Long-Term Renewable Energy and Water Strategy

Kempsey Shire Council has already adopted a Long-Term Renewable Energy and Water Strategy to reduce its carbon footprint. The strategy aligns with state and federal government plans and identifies opportunities for Council to improve its energy and water efficiency and reduce operating costs.

Key opportunities in the strategy include:

• installing more solar panels at Council-operated sites, particularly Council’s Civic Centre, and progressing to larger solar systems with battery storage when feasible
• sourcing more electricity from renewables
• investing in data management systems to enable energy monitoring and inform decision making
• conducting a trial of electric and hybrid vehicles and investigating electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Council has already taken steps to reduce its demand for energy and water by:

• installing a 50 kW solar PV system at the Kempsey Shire Council Depot
• upgrading streetlights to LED technology
• upgrading lighting at the South West Rocks and Central Kempsey sporting complexes to LED technology
• installing solar hot water heating at some tourist parks 
• fixing leaks across Council’s potable water network
• equipping the South West Rocks water treatment plant with several energy efficient variable speed drives to control treatment and pumping processes 
• upgrading lighting throughout the Civic Centre to LED technology.