Queensland’s Hervey Bay, already one of Australia’s top solar postcodes, is set to harvest even more power from the sun after Energy Minister Stephen Robertson announced the completion of contractual arrangements to install a 266 kilowatt (kW) rooftop solar power system at Hervey Bay Hospital.
At a cost of $1.3 million, the Hervey Bay project is the second part of a $4 million commitment from the Bligh Government to increase renewable energy on the Fraser Coast. Just last month installation of solar panels began at the $2.7 million 366 kW Fraser Coast Community Solar Farm, also located in Hervey Bay.
The hospital solar power system will generate around 385 megawatt-hours of renewable energy each year, saving an estimated $20,000 on electricity costs and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 400 tonnes annually.
Minister Robertson says these savings are vital for Queensland’s future in a clean energy economy.
“The hospital is probably the biggest user of electricity on the Fraser Coast and the environmental savings from this initiative forms an important step in our target of creating a greener, clean energy future for Queenslanders.”
According to ABB Australia, the company supplying the components and performing the installation, it will link the solar panels with the main hospital building management system. The project will include an interactive web-kiosk and large screen television in the foyer to display real time data as an educational tool for visitors; allowing them to “see” the energy produced by the solar power system.
The Hervey Bay Hospital system will be a home-grown project, with all solar modules used in the installation manufactured by Silex Solar, which was up until recently Australia’s sole producer of solar panels, Silex Solar. Silex Solarsuspended manufacturing operations at its Homebush Bay facility late last year.
According to ABB’s Jason Venning, installation at the hospital is set to begin as soon as possible, but this could be delayed due to recent flooding in Queensland.
“When complete, this will become the largest rooftop PV system at any hospital in Queensland and will mark a significant milestone for ABB in Australia. The hospital has already reduced its energy consumption significantly by implementing a number of energy efficiency initiatives, and with the addition of the renewable energy from this system, they will become more self sufficient.”
