Avenel’s capacity to withstand extreme heat events will soon be significantly strengthened, following the awarding of a $157,000 grant to Renewable Avenel Energy (RAE) from AusNet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund. The funding will deliver two solar-powered community heat refuges and bushfire ‘Safer Places’ at the Avenel Memorial Hall and the Avenel Recreation Reserve, providing safe, reliable spaces for residents during dangerous heatwaves, bushfires and extreme climate events. Both sites will be equipped with solar PV panels and 20kWh battery systems, ensuring dependable backup power even during grid stress or outages. The refuges will support essential needs including cooking, hot water, phone charging, medical devices, and cooling or heating, making them vital for vulnerable residents during extreme weather. RAE Chairman, Jim Billings, spoke passionately about the importance of emergency backup power for the community. “This whole area had a terrible time with the fires, so I spoke with some feeling that the community got smashed,” Jim said. “And we’re very concerned about the predictions we’re hearing about El Nino and the hot summer. “Our mission is to try and keep the community safe. “We had two outages in Avenel last weekend; two long outages, about 17 hours all up. “And when we’re suffering an outage on a hot day or there’s a fire, it makes things really difficult. “The Recreation Reserve is sort of a last resort place to go if there’s a fire. “They’ve got an oval there, they can land helicopters there and fire trucks can get in there.” RAE expressed gratitude to AusNet, congratulating the company for its foresight in supporting community-driven resilience projects. “It was hotly contested, and we were very grateful to be a successful applicant,” author of the grant application, John Hyland, said. RAE worked on the application for around six months, acquiring expert input to help them with specifications and technical knowledge. The organization also thanked Strathbogie Shire Council for backing its grant application, noting the shire’s ongoing commitment to strengthening local emergency preparedness and energy resilience in the community. To further enhance resilience at the Recreation Reserve, RAE has sought additional funding from the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) to install a backup generator. The Avenel Memorial Hall already has a generator, previously provided by the Strathbogie Shire Council, giving the site an added layer of security during prolonged outages. “They can keep going forever if they have diesel, just recharging the batteries if necessary, such as during a cloudy day or if there’s smoke,” John said. Local organisers say the refuges will help residents cope with the immediate risks of the coming season while also strengthening Avenel’s long-term resilience. “Avenel is the second-highest town with solar panels per head of population in the Hume region,” Jim Billings said. “We’re second only to Yackandandah, who are the trailblazers in regard to renewable energy; they’re totally renewable. “What we’re trying to do, part of our mission is to care for our community and we care for them by providing them with an opportunity to embrace renewable, clean energy. “That helps them with their power bills, and it also helps the planet, of course. The fundamental thing is that we’re trying to educate people about how important renewable energy is.” On top of working to secure the AusNet grant, RAE has dispensed 18 interest-free loans worth $10,000 each in the near past, enabling local households to become renewable. The solar-plus-battery systems will reduce emissions, lower operating costs, and ensure the facilities remain functional during emergencies for years to come. It is hoped installation work at both sites will begin at the end of October and be finished in time for summer heat. RAE have lined up a local installer for the project who is familiar with the needs of the town.
