Social Solar by BREAZE

60 kW of rooftop solar for Woodbine Inc. in Yarriambiack

In April 2024 BREAZE Inc. completed the project management of 60kW of solar PV across 6 properties owned and operated by Woodbine Inc. in Warracknabeal.

BREAZE successfully applied for a grant from the Victorian Government's New Energy Jobs Fund Round 6  (NEJF) to fund 50+kW of solar PV across 5 properties owned and operated by Woodbine Inc., a disability provider in Warracknabeal. It was BREAZE’s third grant via the NEJF, which has been running for 6 years. The 5 properties include three accommodation blocks (one in Echuca), an office, and a workshop, with the manager’s accommodation added when the project came in under budget.

Vany Gunaratnam, BREAZE Inc Project Manager,  estimates that the solar panels will save Woodbine approximately 30% of its energy costs, funds which will be freed up for its core business, helping people with disabilities and their families. 

Like most community energy projects, there’s a bit of a backstory – originating as a feasibility study undertaken in 2019 by the Ballarat Community Power Hub, it sat on the shelf due to network capacity limits. Re-visited in late 2021 by BREAZE Inc.'s Paul Duggan (Grampians Community Power Hub, Project Control Group) – the Woodbine project got a re-boot on the back of network improvements and the timely announcement of NEF6 by DELWP. Following consultation with Woodbine CEO Bernie O'Connor (left in picture above with Paul Duggan) and Deputy CEO Jo Tobias, then BREAZE Inc. president Mary Debrett submitted an application.  Under the grant, Woodbine and BREAZE jointly matched 50% of the NEJF funding ($44,700) from the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).  

The Woodbine Solar Project was managed by a steering group consisting of BREAZE Board members Vany Gunaratnam and Mary Debrett, and Woodbine's incoming CEO Jason Minter and Deputy CEO Jo Tobias, meeting regularly via Zoom until the project was complete.  We thank DEECA for this opportunity to work with them again in expanding regional access to renewable energy and cutting GHG emissions – and to all our members for enabling us to do this work via your donations and subscriptions.

This project will mean Woodbine has more to invest in its great work, providing services for people with disabilities in Warracknabeal and its environs - with more places for Woodbine clients at the Tri State games on Jo Tobias’ agenda.