Research Funding from the Department of Sustainability

In early 2006 UB submitted an innovative proposal to the Department of Sustainability, on behalf of the Hopetoun region, to explore Hopetoun’s current and projected power demand, collect solar access, wind speed data, biomass potential, investigate potential local alternative renewable energy technologies, and develop a model for other communities to apply in such studies.

This submission comprised a three stage process, with stages 2 and 3 contingent on the outcomes from the initial research findings in stage one.

UB is delighted with the fact that the Department has allocated $100,000 to the above project, to support the implementation of stage one.

Dennis Olmstead, Manager of UB’s National Centre for Sustainability considers that this project has merit on a number of levels. ‘It is heartening that the State Government has supported a research project that has the potential to provide immense value to a remote regional community in terms of identifying and exploring renewable energy sources.’

Dennis added that if this ground breaking work with Hopetoun also had the potential to impact the direction and approaches taken by other regional centres in developing a sustainable future.

The Hopetoun project is a highly collaborative community initiative, given the support and involvement of:

• Yarriambiack Shire Council
• Hopetoun Progress Association
• Coorong Development Cooperative

If you want to learn more about this project or what UB is doing in terms of ‘Sustainability’ then please telephone Dennis Olmstead on 0408 361 258 or Mal Vallance, Head of Commercial Services (03 53 278102).