Investing in a sustainable future

With a return on investment often >20%, rooftop solar is a great way to reduce your energy bills whilst also reducing your carbon footprint.

Premises in Yarra can access for free, the not-for-profit SunSPOT solar calculator to map the solar potential of your roof and estimated savings. Yarra also partners with Solar Savers for free advice and trustworthy quotes for quality, affordable solar. 

The Clean Energy Council has developed a consumer guide to going solar for your business. This guide contains information about technologies, how much energy you can expect to produce, and issues to consider when installing solar panels.

Smart grid connected battery storage technology is developing rapidly, as are the uses for commercial batteries. With costs falling rapidly, batteries can be a good investment, both financially and for the clean energy transition. If this is of interest please speak with an electricity advisor, such as Yarra Energy Foundation, about what would work best for you.

The Clean Energy Council has a list of approved batteries for connection to the grid in Australia.

An energy audit focusses on providing actionable energy conservation measures to reduce energy consumption and energy bills. There are three levels of energy audits, as detailed by the Energy Efficiency Council.

Costs can range from a few hundred dollars for a basic online energy audit, up to a full scope 3 audit inclusive of recommended projects in a large manufacturing business, which may cost up to $20,000. 

The auditor will recommend energy and cost saving projects. Some will be inexpensive, while others may be large projects of many thousands of dollars. Recommendations are costed and the projected savings will be calculated by the energy auditor, along with the expected return on investment.

Sustainability Victoria has a full list of accredited auditors in Victoria and some worked examples of common projects for different industries and the associated savings.  Sustainability Victoria also has a number of case studies around electrification and how to Reduce energy use in your business.

Electrification of processes powered by renewable electricity is essential to a net zero future. This can include the electrification of vehicle fleets and delivery methods, and/or removing gas from heating processes. Many of these investments are long term investments in long life assets, for example passenger cars in Australia have an average age of 11* years, whilst heavy rigid trucks are on average 16.3* years old. So we can expect cars and trucks bought today will be operating well beyond City of Yarra’s net zero goal of 2035 and right up to or beyond the Federal Government goal of Net Zero by 2050. Heating equipment is similar, with a useful life of 10-20 years, as such replacement of and capital to replace these items with all electric solutions, powered by renewable energy is important and required immediately.  

The benefits of electrification can be significant, but they are different for every business and premises. Technology is rapidly evolving, be that better thermal storage solutions, more efficient heat pumps or all electric vehicle fleets. 

For more information on creating charging opportunities, refer to our EV Charging Factsheet [ PDF, 2.24 MB] . 

For more information on electrification of buildings or industrial processes we suggest talking with Yarra Energy Foundation or A2EP for larger facilities.

This space has a lot of grants which can be worth exploring, businesses in the City of Yarra can use the Yarra Grant Finder to search for available grants.

*Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics Statistical Report 2023

GreenPower is an Australian Government renewable electricity accreditation scheme that is regarded as the most reputable source of renewable electricity. Most electricity retailers offer accredited GreenPower.

When you choose GreenPower your electricity retailer purchases the equivalent amount of renewable electricity.

You pay a premium for the electricity you buy as GreenPower. This premium, along with the wholesale electricity cost of the electricity you use, goes toward investment in renewable electricity.