Melbourne council is now 100 per cent powered by renewable energy.

Last year, fourteen Melbourne leading universities, cultural institutions, corporations and councils combined their purchasing power to support the construction of the 80 MW wind farm at Crowlands, near Ararat.

Pacific Hydro has now installed 25 of the 39 turbines required and energy has begun flowing into the power grid.

It means that “every light on our streets, every treadmill in our gyms and every barbecue in our parks is now powered by renewable energy,” City of Melbourne Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said.

“We are immensely proud to be the first Australian capital city council powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. We were also the first group in this country to implement a renewable energy power purchasing agreement.”

The project created more than 140 regional jobs during construction as well as eight ongoing maintenance jobs.

Other benefits to the local community include Pacific Hydro's ongoing installation of a rooftop solar photovoltaic system and storage battery for the Crowlands town hall, making it one of regional Australia's few sun-powered halls.

Construction of the Crowlands wind farm is continuing with the remaining turbines to be progressively commissioned over coming months. The project is expected to be fully completed in May.