Alice Solar City celebrates first birthday
9 March 2009

Alice Springs residents and business owners should today be recognised and congratulated for their contribution to reducing the town’s energy use over the past 12 months, says Brian Elmer, General Manager of Alice Solar City.

It is one year since Alice Springs was officially launched as a Solar City.

To date, 610 residents and 32 businesses are actively participating in the program, with over $1.5 million worth of financial incentive vouchers issued for over 20 different energy efficient activities.

Over 40 solar power (PV) systems and 100 solar hot water systems have also been installed on Alice Springs rooftops, translating to a saving of 400,000 kWh / year for these measures alone – the same amount of energy consumed by around 50 average Alice Springs houses.

“I am extremely impressed with the enthusiasm people have shown for the Alice Solar City project”, says Brian Elmer.

“We are well on the way to achieving our goal of having 1500 residents change their energy efficiency behaviour.”

“Soon we will be conducting some research to find out how much energy the town has saved and how attitudes to energy use have changed.”

To celebrate, Alice Solar City is inviting everyone to a community celebration on Friday 20 March, from 5-7pm at the Araluen Cultural Centre.

There will be a free community BBQ with family activities, displays, competitions and giveaways. For the kids, there will be a jumping castle, face-painting and balloon twisting, as well as a colour-in competition and a visit by Yamba.

Then, at 7pm Alice Solar City is hosting two free films – An Inconvenient Truth, in which former US Vice President Al Gore exposes the myths and misconceptions about global warming, and Telling the Truth, Australia’s response to Al Gore – our own climate change presenters.

And to top it all off, 2000 packs of energy efficient light bulbs will be given away as part of a Make the Switch campaign.

Out of the 9000 globes to be given away there will be three globes that turn green upon installation; with the lucky recipients winning $500 cash each.

A special token will appear in the Centralian Advocate on Tuesday the 17th and Friday the 20th of March for residents to collect their globes. The giveaway runs from 20-27th March.

Those who collect their pack at the community event on Friday 20th March will go into the draw to win a solar hot water system and other prizes.

Alice Solar City is part of the Australian Government's Solar City program which is helping change the way we think about and use energy. Trials involving governments, industry, businesses and residents across Australia are helping create a new energy future for Australian communities.

About Alice Solar City
The Alice Springs Solar City Consortium is led by the Alice Springs Town Council and includes broad community support from the Northern Territory Government, Power and Water Corporation, Tangentyere Council, the Northern Territory Chamber of Commerce, the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre and the Arid Lands Environment Centre. Funding sources include the Australian Government, the Northern Territory Government, Power and Water Corporation, and Alice Springs Town Council.

Visit Alice Solar City on the web