In recent clean energy news, funding for solar panels has quite ironically been granted to an ice manufacturing company.
Adelaide's largest ice manufacturer, Adelaide Ice Services, is receiving close to $90,000 of funding from the federal government as part of its Clean Technology Food and Foundries Program.
The Clean Technology Food and Foundries Program offers funding under the $1 billion Clean Technology Investment Program.
These government grants are designed to help industries remain competitive and keep up with efficiency standards and international competition while also being more environmentally friendly and less carbon intensive.
In this case, the government's grant will go towards an 87.5 KW solar photovoltaic rooftop system at its ice manufacturing plant located in Regency Park.
It's estimated that the installation of these solar panels will help to reduce energy costs by up to $20,000 annually.
Greg Combet, federal minister for climate change, industry and innovation and Mark Butler, the federal member for Port Adelaide, commented on the importance of Adelaide Ice's services to many local businesses.
The simple installation of solar panels will help the company reduce its energy costs, as well as its carbon emissions, and will improve the company's competitiveness in the industry.
Mr Combet also commented that the government is highly committed to a strong manufacturing industry, and is set on working with the sector to find ways to improve their production processes while reducing carbon emissions.
The government's strategy is to work alongside manufacturers to find ways to address the pressures the industry faces, including the high Australian dollar as well as increasing overseas competition.
Adelaide's solar power saturation is on the rise, being a part of Australia's Solar Cities initiative along with other cities such as Alice Springs, Townsville and Central Victoria.
Solar Cities is an initiative bringing greater energy efficiency, renewable technology and education to areas in Australia in order to help the environment and lower energy usage and costs for an overall more sustainable society.
Adelaide's Solar City has already seen many firsts, such as a worldwide launch of a solar electric bus.
Other key milestones for Adelaide include education programs and advertising campaigns, the installation of a high volume of solar panels, energy studies and surveys, greater use of smart meter technology as well as many other energy efficiency and clean energy technology measures.
Posted by Bob Dawson