Affordable and Clean Energy

What is renewable energy?

Renewable energy is a source of energy that can’t be used up, but rather, is continually being replaced allowing for long term energy that is "cleaner" and "greener". Renewable energy involves technologies designed to acquire energy from a variety of sources that can’t run out on human timescales, for example:

  • Solar energy - the sun’s heat and light
  • Geothermal energy - heat created within the Earth
  • Wind, tidal wave, current and hydro energy - movement of the wind, ocean, and rivers; and
  • Biomass or bioenergy - the heat generated by burning gaseous or solid organic waste products.

A renewable Council

Singleton Council believes in the importance of thinking long term, and with the mining industry supplying not only power but also jobs for the local economy, it is important that we start to transition our community towards a more sustainable future. Currently, Council has a signed agreement under the Renewable Energy Target (RET) scheme that has been mandated by the Commonwealth Government. By the year 2020, Singleton Council has agreed to source 20% of the energy it uses from renewables.

Singleton Council has also worked hard to establish changes to our local lighting systems with street lights being phased from inefficient halogens to more efficient LEDs. The benefits here are:

  • Greater visibility from the lights
  • Less replacements due to a longer lifespan of the lights
  • Less energy using due to their efficiency

A renewable community

More and more, households are utilising renewables in and around their homes to help supplement power they receive from the electricity grid or even to power their homes entirely!

View more information on renewables at home

Improve your homes energy efficiencies

However, you don’t need to install a roof full of solar panels to improve your homes energy efficiency or its environmental impact. Simple and effective ways to reduce the impact of a home include:

  • Replace old lights with energy efficient lighting, such as LEDs
  • Setting the temperature at 18 to 21 degrees in winter and 23 to 26 degrees in summer, which can lower your running cost by up to 10%
  • Switching out your second fridge for an esky when you need that extra space
  • Keeping the house warmer in winter and cooler in summer by simply closing the curtains
  • Draught proof your house by sealing gaps
  • Switch off appliances at the wall when not in use, standby appliances can add 10% on your annual energy bill
  • Dry your clothing naturally on a line or rack instead of using a dryer
  • When you next purchase an appliance check the energy rating. You could even ask how many kilowatt-hours it uses each year and multiply this number by $0.284 and this will give roughly how much it costs to run each year.
  • Learn how to save power and money at home by borrowing a free Save Power Kit from Singleton Library
Back to top