Businesses
Community investment can make the transition to renewable energy easier for businesses.
Pingala supports businesses install solar, while also bringing their community together to raise capital for the project .
Businesses reap the benefits of green energy and community investors get great return on investment- forging strong community connections.
Projects
Pingala put 115 solar panels on the roof of Young Henrys, a craft brewery in inner-west Newtown in 2016. We raised finance for the project from the local community, by holding an Investor Event in the tasting bar of the brewery. Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney, launched the Event, speaking to over 150 attendees who had submitted expressions of interest to invest in the project.
The 29.9kW solar system we installed enabled Young Henrys to produce “solar-powered beer”, reducing their carbon footprint, and adding to their suite of environmental initiatives. Community investors will receive a ROI of between 5%-7% on their investment in the project.
We are grateful to the City of Sydney for all their support for this project.
In 2021, Pingala and Young Henrys got the team back together to set up a second solar installation on the roof at Newtown bringing solar power to 100% of the site’s energy needs.
More here: https://younghenrys.com/renewable-energy
Young Henrys
Allambi Care is a leading provider of Disability Services, Residential Care, Foster Care, and Family and Clinical Support in the Newcastle, Central Coast & Hunter Regions. The centre at Charlestown provides a hub for over 500 staff as they work to provide 24 hour support to young people and their families.
This project site was selected by Lake Macquarie Council after an 18-month engagement process with local businesses.
Local solar firm, Solar Power Australia, was our technical partner for the project, and installed a 60.35kW 3 phase solar system in November 2019.
Solar power for Allambi Care is funded by the Allambi Care community, the Pingala community and Lake Macquarie/Newcastle locals.
Community members who invest in the Pingala Co-operative became members as well as shareholders in the Co-op: so now they’re co-owners of the Pingala Co-operative too.
Allambi Care
4 Pines Brewing Company on Sydney’s Northern Beaches now brews beer powered by the sun and their community.
Pingala and ClearSky Solar Investment combined forces to facilitate community investment in this flagship renewable energy project in 2018.
Our technical partners, Smart Commercial Solar installed a 100kW solar system that supplies clean power to the 4 Pines Brewery, pack line, and office spaces in Brookvale.
On the financing side, ClearSky Solar Investments set up a Fixed Unit Trust with provision for 10 investors. The Pingala Co-operative signed up as the major investor, allowing an unlimited number of parties to purchase up to 4 x $250 share units each.
4 Pines Brewing Company’s community put in expressions of interest to join the Pingala Co-operative investment, and lucky shareholders were drawn out of a specially-crafted barrell at the 4 Pines Truck Bar in October 2018. Investors include 4 Pines employees, 4 Pines local Beer Club members and Northern Beaches locals.
4 Pines continues to pay for electricity consumed, with the proceeds being returned to shareholders via a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Smart Commercial Solar.
4 Pines
We’ve installed a small system that will make a big difference to the Sydney Buddhist Centre on Enmore Road. The 7.2kW solar system will make the centre independent of the big polluters and able to power its mindfulness, meditation and supportive and open gatherings with solar.
Many of the centre’s activities take place after sunset, so a 9.8kWh battery storage system was also installed, providing about 10 hours worth of electricity.
The battery was funded through a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised around $13,000. The system was installed by technical partner Trackie in November 2018.
Funds for the rooftop system and installation costs were raised by investors in the Pingala Co-operative - Newtown locals and members of the SBC community and Pingala community. The SBC will pay for the solar electricity generated for five years until this repays the community investors through the Pingala Co-operative.
