The Solar Energy Exchange Initiative (SEXI) is calling for Dubbo City Council to publicly announce its support for the establishment of a solar energy scheme in inland NSW.
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The SEXI Group had plans for six projects including installing $1 million worth of PV panels in each council area and building five concentrating solar power plants, each with a different solar technology.
SEXI co-ordinator Matt Parmeter said there were 31 councils proposed to join the SEXI alliance, 24 of which had already passed motions of support.
“We’re not asking for any money from council, we’re not after any staff time from council, we’re after political support,” Mr Parmeter said.
“The motion of support would be that the council supports the SEXI proposal and the development of a solar industry in the area and calls on the federal government to provide $200 million of funding to the SEXI group of councils.”
Mr Parmeter said the funding would be managed by the SEXI board, which would have one elected representative from each of the councils as well as representatives from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and Essential Energy.
The projects would be built and commissioned by the SEXI Group, before being handed over to local councils to own and operate.
“What it’s about is trying to develop a solar industry in inland NSW,” Mr Parmeter said.
“The reason we want a solar energy initiative in inland NSW is because that’s where it’s sunny. You’ve always got to make use of your best natural advantages and our advantage is the sun and we’ve got to try and turn that into cash.”
As well as the motions passed by the 24 individual councils, Mr Parmeter said Orana Regional Organisation of Councils, Centroc, Riverina and Murray Regional Organisation of Councils and Western Division Councils of NSW have stated they support the plan.
“We also got a motion of support through the upper house of NSW Parliament and that was unanimous. Every politician in the upper house thought it would be a great idea if the government gave us $200 million,” he said.
Mr Parmeter said the SEXI proposal was like a beginners step toward large scale solar power plants.