2008 saw 4 surf clubs in SE NSW set up with renewable energy (Tathra, Jindabyne, Moruya and Naroma). Pambula, Bermagui, and Broulee are underway with fundraising, and LSE moves out of the region, with Mollymook surf club set to go.
In 2009 CEFE are keen to expand LifeSaving Energy to include the Rural Fire Service. Next year we will be holding swims to raise money for solar panels for the Jindabyne, Tathra and Bermagui fire stations. If we can manage to get a 2kw system onto each fire station, that ought to make about $1000 per year.
What I’m hoping we can do is pool the money from each of the stations, and put it towards the next RFS installation. If we can get 20 RFS stations set up with solar panels, that generates $20 000 a year. That is a great target to aim for as the solar panel installations would then become self funded.
When a Feed In Tariff gets introduced and solar panels become cheaper, the whole equation starts to look a whole lot better. LifeSaving Energy moves to the Rural Fire Service with a vengeance.
We will continue to help surf clubs, churches and schools get set up with solar panels and wind turbines throughout 2009.