Six regional Victorian councils have joined forces to help locals and businesses upgrade to energy-efficient technologies.
The Shires of Alpine, Indigo, Mitchell, Murrindindi, Strathbogie and Greater Shepparton City Council, who are all members of the Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance, are supporting the Goulburn Murray Solar Savers program.
This program will offer a range of services, including pre-approved installers, top-notch products and detailed information on rebates and solar panels, storage batteries, hot water systems and reverse cycle heating and cooling.
Mitchell Shire Council Mayor John Dougall said he was pleased to be able to give residents access to the program.
“The program has tendered and checked the panel of installers and products to make it easy for residents and businesses,” he said.
“We understand the purchase of energy-efficient products often gets delayed because it’s so difficult to know who to trust when there are so many options out there and not all suppliers and installers offer the quality customers expect.”
Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance executive officer Carole Hammond said that the Goulburn Murray Savers program is an offshoot of a larger metropolitan program.
“Our councils were researching what we could do to assist regional and rural residents, and Solar Savers was a logical fit,” she said.
“It’s a tried and tested model which has been working for the residents of 19 metropolitan councils for a number of years.”
The program will soon be expanded to include induction cook tops, home and business electric vehicle chargers, insulation, draft proofing and home energy scorecard assessments.