Southern Otways Sustainable
Southern Otways Sustainable mission is to encourage, facilitate and implement a transition to 100% renewable sources for the Otways community.
19/07/2024
Invitation to Sustainable Open House Day in Apollo Bay -
12/04/2024
Electrifying Stories - Momentum Energy Electrifying Stories is a series about the people forging a more sustainable path, how they’re making homes more efficient and getting off gas.
31/03/2024
Worth a read folks. https://www.facebook.com/share/aZt35egUqveybjtU/?mibextid=ox5AEW
10/11/2023
Invitation to Southern Otways Sustainable's AGM -
Invitation to Southern Otways Sustainable's AGM S.O.S is proud to be a Community Partner of the Electric Homes Program which comes to an end on Nov 30. The program has had a strong response over the past three months with over 700 Expressions of Interest and 1,450 registrations to information events across the 5 LGAs. The program has seen a signi...
25/10/2023
Invitation to Southern Otways Sustainable's AGM -
Invitation to Southern Otways Sustainable's AGM Come along and help celebrate what we achieved in what was a productive 2022-23 and find out what’s cooking for 2023-24. There will be some refreshments as well as the usual election of committee members. We promise no pressure will be exerted so come along to mostly hear about our progress. Its ...
13/08/2023
I don’t profess to know Andy Coffey well but apparently in his youth (as local legend has it) he was the inspiration for at least two of Marvel Comic’s superheroes. So it’s no surprise he arm wrestled that modern-day super villain, Bureaucracy, to secure a giant battery for the Mechanics Hall. The battery will complement the solar system donated by Apollo Bay’s 2nd Community Solar System in 2021 and help provide a refuge in times of need. Another local legend, repurposing retirement for the common good.
Next Monday 14 August, Apollo Bay hosts two Electric Homes Program sessions where suppliers can help attendees assess their own situation.
S.O.S and Geelong Sustainability have joined forces to help Apollo Bay households go all-electric with high quality products and installations of:
• solar panels and battery systems,
• heat pump hot water systems,
• efficient heating & cooling split systems and
• home EV chargers.
Please register for either Apollo Bay Information event at:
Apollo Bay Bowling Club
12.30pm OR 5.30pm.
09/08/2023
SOLAR UPTAKE IN APOLLO BAY
When does solar make sense? Every home and situation is different but the data shows for an ever increasing number, solar makes sense for them.
Next Monday 14 August, Apollo Bay hosts two Electric Homes Program sessions where suppliers can help attendees assess their own situation.
S.O.S and Geelong Sustainability have joined forces to help Apollo Bay households go all-electric with high quality products and installations of:
• solar panels and battery systems,
• heat pump hot water systems,
• efficient heating & cooling split systems and
• home EV chargers.
Please register for either Apollo Bay Information event at:
Apollo Bay Bowling Club
12.30pm OR 5.30pm.
For more information on how you can take advantage of the program, please visit the www.ElectricHomes.com.au website.
04/08/2023
Our community benefits from vision, commitment and solar uptake
Sandwiched between the community garden and the Indoor pool at the back of town lies a non-descript plain vanilla style shed. Picture it on a cold misty winter’s dawn, there’s a rich earthy fragrance that emanates, that speaks of both industry and intrigue. Some have suggested a local vegemite factory, some a hipster style micro-brewery. It’s more, it’s an unassuming but magnificent achievement, that speaks to what’s possible with the determination and persistence of a small number of individuals. Retired local Ngaira Smith, despite a far-flung family and places to visit, has set apart a good part of her life to make this vision happen. Together with two others, this plucky trio - let’s call them “The Fellowship of Waste Reduction”, decided to stop the madness of trucking the town’s food waste 128km over the Otway’s to Camperdown for composting. So, while it’s true the finished product smells good enough to ingest, it’s not what we’d recommend… unless you’re an earthworm.
The Apollo Bay’s Closed Loop Waste Facility produces the best value, richest organic compost - concentrate you’ll find this side of … Camperdown.
Trouble is it’s a power-hungry beast and so it was the perfect candidate for the 10kW Solar and battery system gifted by S.O.S’s first Community Solar Program in 2020.
