An energy efficiency project targeting large reductions in Townsville City Council’s power use has received an Australian Government grant.

The Commonwealth provided $813000 in funding for the council’s $1.62 million Energy Transformation Townsville project.

Provided on a ‘dollar-for-dollar’ basis with the council, the funding is from the Commonwealth’s round of Community Energy Efficiency Program grants.

Targeted annual energy savings will be 854263 kWh through energy conservation measures at council buildings and facilities.

Other key elements will be development of a council wide energy management system and retrofitting of ‘suitable’ outdoor public lighting with LED lights.

Research and educational programs are also included to promote ‘better’ energy use in the Townsville community.

Smart City Sustainable Future Committee chairman Vern Veitch said the federal funding went out to only 63 applications, including the Townsville project, out of hundreds of others across Australia.

“The Federal Government approval is another feather in the cap for the council and our impressive record over the past 10 years in research and innovation on energy efficiency,
Mr Veitch said.

These include council’s partnership with Ergon Energy in the Townsville Solar City Project and its participation in the IBM Smart Cities Challenge.

“Council is taking this to higher level through our partnership with Ergon Energy in the development of an internal energy performance (EPC) and management program at the Walker St and Thuringowa Drive administration buildings to reduce energy use and network demand,” Mr Veitch said.

Mr Veitch said this latest project will deliver “tangible”, practical energy solutions right across the council’s operational areas that will target on-going annual energy savings of over $100000 a year.

According to the council, savings will be achieved through using smart technologies, collecting and analysing data on energy use to ‘better understand’ and undertake targeted actions to reduce the council’s network demand and carbon footprint.

Allocation for the council’s funding for the Energy Transformation project has already been allocated in the current capital program.