Darebin-Yarra-Moreland Solar Buying Co-op

Interested in forming a Darebin-Yarra-Moreland Solar Power Group Buying Co-op?

At the City of Darebin's Solar Power Forum tonight quite a number people people expressed interest informing a bulk buying group for domestic solar power systems (grid connected, mostly 1KW).

It has already been done around here by a group of about 13 houses in the Merri Sustainability Street (Union St, Westgarth), doing a group-buy deal with The Environment Shop, High St, Thornbury

And the North Fitzroy/ Northcote Solar Neighbourhood (NFN-SN BBE) is already going, and will include people in a 5km radius (up into Preston). But they are going to close the group on 23 June 2008. They have about 50 people.

There are a few clusters of people who are interested in a Darebin-Yarra-Moreland Solar Power Group Buying Co-op:

* a group of people in Moreland based around a Vegie co-op,

* a group of people in Thornbury based around Tim's Climate Change Group (contact the group at http://groups.google.com/group/tims-climate-change ),

* a group of people based around the Darebin Climate Action Now (DCAN) group (formerly part of the Melbourne and Batman Climate Action Coalition - MBCAC). Cate Kyne has floated the idea publically at meetings in May and June.

* a group of local people unable or unwilling to participate in the North Fitzroy/ Northcote Solar Neighbourhood (NFN-SN BBE).
(Some are unable to put up the full cost once the pre-approval of the rebate is done, some want to support a local shop, or go with a long-standing comany, some are nervous about Rezeko and BBE being such a new company expanding so fast (what if it hits supply problems, or cash-flow problems), or the timing of the $8000 rebate - perhaps all the funds will run out before BBE gets to submit the pre-approval.

Here is a contact from the web for Darebin Climate Action Now (DCAN) :-

Convenor: Carol Ride,
Darebin Climate Action Now
56 Lucerne Cres
Alphington Vic 3078
DarebinClimateAction@gmail.com
Convenor: Carol Ride