Horsham Rural City Council Mayor Pam Clarke will cut the red ribbon on a solar panel at the Natimuk Community Centre on March 12.

The N-CORE, or Natimuk Community Owned Renewable Energy, project has set out to create a pathway towards 100 per cent renewable energy for Natimuk.

N-CORE! project coordinator Enga Lokey said the Natimuk community could achieve that goal with a mix of technologies.

“Solar is the first thing we are looking at right now, but we will be looking at the bigger picture when we are working to map out the plan for 100 per cent renewables,” she said.

Ms Lokey said the project had nominated a date for their goal.

“When the group was formed, we made 2030 as a year we’re aiming for to have full renewable energy,” she said.

“What the project will do is let us know whether that is an easily achievable goal or whether its is going to be very difficult.

“I know Canberra is looking at becoming 100 per cent renewable by 2020 and are well on the way to doing so.”

The Natimuk community has already participated in two bulk-buy schemes, resulting in an 25 to 30 per cent saturation of solar power on the houses in town.

The N-CORE! project will focus on households that have yet to consider solar power and community organisations and facilities that have faced high power bills.

The Natimuk community has be invited to participate in the first consultation session at the Footy Pavilion on March 19 from 11am to 3pm with lunch provided.

“We will be engaging with the community and seeing what the community wants,” Ms Lokey said.

In October, the state government awarded Natimuk a New Energy Jobs Fund grant of $83,175 to develop a business case.

Ms Lokey said Horsham council had also provided support for the project.