The Australian council has made history by agreeing on a major deal that made Sydney run completely on green energy. The downtown business borough, a diverse hub of the cityscape, is officially running on renewable energy.
The Australian city of Sydney, home to over 52 lakh people, is now sourcing the entirety of its energy from New South Wales’ biggest wind farm and two nearby solar farms.
The change came after a new power purchase agreement (PPA) came into effect from 1st July. The deal was struck between the city officials and Flow Power, an electricity retailer. According to Euronews, the entire deal cost AU$60 million. However, it is expected that the initiative will save AU$500,000 each year since its establishment.
70 Percent Of Sydney’s Carbon Footprint To Be Purged
Another welcoming news that came out of this initiative is that 70 percent of Sydney’s carbon footprint will be purged by 2024. The total amount of carbon dioxide to be reduced is calculated at approximately 20,000 tons. The best part about this news is that the purging of carbon emission is happening several years before what was expected earlier.
Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, tweeted that the metropolitan cities are responsible for generating 70 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases. She added that it was imperative for the city officials to take immediate environmentally friendly decisions.
Seventy per cent of the world’s emissions are generated from cities, so the action city governments take is absolutely critical. https://t.co/fatMzgPATd
Mayor Moore further added that Sydney has been carbon neutral since 2007. And in 2011, it became the first to be certified by the Australian government for the same. She also said that this historic $60 million green energy initiative will save Sydney’s taxpayers and create local green jobs.
The city authorities are not simply buying green energy; they have also invested in reviving the renewable sector. They are supporting several energy group communities to create new job opportunities. The solar and wind farms in Wagga Wagga, Shoalhaven, and the Glen Innes are expected to be major green job hubs.
Sydney Prepares For The Future With Green Energy
In a pamphlet released by the city officials online, they have detailed their plans for the future. Since several Australians are already engaging in producing rooftop solar energy, the market can grow even bigger. The city officials have planned a system where individuals can sell or buy electricity to and from the grid.
They also mentioned the practice of “demand response.” In this system, individuals will be rewarded for not using crucial electricity when the demand is high. The officials have even added provisions for this system in their current agreement.
The New South Wales officials also mentioned that they are still connected to the national electricity grid. So, in times of emergency, they will still have a backup.
