Overview
The Loddon Mallee region is experiencing an unprecedented and exciting transition to renewable energy. Five years ago, less than 5 per cent of the region’s energy needs were generated locally from large and small scale solar, bioenergy and wind. Now, it’s 69 per cent. This accounts for nearly 16% of Victoria’s current renewable generation capacity. Within the next five years, the region will be able to meet its own energy needs and export power elsewhere in Victoria and interstate. Our region alone could deliver the Victorian Renewable Energy Target of 40 per cent by 2025, if all of the planned largescale solar projects go ahead.
The Loddon Mallee Renewable Energy Roadmap provides an overview of the opportunities and obstacles the region faces as it continues to move to a more decentralised renewable energy system. It draws upon extensive community engagement, as well as technical studies, to build a complete picture of the region. The roadmap seeks to ensure that the communities’ concerns and aspirations are well represented in planning for this transition.
Stories of our new energy future
Right now, across the world, there is an extraordinary transition underway. Fossil fuels are being replaced by renewables and everything, from cars, to planes, to households is being electrified.
There is unanimous global consensus that this transition is vital to ensure that emissions are reduced to net zero to avoid catastrophic climate change.
There is also consensus that the transition will lead to social and economic benefits, including in Australia.
The speed and scale of this transformation is unprecedented in human history, leading many of us to wonder “what will our renewable energy future look like?”
The Victorian Government is supporting our state and our region to lead the way through a broad range of renewable energy initiatives.
Stories of Our Renewable Energy Future shares local stories of how we are already thriving in this transition in the Loddon Mallee and a sense of what we will see more of in the future.
Bioenergy
Community Energy
Electric Vehicles
Loddon Mallee Renewable Energy Art Award
In 2019 ten artists from nine municipalities across the Loddon Mallee region were selected to participate in the inaugural Department of Environment Land Water and Planning (DELWP) Loddon Mallee Renewable Energy Art Award.
Emerging and established artists across the region responded to the theme, ‘Our renewable energy future’ in a range of mediums.
Title: For the Future
Artist: Aimee Timpson
Medium: Mix Media Digital Art
LGA: Macedon Ranges
I created this piece of art work, with my own children in mind. How small changes now will help the next generations home, air and space to live in.
Starting this creation I handmade paper, I looked at how the weather can be used and had visual dig at what’s happening with the recycling in our shire.
Title: “Glow in the Park”
Artist: Kim Lowe
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
LGA: City of Greater Bendigo
Glow in the Park depicts the possibility that our parks could be illuminated using a renewable energy source – bioluminescence.
As fireflies light the night sky through a chemical reaction inside their bodies, or plankton produces flashes of light in response to wave breaks on the shore, bioluminescence could be the lighting solution for urban street lights or to illuminate parks after dusk. The technology emits a “cool”, soft light and would be a very cost effective energy.
Title: A Helpful Breeze
Artist: Max Milne
Medium: Animation
LGA: Buloke
The work shows how nature and sustainable sources of energy easily play off each other with each energy source needing a natural element to fuel it. By also reducing other energy sources, like coal or gas, we can strengthen the environment, further enhancing the abilities of our renewables. Being given this opportunity to improve myself as a rookie animator while also helping advocate for a cleaner future was a great opportunity to undertake.
Title: Kerang – Victoria’s Renewable Energy Capital
Artist: Caroline Ellis
Medium: Photography
LGA: Gannawarra
KERANG – Victoria’s Renewable Energy Capital – shows the connection between the Sun scorched earth, Sun scorched weathered people and harnessing the Suns energy with solar panels and batteries. The quotes are taken across the Loddon Mallee catchment; if renewable energy is going to take off the community need to be supportive of it.
Title: Carbon Cage
Artist: David McTaggart
Medium: Welded fencing wire and redgum charcoal
LGA: Loddon
The aim of sustainable energy is to avoid the release of carbon into the atmosphere and consequent global warming. To redress the release of fossil carbon into the atmosphere we need to find anerobic circumstances for carbon produced by life forms such as River Redgums.
Title: Where do the Children Play
Artist: Greg Holland
Medium: Oil on Canvas 100 x 500 mm
LGA: Loddon
“We are all in the gutter,
but some of us are looking at the stars.”
– Oscar Wilde
Lady Windermere’s Fan, Act III
Title: Transfer of X
Artist: Damien Ietto
Medium: Photography
LGA: Mildura
Artist Damien Ietto believes that there is a symbiosis between art and science. he explores the creativity and imagination behind science and how an idea and experimentation could lead to new scientific discoveries, perhaps a new way of gathering and harnessing the sun’s natural energy just as it transfers to plants. if one day we could unlock the secrets of how plants transfer and exchange the sun’s light into energy we also may be able to use that same technology as our new power source.
Title: Softer Currents
Artist: Aimee Chapman
Medium: Electro-Acoustic Composition
LGA: Mt Alexander
This artwork seeks to communicate the tangible yet largely unseen energy generated by renewable sources through the universal language of music. It takes the sounds generated by renewable technologies and the sounds of sculptures created in a renewable environment and processes and manipulates them into a compelling composition illustrating the evolution of this energy into melody, harmony and rhythm.
The accompanying video serves as a visual cue as to the origin of the recorded sounds.
Title: Edible Salad Wall
Artist: Rhonda McTaggart
Medium: Mixed media installation and digital photography
LGA: Swan Hill
Inspired by food democracy and edible gardening, I have designed a food wall and bench seat made from repurposed materials for people to use in city malls or homes. With the addition of biochar, a nutrient rich soil that puts carbon in the form of charcoal back into the soil, a renewable form of energy is created. Biochar sequesters carbon, regenerates, and provides lasting nutrients to the salad plants and people nearby with less water.
Title: Bull Gully Rock Wells
Artist: Georgia MacGuire
Medium: Sculpture
LGA: Central Goldfields
A sculptural reproduction of the Bull Gully Rock Wells
We acknowledge and respect Victorian Traditional Owners as the original custodians of Victoria’s land and waters, their unique ability to care for Country and deep spiritual connection to it. We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of culture and traditional practices. We are committed to enabling self-determination for all Aboriginal people and aim to work closely with the Aboriginal community to drive action and improve outcomes especially in the context of a changing climate.