As a first step towards building a low-carbon future, Electrify Bouddi collected information on our community’s energy demand and supply. Quantifying these for our area gives us a better understanding of how best to cut our carbon footprint and energy bills. Read our survey Energy Use in Bouddi.
Installing rooftop solar is the cheapest way to boost our use of renewable energy. We have also surveyed the current number of households with rooftop solar. Read our survey, Rooftop Solar in Bouddi
Our plan to reduce carbon emissions presented here is based on our understanding of energy supply and usage in Bouddi, and our knowledge of the things that cause the most greenhouse emissions in Bouddi.
There are four core strategies required to build a low-carbon future for Bouddi in the shortest time.
For each of these strategies, we can take a range of actions in Bouddi, which are explained below.
This plan is a framework that includes some things which are done by individual households, and others which need to be community-wide. Every household will decide which actions are best for them.
Switching to electricity is the first step towards a clean energy future. It’s the only way to access renewable energy, which is clean, efficient and cheap.
To encourage the community to switch to electricity, we need to take the following actions:
In Bouddi, maximising renewable energy generation means installing more rooftop solar panels. Not only is this the cheapest way to boost our use of renewable energy, but it doesn’t require any additional land-use compared to other options such as a solar farm.
To maximise renewable generation and usage, we need to take the following actions:
Distribute solar power through community energy trading (powersharing)
Store and distribute excess solar energy via batteries (community or household)
Grid electricity is mainly generated by fossil fuels (with some hydro and wind) in the early morning, the evening, and at night. Between 8am and 6pm, solar power displaces fossil fuels as the major component of grid electricity.
Shifting electricity usage to the time of maximum solar generation, or ‘loading shifting’ as it is known, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and is increasingly when electricity prices are cheapest. This is why we encourage local households to take the simple step of switching away from off-peak water heating.
To shift energy usage to time of maximum solar generation, we need to take the following actions:
Develop information to support awareness campaign
Investigate technologies for automated load shifting
Develop information to support awareness campaign
With small changes, households can reduce energy wastage which in turn will reduce household power costs and carbon emissions. Simple actions include selecting household appliances based on energy ratings, improving home insulation and building for passive solar efficiency, and carpooling to reduce transport demands
To improve efficiency of energy use, we need to take the following actions
