Logan City Council’s continued efforts to support a cleaner, greener future have been recognised nationally, with the organisation certified as carbon neutral.
In a statement, Logan City Council said it is the second Queensland council to be certified as carbon neutral and one of only 15 carbon neutral councils in the country.
Last year, the Council reduced its emissions by 86,216 tonnes, putting it on track to fulfil a target set in 2018. Over the last four years, approximately 353,000 tonnes have been lowered.
The Australian Government‘s Climate Active initiative has certified Logan City Council as a carbon neutral organisation.
According to the Council, it focused on reducing its energy usage and landfill gas, two of its biggest sources of carbon emissions, to achieve net zero carbon.
The Council stated that solar PV systems erected on libraries, aquatic and sports centres, and a water reservoir all contributed to certification, generating a record 2.6 gigatonnes of renewable energy in 2021-22.
In addition, in 2021-22, the Council added that it generated electricity by capturing more than 4 million cubic metres of gas from organic waste through a network of underground pipelines at the Browns Plains Waste and Recycling Facility.
Council buildings will soon get more solar panels, while the solar farm at the Loganholme Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) has more than doubled its solar production.
According to Mayor Darren Power, the certification is an amazing achievement highlighting Council’s strong ecological credentials.
“We have had our eye on this important target for four years, and it is fantastic to have reached our goal,” Mayor Power said.
Mayor Power stated that the Logan City Council takes climate change seriously. The Mayor added that receiving the certification is not the end of the Council’s efforts in reducing emissions.
“Council is already investigating new methods to further reduce our emissions in coming years,” the Mayor said.
The Logan City Council commits to continue reassessing its emissions reduction goals to keep its carbon neutrality.
According to the Council, it has begun to reduce its energy use with plans to expand the solar farm located at the WWTP to 4MW. Additionally, the Council said it would push through with its plans to increase the productivity and operations of its biosolids gasification unit, which is also housed at the Loganholme WWTP.
The WWTP turns sewage sludge into ecologically friendly biochar and is anticipated to lower the Logan City Council’s carbon emissions by around 6,000 tonnes per year.
