Support for local community-owned renewable energy projects received a boost after Splendour in the Grass donated nearly $10,000 from its carbon offset ticket opt-in scheme to COREM (Community-Owned Renewable Energy Mullumbimby).
Splendour’s $9,309 brings the total available funds to more than $22,000 for community associations wishing to fund solar installation on their host sites.
In 2018 Splendour shifted its carbon offset ticket opt-in to local initiatives within the region to ‘allow a more tangible and quantifiable outcome for the festival’s long running carbon offset program,’ a Splendour spokesperson said.
‘We are proud to continue supporting local community groups like COREM to develop long-term sustainability solutions’
COREM vice president Dave Rawlins said community groups struggle to cover ever-increasing energy bills and ‘this donation allows our organisation to fund four more local projects,’.
‘Instead of lining the pockets of big energy retailers who sell polluting electricity COREM’s revolving model demonstrates there is an alternative that works.’
‘Once these projects are built, the entire revolving fund will return enough money to support another two projects every year without the need to fundraise, showcasing the power of community-owned renewables to recreate the local economy.’
One of COREM’s key goals is to help transition Byron Shire to 100 percent renewable energy using the community ownership model. It helps achieve this through a revolving fund where interest free loans are given to community solar projects – savings made from the solar electricity generation repay COREM and benefit the community association while growing the revolving fund. This fund has now installed 55 kW of solar PV over seven local sites.
To apply to the COREM Revolving Community Energy Fund go to corem.org.au
