Gosford City Council
Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Community
Over the past ten years Gosford City Council have undertaken a range of activities to encourage the community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, include:
- Green - it's the new black program - encouraging residents to switch to GreenPower and save energy.
- Climate change kits - providing information for high schools on climate change and what can be done to reduce the impacts.
- Primary schools program 2007 'climate change cool it!' - encouraging students to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.
- REFIT Kits - along with Wyong Council and Energy Australia, Council subsidises the installation on energy efficient lighting and water saving shower heads in residents homes.
- Green Living in Gosford - encouraging residents to save energy and live more sustainably. In May 2006 550 residents were given energy efficient lights.
- Business Energy Efficiency Program (BEEP) - targeted six small to medium businesses and assisted with activities to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The pilot program resulted in reductions of 1,181 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
- 'Hotel and Motel Money Saving Guide for Managers' - aimed at saving water and energy and reducing waste in local tourist accommodation.
- Pilot TravelSmart program in Woy Woy.
Travel
- Fleet - Council has completed a pilot of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks in collaboration with the Australian Greenhouse Office. Five medium sized CNG fuelled trucks replaced diesel trucks. The results of the pilot showed an average reduction of 762 kg of greenhouse gas emissions per month (over 9 tonne per year).
- Fleet have since purchased another CNG truck. The bitumen tank and forklift also run on CNG.
- Council has been involved in biodiesel trials, and now using ultra low sulphur diesel.
- Approximately 15% of Council's fleet consists of 4-cylinder vehicles.
Corporate
- Council has adopted a greenhouse gas reduction target of 50 per cent by 2020.
- GreenPower - Council currently purchases 6 per cent GreenPower which results in a saving of over 2,500 tonnes greenhouse gas emissions per year.
- Energy Performance Contract - Council commenced an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) in 2005. The EPC implemented ten projects including: lighting efficiency project, power factor correction, Gosford pool solar water heating, solar power at 3 libraries, water flow control, waterless urinals, irrigation project at Kariong Oval, Water tanks at 3 libraries, air-conditioner upgrades, micro hydro generator at Somersby filtration plant. The EPC will result in annual savings of 1,433 tonnes of CO2/year.
- Landfill gas - installation of gas wells at Kincumber and Woy Woy to enable earthbound gas from landfill to be converted into green energy, producing enough green energy to power up to 400 homes annually.
- Other programs - membership of the Sustainable Energy Development Authorities, Energy Smart Business Program (SEDA ESB), Street Lighting Improvement Program (SLIP), an initiative of South Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils.
Future greenhouse abatement actions
- Planning to purchase 2 more CNG trucks.
- Biogas Cogeneration Plant - installation of a cogeneration plant at Kincumber STP with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emission by about 2,000 tonnes per year.
More information
Contact: Trish Donnelly
Web Address: www.gosford.nsw.gov.au
Updated: November 2007
CCP Facts
State: New South Wales
Date joined:
1998
Current Milestone:
CCP Plus