Penrith City Council, New South Wales, has announced the latest addition to its vehicle fleet is 100 percent electric, will not create any greenhouse gas emissions while being driven, and will be recharged using renewable energy.
The delivery-style ‘eco car’ has been purchased to trial its suitability and real world running costs, and if it proves successful Council will look at purchasing more in future when replacing the old fleet.
The new car will be used by staff to transport items around the city and will be on display at various community events so local residents can learn more about this technology.
Mayor, Ross Fowler OAM, said, “This is the latest in a range of steps we have taken to reduce our energy use and move towards renewable energy sources, as an organisation and a city.”
Council has installed 37 solar panel systems on our buildings, with a total energy generating capacity of 346kW (a typical home system
is about 3-5kW).
In the 2017-18 financial year the City achieved a 62 percent increase in the amount of solar power generated and used across council facilities compared to the previous year and also purchased 10 percent greenpower for all council sites.
Penrith recently participated in the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) Lightyears Ahead project, converting thousands of streetlights to more efficient LED systems.
