COLLIE RIVER VALLEY
BULLETIN Published by LOCALS for LOCALS
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EDITION No. 80
Battery charged future
Garnaut: Collie prospects ‘very promising’ Reporter: ELYSIA HARVERSON
AN ULTRA QUICK RIDE
STEPHEN Italiano was told the 660 kilometre Granite Grovel ultra bikepacking event, from Dunsborough to Albany, could not be completed inside two days. Last weekend he did it with six hours to spare, completing the journey at 1am Monday. He is pictured relaxing at Albany’s Dog Rock soon after getting off his bike. See story page 14.
$2.50
Thursday, May 5, 2022
RENEWABLE energy is a step closer to replacing coal with the signing of a nonbinding memorandum of understanding (MOU) between emerging local industries International Graphite and ZEN Energy. The renewable energy retailer, ZEN, will do a feasibility study into building a 600 to 800 megawatt hour battery which would provide renewable energy to new and existing industrial projects in Collie. This would include International Graphite’s downstream processing facility. The battery will be four times the size of the Tesla battery in South Australia and would download excess roof-top solar energy from around the state. ZEN director and major shareholder Ross Garnaut is a leading climate change economist and said the prospects at Collie look “very promising”.
Prof. Garnaut said the feasibility study will look to make renewables available at globally competitive prices. “This project is the first example ZEN hopes to do for a number of industries,” he said. “Renewable power is intermittent, it's only available when the wind blows and the sun shines. You need storage. “ZEN will look at how to store the surplus power so you can use it when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing. “This will make it reliable for new industries around which Collie can build its future.” Prof. Garnaut said Collie has “wonderful infrastructure” that has “taken coal power out to the Great Southern and South West. “Those same transmission lines can bring renewable power back to Collie for industry,” he said. Story continued on page 6.
Kind and caring boy
Dylan Vening will be remembered as a caring and thoughtful child. Page 3.
Small grants announced
Horsepower was one of seven organisations awarded grants in Synergy’s 2022 Small Grants Program. Page 4.
Mother’s Day this Sunday Gift ideas and messages sent by local kids to their mothers are in our special feature. Pages 11-13.
Funding bright futures When you choose to bank with Bendigo Bank, good things happen in your community. Like our sponsorship of TAFE and university scholarships for local youth.
Feel good about who you bank with. Find out more. Call us on 9734 7411 or search Bendigo Bank Collie.
And when you belong to one of Australia’s biggest banks, good things happen with your banking too.
Community Bank Collie Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited ABN 11 068 049 178, AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 237879 A1389134, OUT_14366853, 24/03/2022