Northern Beaches Council will soon begin the first of six free information sessions, designed to help residents who would like to be more energy efficient at home.

Council will host an information session on solar power on Wednesday 11 July (6 - 7.30pm) at the Glen Street Theatre at Belrose.

Northern Beaches Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham said the session will help people make sense of how solar and battery power works. 

“Finding the solar system that best suits your needs can be tricky. However, with energy bills on the rise, it's never been a better time to look at producing clean green energy at home.

“Residents can go to this free session to get advice on whether solar energy is right for their home and how to best go about installing it,” Deputy Mayor Bingham said.

“I’m delighted that Council is able to equip residents with practical advice and effective tools designed to help them make a positive impact on the environment and save money at the same time.”

In addition to the information sessions, Council has recently announced a number of tools and activities to support residents as part of its Charge Ahead program which are all designed to help people save energy in their homes and lower their carbon footprint.

SunSPoT is one such tool. It enables residents to calculate just how much energy can be created from solar panels on the roof, and how much money could be saved on power bills.

The tool is based on detailed modelling which takes account of solar radiation, tilt, orientation and shading at your home or business.

Council worked with Australian PV Institute (AVPI) to map the Northern Beaches area so that you can select your own rooftop and receive personalised information.

Council is also running a monthly Energy Savings Challenge which rewards entrants who accumulate the most points for making their homes more energy efficient.

The July challenge is Sweet Solar Savings and entries are now open. The focus of the challenge is on switching to solar energy and making savings along the way.

For more information and to book a session visit northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au