“I’m Powered by Clean Energy” Tram
Client: Environment Victoria
Environment Victoria is based in Melbourne and is an independent not-for-profit organization that has been campaigning on environmental issues since 1969. They now focus on campaigning for a safe climate, healthy rivers, and sustainable living.
In 2018, the Victorian Government took action to offset the carbon emissions of its entire Melbourne tram network by buying renewable energy certificates from Bannerton Solar Park (near Robinvale, Victoria) and Numurkah Solar Farm (near Shepparton, Victoria). It is called the Solar Trams initiative and has resulted in 200,000 tonnes of carbon emissions being offset each year by about 82,000 MWh of solar energy generation.
Environment Victoria was given the opportunity to create a skin for one of Melbourne’s trams as a part of the Yarra Trams Community Partnerships Program, which is an initiative that provides in-kind advertising space to community organisations. Environment Victoria approached me to design the tram skin with the goal being to generally promote clean energy through using the fact that the trams are now effectively powered by 100% solar energy. I provided two main concept directions for them. One which featured beautiful photography of clean energy projects on each carriage and key details about noteworthy clean energy projects already based in Victoria, along with the primary messaging of the campaign. And another which featured the campaign messaging in large typography along the side of the tram, with a solar panel cell pattern background, and a combination of symbols and vector illustrations of wind turbines and solar panels used as design elements. The second concept direction was chosen and developed further. The final product was a tram which said “I’m powered by clean energy” and “you won’t believe what else can be too” with a URL to find out more. It traveled all around the streets of Melbourne promoting clean energy to hundreds of thousands of Melburnians from mid-April until mid-August in 2021. The design can be seen in the images and video below.
It was a pleasure to work with the team at Environment Victoria to create this fantastic design to promote clean energy. I look forward to working with them again in the future.
Find out more about clean energy at envict.org/cleanenergy.
Project Manager & Communications: Alex Merory, Environment Victoria.
Art Direction & Design: Jarren Nylund, Design Good Design Studio.
