With transport accounting for some 32 per cent of Noosa’s emissions, electric vehicle uptake and the installation of charging stations in the Noosa Shire are among the key strategies being pursued by Zero Emissions Noosa (ZEN) Inc.
“Noosa has been very successful in the uptake of residential solar and we now have some 11.7 MW installed,” said Anne Kennedy, chair of Zero Emissions Noosa Inc.
“40 per cent of residential dwellings have solar and 23 per cent of businesses, but with 32 per cent of Noosa Shire’s community emissions attributable to transport, the reduction of emissions from this sector remains a major challenge.”
Ms Kennedy continued: “If the recent release of the Federal Government’s electric vehicle strategy confirmed anything, it is that electric vehicle uptake is critical in helping us achieve our goals”.
ZEN Inc. has embarked on a number of strategies to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles across the shire.
These include advocating for the installation of a number of EV charging stations in the Noosa Shire, support for Noosa Council initiatives, particularly strategies that would encourage the TransLink bus service to change to electric buses, the development and promotion of on-demand public transport, advocacy for, and implementation of, various forms of transport (e.g., e-bike, e-scooter sharing) that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, planning for greenhouse gas or carbon offsets (planting trees and other carbon capture technologies to offset transport emissions.
Ms Kennedy said plans were well advanced for next year’s Electric Vehicle Expo on 19 June 2022 .
“We anticipate that in the next few years the uptake of electric vehicles will be on a significantly upward trajectory and it is important that our infrastructure can meet the challenges of the changed environment,” she said.
“Infrastructure planning for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games will be critical and we welcome that Mayor Stewart has thrown her support behind the region-wide effort to force urgent action on key transport and liveability projects through the Let’s Get Moving campaign.”
