More than 40 West Australian councils have signed an agreement to move to 100 per cent renewable energy.

The agreement with Synergy has been taken up by 48 Local Governments, with 43 planning to move to 100 per cent renewable when the contract commences in April and the remainder to transition over three years.

Developed by the Western Australian Local Government Association, the agreement will source all renewable energy locally from wind farms at Albany, Emu Downs and Collgar.

WALGA Acting President Karen Chappel said the three-year agreement is the first renewable and carbon aggregation project approved by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

“There was overwhelming enthusiasm from local governments to shift to renewable energy, which has been driven by the attitudes and ambitions of their communities,” Ms Chappel said in a statement.

“That so many councils have decided to immediately take up the 100 per cent renewable option is outstanding and shows that the sector is leading the way.

“Certainly there is the environmental benefits of the agreement, but also there is a financial benefit as we have advice that since terms were secured by WALGA, market rates have already increased by at least twenty-five per cent.”

The local governments signed up to the agreement are:

Cities of Albany, Armadale, Bayswater, Bunbury, Busselton, Canning, Cockburn, Fremantle, Gosnells, Greater Geraldton, Joondalup, Kalamunda, Kwinana, Mandurah, Melville, Nedlands, Rockingham, South Perth, Stirling, Subiaco, Swan, Vincent and Wanneroo.

Towns of Bassendean, Cambridge, Claremont, Cottesloe, East Fremantle, Mosman Park and Victoria Park.

Shires of Augusta Margaret River, Boyup Brook, Donnybrook-Balingup, Harvey, Manjimup, Morawa, Mundaring, Murray, Northam, Peppermint Grove, Plantagenet, Serpentine-Jarrahdale, Dandaragan and Bridgetown-Greenbushes.

Along with the Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council, Mindarie Regional Council and Southern Metropolitan Regional Council.