The City of Adelaide has announced that it will power all of its operations with 100 per cent renewable energy from 1 July 2020, joining other cities and regions around the country.

Adelaide City Council has partnered with energy company Flow Power, becoming the first council in South Australia to be entirely powered by renewable energy.

The move means all council buildings and infrastructure, such as electric vehicle chargers, park barbecues and streetlights, will be powered by a mix of wind and solar power.

“The City of Adelaide is taking climate change seriously and this partnership demonstrates that we are taking real and meaningful action on climate change,” said Lord Mayor of Adelaide Sandy Verschoor.

“Electricity cost savings are anticipated to be in the order of 20 per cent compared to the City of Adelaide’s most recent contract.”

The switch will lower emissions by more than 11,000 tonnes – the equivalent of taking 3,500 cars off the road.

Image credit: City of Adelaide

The City of Adelaide will draw electricity from the Clements Gap wind farm in mid-north South Australia and new solar farms on the Eyre Peninsula.

The City of Adelaide is taking action against climate change in numerous ways, including installing new solar panels at four additional locations last year.

Adelaide Town Hall, works depots, car parks, Adelaide Central Market and other buildings are powered by on-site solar power, saving the council 12 per cent in building electricity use.

The move to renewables comes after Canberra became the first major city outside of Europe to source 100 per cent of its electricity needs from renewable energy last year.

In January 2019, Melbourne became the first Australian capital city council to be entirely powered by renewable energy.

The City of Sydney also plans to source all of its electricity needs from renewables by July this year.