World-first push from 2015 for carbon-neutral Adelaide launched by the South Australian government, council
Taking the Carbon-Neutral Adelaide message through King William Street, Adelaide city.
Image courtesy City of Adelaide
The South Australian government and Adelaide City Council in 2015 formed a globally unique partnership to make Adelaide the world’s first carbon neutral city by 2050.
Despite doubters, the city council maintained confidence in the target year, reduced to 2025, pointing to a 15% drop on carbon emissions during a 46% rise in residents, 35% more student enrolments and 42% more daily city users.
Adelaide had been nominated in 2007 to be among the first Solar Cities of Australia, part of a $97 million Australian government demonstration programme to promote solar power, smart meters and conserving energy.
Along with Adelaide city centre, the suburban cities of Salisbury, Tea Tree Gully and Playford also were part of Adelaide Solar City. Energy options trialled through the Adelaide Solar City included 1,700 solar photovoltaic panels (2MW) installed on homes and commercial buildings, help for consumers to finance their solar systems, solar panels on up to five iconic buildings such as the Adelaide Central Market, the Central Bus Depot, Salisbury Watershed, Playford Aquadome and SA Water building, and 7,000 smart meters in homes and businesses to monitor energy use.
The 100% solar powered Tindo interconnector bus between the city centre and North Adelaide had its batteries recharged from solar panels on the Central Bus Depot roof.
In 2016, the state government and the City of Adelaide released the Carbon Neutral Adelaide Action Plan. It aims for carbon neutrality (offsetting any carbon emitted with equal energy savings) while driving economic and employment opportunities. Among the strategies towards the city becoming carbon neutral are:
- investing in energy efficiency and renewables,
- installing solar PV on low-income housing,
- laws to allow building owners to access private finance to upgrade buildings’ energy efficiency,
- support emerging battery storage technology,
- investing in low emission public transport and encouraging cycling and walking.
- accelerating the use of electric vehicles,
- reducing emissions from waste,
- use chances to cut emissions with economic return,
- building partnerships and encourage community action.
- export clean products and services,
In 2017, the City of Adelaide started installing solar photovoltaic (PV) on some of its largest electricity consuming sites: Adelaide Aquatic Centre, Pirie/Flinders UPark, Wyatt UPark, and the Adelaide Town Hall. The iadditional 800kW of solar PV capacity could reduce the city council’s electricity costs by more than $200,000 per year.
Adelaide lord mayor Martin Haese said the project would reduce energy costs and meet the City of Adelaide’s carbon neutral objectives. The city already had 180kW of installed solar PV capacity (at the Adelaide Central Market, London Road Depot, Rundle UPark and Adelaide Central Bus Station), saveing about $50,000 per annum.
The Carbon Neutral Adelaide Awards, introduced in 2017, showcased community leaders and active contributors to the goal of City of Adelaide becoming the world’s first carbon neutral city. The awards incorporated the CitySwitch Green Office run successfully since 2008.
The state government and Adelaide City Council signed parallel international agreements on climate change – the Compact of States and Regions and the Compact of Mayors.
In 2017, South Australia, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, with the City of Adelaide and City of Hobart, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Electric Vehicle Council and Hydrogen Mobility Australia at the Climate Action Roundtable. The state and local governments committed to work together to drive progress on zero emissions transport.