S.O.S has now partnered with Geelong Sustainability to bring a third community solar program to Apollo Bay. This Electric Home Program is a 'solar plus' program which will provide a choice of high quality solar panels and battery systems, heat pump hot water systems, efficient heating & cooling split systems and home EV chargers.
To learn more, visit the www.Electrichomes.com.au website and register for one of the two Apollo Bay information sessions to be held at the Apollo Bay Bowls Club on Monday 14 August at 12.30pm and at 5.30pm.
21/06/2023
Apollo Bay Business Owners!
Do you experience blackouts/brownouts?
What’s your current power reliability like?
S.O.S will soon be door knocking businesses to assess
the impact of power outages on our community.
Or, if you’d prefer - fill in this online (5min) survey
General Businesses
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/92S2CMY
Accommodation Businesses
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MQK5ZPP
Thank you for your time!
Supported by Colac Otway Shire’s SmartyGrants Program
14/11/2022
Does a neighbourhood battery stack up for Apollo Bay? We have crunched the numbers - https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au/post/does-a-neighbourhood-battery-stack-up-for-apollo-bay
Does a Neighbourhood Battery stack up for Apollo Bay? Over the past few weeks we have been looking at the findings of a study commissioned to investigate the feasibility of a neighbourhood battery to help address the power problems of Apollo Bay, Marengo and Skenes Creek. We have learned that the study recommends a staged approach for the technical sol...
23/10/2022
If you're contemplating going gas-free or looking at ways to reduce household energy costs this article from the Climate Council is really worthwhile. You can easily find out the benefits of changing cooking, heating and hot-water from gas to electricity would mean for you using the Savings Calculator. And if you're ready - Take the Pledge too.
Pledge to go gas-free today! | Climate Council There’s never been a better time to make the switch away from gas. Australia is facing an energy crisis, caused by a failure to move swiftly beyond dangerous, polluting and expensive fossil fuels (1). Our power bills are skyrocketing, climate impacts are escalating all over the world, while gian...
21/10/2022
Invitation to Southern Otways Sustainable's AGM - https://mailchi.mp/9f6ddd7c48e0/invitation-to-southern-otways-sustainables-agm
Invitation to Southern Otways Sustainable's AGM Come along and help celebrate what we achieved in what was a very busy and productive 2021-22 and find out what’s cooking for 2022-23. There will be some refreshments as well as the usual election of committee members. We promise no pressure will be exerted so come along to mostly hear about our p...
19/10/2022
Here's the next chapter of the Apollo Bay Neighbourhood Battery Feasibility Study story - https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au/post/let-s-unpack-the-solution
Let's Unpack The Solution Welcome back! So, in the last article, a study was underway to investigate the feasibility of a neighbourhood battery for the coastal cluster of Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek and Marengo. During community consultation, locals identified the battery needed to achieve the following objectives (in order of....
05/10/2022
Apollo Bay is in the running for Energy Resilience project. Thank you local group Southern Otway’s Sustainable for helping push this along (https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au)
(Surf Coast Times, 6 Oct 2022)
30/09/2022
Are you following the Apollo Bay Neighbourhood Battery Feasibility Study story? Here's the next article! https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au/post/what-s-the-solution-to-our-power-problems
What’s the Solution to Our Power Problems? Welcome back! You get three clues and we are asking you to name the place. It has an unreliable power supply; businesses are forking out around $50,000 in capital and running costs for generators; and the locals fear it could be the next Mallacoota if a major bushfire eventuates. Right! Apollo Bay.....
16/09/2022
Did you hear about the feasibility study being done to see if a neighbourhood battery would fix our power problems? Follow this link to learn what the study found - https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au/post/do-we-have-a-power-problem
Do We Have a Power Problem? It’s known as ‘Paradise by the Sea’ but for long-time locals and regular visitors, it’s also known as the region where the power goes out - a lot. For more than 30 years the electricity supply to Apollo Bay, Skenes Creek and Marengo has been unreliable. Data from the Direct Network Service P...
