Northern Beaches Council has made the switch to 100 per cent renewable-sourced electricity, cutting an estimated $1.9 million from its bills over the next seven years and shaving nine years off its commitment to swap to green alternatives.

The supply agreement with Infigen Energy will see Council powering all its 382 sites and street light network with renewable-sourced electricity, primarily from wind turbines at Infigen’s Bodangora site near Wellington, NSW.

Mayor Michael Regan said securing 100 per cent renewable-sourced electricity was a vital initiative in helping Council achieve its Environment & Climate Change Strategy goals.

“This is a quadruple win: a win for the environment, a win for Council’s budget, a win for ratepayers and a win for the rural economy,” Cr Regan said.

“The shift to renewables will save about $1.9 million in ratepayer money over the next seven years which can be diverted to important services, and slashes Council’s carbon footprint by about 80 per cent or around 20,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – equal to the yearly emissions of 2,800 homes.”

“Our Environment and Climate Change Strategy commits Council to reducing its carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2040. We also committed to all suitable sites being powered by renewable electricity by 2030.

“We’re proud to hit these targets many years earlier than expected and deliver savings with it.

“Electricity consumption was Council’s biggest contributor to carbon pollution, so this was a big step towards reaching our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2045.”

Mayor Regan said while the renewable sources are mostly wind-generated, they also include energy generated by solar and stored in batteries, will include the Wallgrove big battery.

Council joins the lead of other progressive Australian organisations switching to renewables including Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, Telstra, Sydney Opera House, University of NSW, University of Newcastle, Monash University and the University of Melbourne.