Ararat Rural City Council is offering local small to medium size enterprises (SMEs) the chance to slash their energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through a groundbreaking efficiency program called ‘Energise Business’. An initiative of the Victorian Government’s Greenhouse Strategy, Energise Business is funded through the Department of Sustainability and Environment and is managed by ICLEI Oceania as part of its Cities for Climate Protection Program.
Together with the City of Kingston and the City of Yarra, Ararat is delivering the program through to the end of this financial year. A total of 100 positions are available for businesses across the three Councils.
Ararat’s Business Development Officer, Clyde Humphries, said after launching the program in October, 24 Ararat SMEs, with an annual energy spend of greater than $5,000, have come on board.
“The program will help these businesses to reduce overall costs of their energy usage despite the forecasted rise of energy prices,” he said.
For an upfront fee of $297, SMEs receive a service normally valued at $1,000.
Energise Business combines customised energy audits, detailed recommendations, implementation strategies and finance into the one program, saving business owners money and time.
Clyde Humphries said the audits look at how businesses interact with energy and blends simple measures, such as turning lights off when not in use, to installing energy efficient equipment, such as solar hot water systems.
“The main focus of the audits is hot water, gas and lighting,” he said. “Efficiency measures that are implemented through the program are guaranteed to deliver quantifiable energy savings so business owners can invest with confidence, knowing that their actions will return savings to their bottom line year after year.”
Ararat CEO, Stephen Chapple, said Energise Business is a great way for SMEs to begin to adapt to a carbon constrained future, while boosting their bottom line.
“Piloted in Port Fairy last year, the program wiped more than $130,000 from the annual energy bills of 17 participating businesses,” he said. “It also delivered more than 300 tonnes of ongoing greenhouse gas abatement. These quantifiable energy savings prompted Ararat Rural City Council to come on board and encourage the implementation of efficiency measures locally.”
Yarra City Council and Kingston City Council launched their programs late in November.
For further information contact Clyde Humphries, Business Development Officer, Ararat Rural City Council, on (03) 5355 0250.
