MORE than 100 Catholic schools in the Brisbane Archdiocese, covering south east Queensland, will soon be fully powered by renewable energy.
A three-year power purchase agreement signed between Brisbane Catholic Education and ENGIE Australia and New Zealand will allow the supply of electricity from ENGIE’s renewable energy portfolio across Australia
The company will aggregate around 26,000 MWh/y of the key energy loads of Brisbane archdiocese buildings, that include 115 schools and key archdiocese and Centacare Catholic Family Services sites.
The power purchase agreement will provide immediate cost savings as well as a clear environmental benefit.
The project carries a zero net carbon certification that means 100 per cent of the operational energy use associated with the project will be offset by new on-site or off-site renewable energy on a net annual basis.
BCE’s deputy executive director Dr Doug Ashleigh said the partnership was an important step towards realising energy sustainability goals for schools and living BCE’s commitment to Laudato Si – Pope Francis’ encyclical outlining how we need to care and protect the environment.
“We educate our students about the importance of environmental sustainability, so it is great to show that we are modelling this by moving to renewable energy sources to power our schools,” Dr Ashleigh said.
“We consider it a win for the environment and a win for school budgets as it will help reduce power costs.”
St Augustine’s College in Greater Springfield is one school that will benefit from the new agreement.
The power purchase agreement will accelerate St Augustine’s integration into ENGIE and Springfield City Group’s ‘Zero Net Energy Roadmap’ that will see the entire Greater Springfield area powered by 100 per cent renewables by 2038.
ENGIE ANZ executive general manager of energy management Andrew Hyland, said it was “fantastic” to support BCE towards an energy sustainable future.
“We are working with a diverse range of businesses to accelerate their carbon-neutral transition, schools and public buildings are at the centre of our communities and play an important role in leading our net zero energy transition,” Mr Hyland said.
“This deal shows how education authorities, not just large businesses, can benefit from renewable PPAs on price and stability while also going 100 per cent renewable.”
Brisbane archdiocese’s director of property and building Patrick Lane-Mullins said the new year power purchase agreement represented a worthwhile procurement exercise.
“It will result in the majority of the larger energy-consuming assets being not only under the single service provider, but also being 100 per cent renewable,” he said.
“This is a great step forward in reducing our carbon footprint.”
