Gerald Lynch
Brimbank council is getting a share in funding to boost its decarbonisation efforts.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has provided $2.2 million toward Brimbank, Wyndham, and Moonee Valley councils, with the funding to go to deploying 65 light battery electric vehicles (BEV) and seven heavy battery electric vehicles, as well as new charging infrastructure throughout the area.
ARENA chief executive Darren Miller said this project will show that collaboration between councils can accelerate transport decarbonisation and yield wider community benefits.
“This project particularly highlights the intersection of clean energy, sustainability, innovation and the role local councils have in the clean energy transition,” he said.
“Local councils have been early movers in this space and, typically, their experiences reflect the challenges and barriers experienced by other industries and sectors.”
The vehicles will be used by council for waste management, parks and roads maintenance and general travel.
This project, worth a total $8.9 million, will accelerate transport emissions reduction efforts through fleet decarbonisation supporting Australia’s net zero targets.
With a collective fleet of more than 400 vehicles at the selected council sites, the project provides an opportunity to demonstrate how a variety of vehicles can be transitioned to zero emissions alternatives.
The project will also test ways to overcome challenges in bringing electric vehicles into fleets, such as technical issues, costs, and day-to-day operations. It aims to understand charging infrastructure needs and strategies for managing electric vehicles to make fleet electrification easier.
The project will be deployed over three years, ending in June 2027.
The project contributes to Brimbank council’s climate emergency plan, which aims for zero net emissions for council operations by 2030, and for the whole Brimbank municipality by 2040.
Council has already made some other steps toward this goal, with electric vehicle charging stations have been installed at the Sunshine Multi-Deck Carpark and Keilor Operations Centre and a first batch of electric vehicles have been bought.
This includes two locally manufactured electric tipper trucks now servicing council’s parks.
Recently, council unveiled its first fully renewable electric building, with the West Sunshine Community Centre making the move.
