On the same day the shortsighted federal government policy to remove the subsidy for solar hot water systems was announced, three local environment groups banded together to illuminate the Fingal Head lighthouse – from the outside.
The mirrors reflecting onto the lighthouse yesterday represent the massive and unharnessed power of the sun in our part of the world.
Three community groups have joined together to form the Tweed Renewables Alliance to campaign for Big Solar: TweedCAN, the Caldera Environment Centre and the Northern Rivers Guardians. The event to marks the start of the Big Solar Poll, the first activity the Alliance is coordinating in the region.
The Alliance members believe that new solar technologies – including solar thermal systems that store energy overnight – can now be used to run power stations big enough to replace outmoded coal- and gas-fired plants.
They are conducting a poll of local residents to garner support for the idea and will present the results to Richmond MP Justine Elliot in May.
You can sign up to support the poll at www.100percent.org.au/bigsolar.
