Starting this week, South Australia’s capital city Adelaide said that its operations are relying on 100% renewable energy. The city expects this transition to reduce emissions by approximately half and lower electricity costs.
Adelaide signed a power purchase agreement with Flow Power to buy electricity from multiple renewable generation projects. The deal means that all of the city’s operations, which include the aquatic center, parks, depots, and buildings like the Adelaide Town Hall, are powered by a mix of wind and solar.
“The electricity in the contract will be delivered from Clements Gap wind farm in mid north South Australia and two new Solar Farms on the Eyre Peninsula and South East that are being developed,” according to the Adelaide Council.
The renewable portion of the contract started July 1, and runs for nine and a half years, Adelaide noted online. “Longer-term contracts provide certainty for the electricity generators and help to increase renewable generation in the state,” according to the city.
Switching to renewables is expected to reduce emissions by more than 1,000 metric tons each year.
In addition to the PPA, the city says that it already has onsite solar panel systems on the town hall, the aquatic center, UPark Topham Mall, and UPark Pirie Flinders as well as on the Central Market, the central bus station, the London Road Depot, and UPark Rundle.
Collectively the installed solar power is saving the Council more than $200,000 on their electricity bills and avoiding around 760 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, according to the city.
