City of Newcastle has been named overall winner in the Communication, Education and Empowerment category at the 2025 Local Government NSW Environment Awards for its Empowering Newcastle program. The initiative, launched in July 2024, supports residents, businesses and community groups to switch to renewable energy and move towards a net zero Newcastle by 2040.
The LGNSW Environment Awards were held last night at Waterview in Bicentennial Park on 3 December and recognise excellence in local government across 13 categories, including waste management, water efficiency and climate adaptation.
Since its launch, Empowering Newcastle has hosted a series of public events attracting more than 1,500 participants, delivered a United Nations-accredited community net zero training program for over 50 people, and provided grants to 30 youth-led climate action projects. The program also includes a community solar and battery initiative and a range of online resources helping households and businesses cut emissions.
The Empowering Newcastle initiative includes programs such as Solar Neighbourhoods, developed in partnership with Lake Macquarie and Maitland councils. It offers residents affordable access to solar systems, batteries, and EV chargers installed by local electricians. The pilot program closed in late November and is expected to return in 2026 due to strong community interest.
Another key feature of the initiative is Empowering Climate Champions, a six-week community training course run in collaboration with Rewiring Australia. The program equips participants with tools to create local energy projects that promote renewable energy, electrification and efficiency.
Newcastle’s efforts were also recognised in the Towards Net Zero Emissions category for its rollout of NSW’s largest publicly owned electric vehicle (EV) charging network. Over the past year, the council tripled its network capacity to 50 charging ports at 15 locations across the city. The chargers are powered by 100% renewable energy from the city’s Summerhill Solar Farm and the Sapphire Wind Farm.
The expansion received $270,000 in co-funding from the NSW Government’s electric vehicle kerbside charging program. From July 2025, charging costs were set at $0.40 per kWh for 7kW and 22kW chargers and $0.60 per kWh for 60kW chargers, helping to sustain the network’s operation and growth. The initiative supports Newcastle’s target for 52% of new car sales to be electric by 2031.
Local Government NSW President Mayor Darcy Byrne said councils were playing a critical role in developing local responses to environmental challenges.
“Communities across the state rely on their councils to lead, innovate and deliver practical, on-the-ground solutions. These awards give us the opportunity to elevate that work and celebrate the people behind it,” Mayor Byrne said.
Through programs like Empowering Newcastle and investments in renewable infrastructure, City of Newcastle is positioning the Hunter’s capital as the new energy heart of NSW. Once defined by coal exports, Newcastle is now driving the shift to cleaner industries — from large-scale solar generation at Summerhill to the growing network of public EV chargers powered by renewable energy.
The council’s focus on electrification, community training and local energy projects is helping residents and businesses take part in a broader regional transformation. By making clean energy practical and accessible, Newcastle is showing how a traditional industrial city can lead the state’s transition to a low-emissions future.
