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Home > Rebate and Incentives > Solar Sports and Community Group Grants

Solar Sport and Community Group Grants

Solar for sports clubs and community organisations

Local not-for-profit sporting and community organisations are encouraged to take advantage of Queensland Government grants to install solar panels and solar hot water systems on their facilities.

By installing solar panels or solar hot water, sporting and community organisations can make savings on their electricity bill and help to reduce Queensland's reliance on conventional electricity generation.

Commencing on 1 June 2010, a portion of the Gambling Community Benefit Fund is being allocated to the installation of solar power or hot water over a period of three years.

Save money and the environment

Achieving installations of approximately 1300 new solar systems over three years will mean Queensland sporting clubs and community organisations could be saving as much as a combined $600,000 every year on their electricity bills.

By 2014, community groups doing the bright thing could be helping Queensland to avoid around 2,700 megawatt hours of electricity consumption, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 2700 tonnes per annum.

When the benefits are added up over sporting clubs and community organisations right across Queensland, it's clear just what a positive impact we can all make by working together.

So whether sporting and community organisations take advantage of solar now, or are planning an expansion or upgrade over the next three years, they can embrace the power of the sun through the solar grants.

Helping build a virtual power station for Queensland

By installing solar panels on your neighbourhood community facility you'll be helping Queensland to build a virtual solar power station.

Neighbourhood by neighbourhood, we've already doubled Queensland's use of solar energy to 500 MW in less that two years, more than three years ahead of schedule. 

How does the program work?

The grants are available through the Queensland Government's Gambling Community Benefit Fund via the Gambling Community Benefit Fund application process.

The Gambling Community Benefit Fund delivers around $39 million in grants to not-for-profit organisations through four annual funding rounds. The purpose of the fund is to invest in the community sector and enhance its capacity to provide services, leisure activities and opportunities to local Queensland communities.

Priority applications for solar grants for not-for-profit organisations have begun.

It is important to note that for the duration of the solar prioritisation, groups can apply for a solar system under the Sport and Community Group Grants and in the same round make an application to the Gambling Community Benefit Fund for a different project.

Up to $10 million will be available for solar over three years. So at the same time as saving on their power bills, groups still have access to around $36 million every year to fund their other initiatives.

The grants will support the purchase and installation of solar hot water and 1.5 kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and solar hot water systems.

Many sport and community groups have already indentified the benefits of solar and have had funds approved under the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

Swimming and Bowls clubs, Parents and Citizens' Associations, Rural Fire Brigades and Scouts are just a few that are already saving through solar power from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

This initiative is about encouraging more clubs to do the bright thing and help transform Queensland into the solar state.

Eligibility criteria

Eligibility criteria and applications for solar installations under the Gambling Community Benefit Fund are available on the fund's webpage.

Further information about the Gambling Community Benefit Fund can be found at www.olgr.qld.gov.au/grants.

How would solar help your community organisation?

By installing solar, sporting and community organisations can take advantage of lower electricity costs while also reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.

The amount of electricity and money organisations could save depends on the type of facility and how much electricity is used. The following examples illustrate how sporting and community facilities can save by installing solar.

Community centre example

Lifeline Community Care's Family Relationship Centre at Maroochydore provides a range of counselling services from Monday to Friday, to approximately 100 clients per week.

Their electricity consumption is approximately 22,500 kilowatt hours a year, costing in the vicinity of $5,100.

If the club successfully applied to the Gambling Community Benefit Fund and received a grant to install a solar hot water system it could reduce the club's carbon emissions by circa two tonnes every year and save on their annual hot water bill.

Sporting club example

A Brisbane sports club - with a clubhouse, playing field and dressing shed- that operates for most of the year consumes up to $24,000 worth of electricity per annum.

If the club was successful in receiving a grant to install a 1.5 kilowatt solar power system, this would reduce the club's use of electricity from the grid by around 2200 kilowatt hours every year.

Over the 15-year life of the solar panels, the centre could save around $7,500 in energy costs, based on Tariff 11 electricity prices in July 2011.

How can you save even more?

After installing a solar power system, your organisation may also be eligible to make further savings through the Queensland Government's Solar Bonus Scheme.

Under the scheme, you'll get paid a higher rate for every kilowatt hour of excess electricity you feed back into the grid. More information on the scheme is available at www.qld.gov.au

And remember, the savings that sporting and community organisations make will add up site by site throughout Queensland as we build a virtual solar power station.

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