Lismore City Council to go 100% renewable within a decade

LISMORE council general manager Gary Murphy said the council aimed to become a “model of sustainability”.

LISMORE City Council has set itself a target of being powered by 100% renewable energy within 10 years.

The council recently announced it was investing in a community solar farm that would produce electricity to power the East Lismore Treatment Plant. But general manager Gary Murphy said they had much higher aims to make Lismore a "model of sustainability".

"It's a high-level goal that has come out of our Imagine Lismore process ... whether it can be achieved will depend on technology and commitment and a whole lot of other things. But if you aim low then you get low," he said.

Mr Murphy said they weren't just looking at purchasing green power from an electricity retailer, but investing in renewable energy projects in the Northern Rivers.

"We are in discussion with Ballina about their biochar project which will produce energy. And regional bioenergy plants that have a lot of potential in the Northern Rivers and other renewable energy projects."

Mr Murphy said as well as providing leadership, there was also long-term cost savings to the council.

The target to go 100% renewable within 10 years is one of three "challenges" the general manager has put forward.

Another is to "make Lismore City Council as efficient and productive as the best of the private sector".

The third of his aspirational goals is to relocate the council offices to the Lismore CBD "at an acceptable cost to the community".

The council has identified the car park opposite Oakes Oval as the preferred site. But it is only going to move forward if it can find another organisation to become a partner in the project.