Supporting Solar on Community Facilities

Published on 07 May 2026

In 2025, Council worked with three community groups leasing Council facilities to install solar panels and batteries as part of a Sustainability Levy project. The project saw Council contribute 50% of installation costs to make renewable energy more accessible to community groups and help reduce their energy costs.

Council began by assessing all our owned facilities being leased by community groups under multiple criteria, including the feasibility of installing solar panels (e.g., roof space and shading) and energy usage of the facility. Seven sites were identified as possible candidates and were contacted by Council with the offer to participate in the program.

Council worked with the facilities to evaluate the proposed models and pricing, and successfully agreed upon solar and battery systems with three facilities.

A few months after installation, the facilities are loving the new systems and benefitting from reduced energy bills while knowing they're having a much smaller impact on the environment.

Longueville Tennis Club

Located on the Longueville peninsula, Longueville Tennis Club has provided tennis facilities for the Lane Cove community for over 100 years.

The Club's President, Alison Posney, and Secretary, Judy Balint, were keen to explore their options for using more sustainable energy on site. After discovering they had the perfect roof for solar (north-facing and no shading) and getting quotes from three providers, it was clear that they could be saving money on energy bills and reducing emissions from their energy use.

Alison noted that "The club committee wanted to make a decision that benefits both current and future members, and the wider community. Solar and battery storage allow us to reduce our environmental footprint while strengthening the Club’s long-term sustainability and resilience."

The Club had a 7.2kW solar and 16.12kWh battery system installed in December. They're hardly purchasing any electricity from the grid, and hope not to buy much when winter comes around either.

"Going solar is a proud moment for the club. It reflects our commitment to sustainability and responsible governance, and working with Lane Cove Council has been a positive and constructive experience from start to finish."

Possums Corner Childcare Centre

Linda and her team at Possums Corner have always had sustainability front of mind when developing learning programs and designing the spaces at the childcare centre which has been running for 38 years. Some of their sustainability features include:

• Three on-site water tanks for both outdoor and indoor non-potable use
• Eco garden featuring native plants, composting stations and worm farms, and a native beehive
• Pet rabbits and guinea pigs who help eat food scraps
• Collection of soft plastics through RecycleSmart.

The Centre had an existing 10kW solar array which was becoming old and inefficient. When the opportunity came up, Linda was enthusiastic about getting a new system installed.

"We use anywhere between 45 to 80kWh of power each day to run the Centre and sometimes experience blackouts, so being able to produce and store our own power with the new solar and battery is a game changer," says Linda.

With support from Council, the Centre had a 17.16kW solar and 9.7kWh battery system installed, with the old panels being recycled by the installer. A few months on, they've seen their electricity bills almost halve in cost.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to follow my passion for sustainable practices in early childhood and to see the impact straight away—not just in reduced costs, but in knowing we’re being role models for young children through hands-on ways of caring for the environment,” Linda added.

Greenwich Sailing Club

Greenwich Sailing Club is a family-oriented Club located at Manns Point on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour. With its 180-degree panoramic view of Sydney City, Birchgrove, and Cockatoo Island, the Sailing Club supports a range of programs, coaching, and competitions and is a popular venue for events and functions.

The Club's leadership was interested in the potential to use less energy from the grid and was excited to be contacted by Council about the collaborative project.

"We were very interested when Lane Cove Council offered to go 50/50 with the Club to install solar panels and a battery. In addition, when they said that they would organise the quotes and analyse the best options, on our behalf, we jumped at the opportunity," the Club's President, Owen Watkinson, says.

After receiving quotes from multiple providers, it became clear that adding both solar panels and a battery would be cost effective for the Club, helping bring down energy bills and use renewable energy when the sun isn't shining.

They had a 6.72kW solar and 20kWh battery system installed in September and have seen energy bills plummet since.

“As with all projects like this, you only find out how beneficial it was when the first electricity bill comes in. It was a dramatic reduction in usage and, consequently, we are now paying significantly less than previously. The Club members are very happy with the result and the collaboration with Lane Cove Council was easy with good communication.”