor Lesley Hughes, Climate Councillor and Distinguished Professor of Biology, Macquarie University (2MB PDF)
Establishing carbon reduction or carbon neutral targets
- Where to start – how to get Councillors on board?
- What are the information needs?
- Setting targets within the context of council change
- Broadening to community wide emissions – what’s involved?
Nik Midlam, Manager Carbon Strategy, City Sustainability, City of Sydney (1MB PDF)
Daniel Murphy, Economic Development Manager, Bega Valley Shire Council (619KB PDF)
Dr Matthew Nott, Founder, Clean Energy for Eternity
Power Partner Best Practice Case studies
Renewable Energy
How Council’s policy framework has underpinned its 15 MWh solar farm and energy efficiency, demand management and sustainability initiatives.
Dr Sonia Marshall, Strategic Policy Officer, Sunshine Coast Council, QLD (215KB PDF)
Energy Efficiency
Switch Your Thinking! is a regional approach developed to reduce administration and pursue ambitious mitigation projects across Metropolitan Perth. Working collectively with 16 Local Governments the licensed program services 1.1 million residents, 90,900 businesses and 300 schools. Efficiency projects include early adoption of green building practices, revolving energy funds, demand response alerts, negotiation of community purchase incentives and innovative residential trials
Julie McMinn, Co-ordinator Switch Your Thinking! Program, City of Gosnells, WA (2MB PDF)
Sustainable Transport
Overview of the ACT’s Transition to Zero Emissions Vehicles Action Plan 2018-2021, fleet electrification, charging infrastructure rollout and electric / hybrid bus & e-bike fleet trials
Anna McGuire, Senior Policy Officer Climate Change, ACT Government (941KB PDF)
Work Together & Influence
Solar my School Program, a free Council-run initiative designed to help primary and secondary schools “go solar” through feasibility, funding, installation, promotion & education assistance. In 12 months 36 of 64 schools are participating representing 1.3MW of identified and installed solar
Anthony Weinberg – Regional Environment Program Coordinator & Nicola Saltman, Engagement Lead, 3 Council Regional Environment Program – Waverley, Woollahra & Randwick, NSW (2MB PDF)
Carbon Certification & Risk Management
Participating in the voluntary carbon market
To pursue a carbon neutral certification or to meet a greenhouse gas emission reduction target, Councils are increasingly interested in identifying the processes to participate in the voluntary carbon market.
- Performance to date – what is the participation of Australian councils?
- Where to start – establishing a baseline, data management & collection, supply chain research, offset purchasing guidelines
- How affordable is the process?
- Can councils be both proponents and purchasers of carbon offsets?
Chris Wilson, Director of Sustainability Advisory Services, Pangolin Associates (442Kb PDF)
Case study: Brisbane City Council goes carbon neutral
Australia’s largest local government authority in population & budget received received formal certification as a carbon neutral organisation under the Australian Government’s Carbon Neutral Program in early 2018.
- Lessons learned from measuring GHG emissions from landfill operations, electricity and fuel use and council supply chains
- Emissions reduction projects – landfill gas capture and combustion, energy & fuel efficiency and renewable energy
- How Council approached purchasing eligible carbon offsets to negate all residual emissions
Understanding and managing climate liability for councils
- How much can we assess climate risk & exposure?
- Overview of risk management assessments
- Mitigation & adaptation activities
Day 2
Local Keynote Address
- The role of local government action
- Report back from the San Francisco Global Climate Action Summit
- ACT progress on carbon neutral 2050 & 100% renewable energy targets
Shane Rattenbury MLA, Minister for Climate Change & Sustainability, ACT Government (2MB PDF)
Managing Energy Price & Carbon Risks
Melbourne Renewable Energy Project (MREP) Power Purchase Agreement
- MREP Overview – who, when, how & why
- The appeal of linking electricity retail contracts to carbon neutrality
- What were the decision making steps Councils had to undertake to join the City of Melbourne led initiative of 14 members
- How did members measure and assess risk and financial impacts & environmental benefits
- What are the key learnings & opportunities for local government
Energy procurement & carbon neutrality
- Our carbon neutral pathway
- Models for accessing renewable energy (PPAs, microfarms and more)
- Lessons learned in procuring renewable energy
- Communicating the benefits for different audiences
Anne Fitzsimmons, Senior Sustainability Officer, Inner West Council NSW (1MB PDF
The NSW Solar PPA Program for Councils – simplifying the process
- A shared model overview between the Council & solar supplier
- What are the opportunities for cost savings?
- Benefits of a standardised contract, solar financing tool & prequalified panel of suppliers
Sustainable Transport – What role for electric vehicles?
- The state of EVs in Australia, an update & Victorian Local Government EV fleet readiness Claire Connell, Project Officer, ClimateWorks Australia (2MB PDF)
- Public charging infrastructure: the Carbon Neutral Adelaide story
- Providing charging as a public service
- Incentivising our communities for electric bike and car charging
- How can car parks be part of the solution?
- Peter Nattrass, Technical Specialist Sustainability, City of Adelaide (2MB PDF)
- Learnings from our NSW & ACT fast charging EV network rollout
- Avoiding pitfalls
- Future opportunities for councils
- Bernhard Conoplia, Program Director EV Charging Network, NRMA (1MB PDF)
Low Carbon Project Financing Options
- Overview of the CEFC Local Government Financing program lending options & project funding evaluation criteria – Victoria Adams, Director, Clean Energy Finance Corporation (787KB PDF)
- Case study: Council developed mid scale 5MW solar farm on former landfill site – the funding story – Adam Clarke, Program Co-ordinator -Corporate & Community Planning, The City of Newcastle (2MB PDF)
What role can councils play in the energy transition?
Understanding the solar potential in your community to facilitate solar uptake
- The SunSPoT tool – empowering users with site specific solar knowledge –Dan Stevens, Community Development Manager, Australian PV Institute (2MB PDF)
Delivering on community wide emissions reductions
- Exploring local government’s role in community energy – case studies from around Australia.
- Protecting our most vulnerable community members – the health, economic, environmental and social benefits of energy efficiency retrofitting.
Kate Nicolazzo, Head of Development, Moreland Energy Foundation (939KB PDF)