NAMBUCCA Heads Men’s Shed (NHMS) is working with the Community Power Agency to investigate possible options for renewable energy that will help to strengthen local not-for-profit organisations, lower their electricity bills and make them more sustainable into the future.

Funding for this work has been generously provided by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal.

The Community Power Agency provides expert advice and support to communities, organisations, government and industry in developing community owned renewable energy.

In order to scope out what is required in the region, Nambucca Heads Men’s Shed team would like to know more about the priorities of local Not-For-Profits and understand their ideas around renewable energy, as well as what sorts of skills and assets they now have access to.

“Making choices about renewable energy is not everyone’s area of expertise but high power bills can cripple a not-for-profit organisation,” Peter Sobey, Nambucca Heads Men’s Shed, told News Of The Area.

“The survey we are undertaking seeks to share the knowledge so that NFPs can make an informed choice about how to reduce their energy bills and so become more able to survive into the future.

“Please fill in our survey as the more information we can gather the better we can understand how to advise NFPs in our area on the choices that are available.

“The Community Power Agency will use their expertise in this area to produce a report that will be available to all survey participants.

“It is all about learning what opportunities we can take to make NFPs more viable and resilient.”

Community Power Agency Director Elizabeth Noble is excited to be working in the Nambucca Valley again and partnering with the Men’s Shed on this project.

‘Whilst this project aims to strengthen the sustainability of local not-for-profits by reducing their electricity bills as well as their carbon emissions, we also hope that it will plant the seed for other groups and individuals in the community to become involved in renewable energy and develop other projects,” Elizabeth told News Of The Area.

Here’s how you can help.

If you are part of a not-for-profit organisation or similar that is based in the Nambucca Valley, please take a few minutes to visit the NHMS website and complete the short survey.

The results will be the basis for the next steps of the project and help the team to scope out possible options for the future, such as energy efficiency programs, roof-top solar installations or batteries.

The results will be available on the NHMS website and emailed to participants after the survey closes at the end of February.

For more information about NHMS visit https://nhms.org.au/.

If you have questions about the project please contact Elizabeth Noble at elizabeth@cpagency.org.au or 0426887415.

 

By Andrea FERRARI