Blue Mountains News

The facilities are: Hazelwood Childcare Centre, Springwood Depot Mechanics Workshop, Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, Blue Mountains City Council Headquarters and Council Chambers, Mid Mountains Community Centre, Katoomba Civic Centre Arcade, Katoomba Children's Cottage, Knapsack Park Clubhouse, and Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative.   

The project will see a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across the sites and reduce energy bills at the selected facilities. 

The solar panels will generate electricity for the buildings, and batteries will store electricity for use at low-light times, or when there are interruptions to the electricity supply. The battery storage will also help ensure essential services remain operational during blackouts.

The first installation has already taken place at Council headquarters in Katoomba, timed to coincide with previously scheduled roof repairs on the building. 

Blue Mountains Mayor Mark Greenhill said the project represents a significant advancement in both environmental sustainability and financial efficiency for the local community.

"I’m excited to see the first solar panels and batteries of this project installed,” Cr Greenhill said. “This move is another step in our commitment to sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.

"Council anticipates substantial savings on energy bills, which will allow us to reinvest those resources into other areas of our community services.

"We are always looking for ways to enhance our sustainability efforts with the big-picture goal of creating a more resilient and environmentally friendly community infrastructure for the future."

The community Solar and batteries project is funded by the NSW Government's Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program in association with Blue Mountains City Council. 

To stay up to date on the project go to here