The Melbourne Cricket Ground has claimed a first for a major stadium in Australia by completing a transition to run on 100% renewable power.
The move has been made possible through the MCG’s partnership with Victoria-based EnergyAustralia. Since January 1, all energy used by the MCG has been GreenPower coming solely from renewable sources.
The MCG said the transition has cut its greenhouse emissions by close to 1,000 tonnes, which is the equivalent of taking 214 cars off the road for a year.
The MCG’s partnership with EnergyAustralia stretches back five years. In 2018, EnergyAustralia made the MCG carbon-neutral during the AFL finals month, while in 2019, it installed 12 solar-powered lights and security cameras at the venue.
In 2020, EnergyAustralia fitted 220 solar panels along the roofline of the MCG’s Northern Stand to power the stadium’s innovative water recycling facility, which turns sewage into Class A water. In August last year, the company installed 14 solar compactus bins in Yarra Park, crushing rubbish down to a fifth of its normal size so requiring less garbage trucks to empty bins.
Stuart Fox, chief executive of the Melbourne Cricket Club, said: “This is a really exciting initiative for the MCC and EnergyAustralia – to work together and provide a first for major stadiums in the country.
“We have a keen focus on environmental sustainability at the MCG – from our water recycling plant and organics dehydrator to the solar panels installed on the roof a couple of years ago with EnergyAustralia.
“To have all of the MCG’s energy needs provided by 100% renewables is a great step on our sustainability journey. At the MCG, we’re about inspiring excellence and leading by example, so we hope to see this initiative continued into other stadiums and venues across the country.”
Mark Brownfield, chief customer officer at EnergyAustralia, added: “Since 2017 we’ve been helping the MCG become more sustainable. And now we’ve kicked the winning goal – getting the MCG running off 100 percent renewables in an Australian first.”
Image: Melbourne Cricket Ground
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