Blaxland Preschool Kindergarten is on track to cut its electricity bills in half thanks to solar panels installed with funding recommended by Federal Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman.

And that means scratchy paper towels have been replaced by soft, washable cloths to reduce paper waste and costs.

The preschool received $3000 in federal funding under the last round of the Stronger Communities Program to assist with installation of the solar panel system, Ms Templeman said.

“Blaxland Preschool Kindergarten Director, Dierdre Wilde, tells me electricity usage has dropped significantly since the panels were installed,” Ms Templeman said.

“The system also connects to an app so the preschool can track how much electricity it is using, which is a great boost to the centre’s commitment to sustainability.

“The app is also being used to help the children learn about electricity usage.

“The solar system has also meant the centre can reduce the amount of waste it produces. Access to solar-generated power and a new washer and dryer means it’s cheaper to wash, dry and reuse cloth towels, making disposable paper hand towels a thing of the past.”

The next round of the Macquarie Stronger Communities program is closing soon, and Ms Templeman urged local community groups to register an expression of interest through her office for recommendation to the government.

Tight deadlines for the grants program have been set by the government, and groups must apply by the end of this month.

“Any group that is interested in funding must put a form into my office by Monday, February 22,” she said.

Ms Templeman said she was pleased that one key criteria had changed in the new round.

“In the round coming up, $150,000 will once again be available for up to 20 capital projects in the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains, but this time community groups will not be required to match the funding they are applying for,” Ms Templeman said.

“We have been raising the issue that groups have been unable to undertake normal fundraising activities throughout 2020 due to COVID, and it appears that this message has got through to the government.

“This will allow groups to complete much-needed projects that will benefit the community without the pressure of finding extra funding in what has been an extraordinarily difficult 12 months, with fundraising options in 2021 looking pretty limited.”

For more information on Stronger Communities eligibility and how to apply, visit function openSocialShare(url) { const currentPageUrl = window.location.href; window.open(url + currentPageUrl); }