11/09/2022
Great article on small towns with similar renewable energy ambitions as ours. Different circumstances and they began their journeys earlier, but absolutely inspirational.
‘I haven’t paid a bill since 2008’: Country towns empower themselves Yackandandah is leading the charge to renewable power and other regional Victorian towns are following suit. For them, it’s a matter of survival.
10/08/2022
Be great to see how they go. What a wonderful initiative. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-03/plans-to-electrify-illawarra-postcode-2515-renewable-energy/101294916?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_web&fbclid=IwAR1gBPmL3eeU7iz40I2fi8O5V9q_n2Rh_CUM0PpgUDRf6a9FLW3ZJqREjY4
Decarbonising a suburb: Electrify 2515 offers 500 homeowners chance to reduce emissions, energy bills Lucky homeowners in postcode 2515 in the northern Illawarra are invited to electrify their suburb with possible subsidies for solar panels, batteries, electric cooking, heating and to lease an electric car.
06/07/2022
The BSW Community Power Hub guided us through our recent study "Steps to Energy Autonomy for Apollo Bay" (Report available soon). Help us by signing up to be a Community Power Champion. Community Power Hubs empower communities on their path to renewable energy by providing the technical know-how to engage with industry participants. Communities need Power Hubs for a just transition.
Victoria's Community Power Hubs program is playing a key role empowering people to grow renewable energy locally, promote energy independence and build resilience in communities. But with no baseline funding in the recent state budget, community renewables projects are in free fall.
600 people have already joined the campaign by emailing the Energy Minister to champion Community Power Hubs. Can you help us double it? Add your voice > melbournefoe.org.au/communitypowerhubs
16/06/2022
Early days in the Community battery space so great to see it happening…
This battery is about the size of four fridges, covered in art and is being billed as the way of the future A community battery that will take excess energy from local solar panels is unveiled in Melbourne and welcomed as a "fabulous" step towards having more renewable energy in the network.
S.O.S is an apolitical organisation that is at the same time fiercely passionate about political policy. And so I'm sure our members watched the 2022 election results roll in with great interest. If the 2019 election was all about coal, then the 2022 election was all about climate.... finally. We look forward to the common sense policy on a renewable energy future for Australia. Congratulations to The Greens, The Teal Independents, The ALP and commiserations to LNP. Looking forward to some bipartisan politics that puts future generations as a equal priority.
21/05/2022
Hello lovely Apollo Bay community. We have been undertaking a feasibility study for a Neighbourhood battery and we need YOUR input on which ownership model the community would prefer. Please click the image to choose your preferred option. For further information about the feasibility study visit https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au/neighbourhood-battery-feasibility-study
POLL: APOLLO BAY NEIGHBOURHOOD BATTERY FEASIBILITY STUDY - Click the image to voice your opinion! Click the image to voice your opinion!
10/05/2022
An exciting new possibility for the Barwon South West region
Are you interested in a Community Energy Retailer that provides consumers with an ethical energy retailer option, keeping the benefits of renewable energy in the local community?
The Community Power Hub Barwon South-West, along with community energy groups from across the region are exploring how to make this happen.
Take this short survey to help us better understand our community’s interest in, and viability of such a retailer and go in the draw to win one of three $100 EFTPOS Gift Cards.
Take the Survey now - https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2SKZSN5
The survey ends midnight Sunday 22nd May.
25/02/2022
Who are you buying your electricity from? Greenpeace has cut through the green washing and ranked power companies. Diamond Energy is 100% renewables, has 80% employer ownership and is the first power company to offer an export tariff on home batteries.
https://greenelectricityguide.org.au/
The Green Electricity Guide by Greenpeace It’s time to take action on climate change by switching electricity providers! Check out the Green Electricity Guide and make the switch today 🍃 ☀️ ⚡
18/02/2022
Sick of power outages? Can a community battery overcome Apollo Bay's outages? Visit the Apollo Bay Foreshore Market or Farmers Market this weekend between 9:00am-midday to have your say. Find out more at https://www.southernotwayssustainable.com.au
Southern Otways Sustainable Energising the community of Apollo Bay and Southern Otways on our path to 100% renewables