Solar for Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay is doing the bright thing
The Queensland Government is investing $4 million to help the Hervey Bay community to do the bright thing by building Queensland's first Community Solar Farm and installing solar power at Hervey Bay Hospital.
These two projects will generate around 1,000 megawatt hours of electricity from the sun each year or enough energy to power around 130 homes. Using clean solar energy would also reduce the community's greenhouse gas emissions by around 1,000 tonnes a year.
Town by town, we've already doubled Queensland's use of solar energy to 500 megawatts in less than two years - more than three years ahead of schedule. By installing solar panels we're helping Queensland build a virtual solar power station.
Fraser Coast Community Solar Farm
The $2.7 million Fraser Coast Community Solar Farm will be owned and operated by the Wide Bay Water Corporation, which is owned by the Fraser Coast Regional Council.
The community solar farm will generate approximately 630 megawatts of energy annually - enough to power around 100 homes. The electricity generated by the solar farm will also contribute to offsetting the power used in Wide Bay Water Corporation's operations. It is estimated that the community solar farm will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 600 tonnes each year.
The community solar farm will be built at Kawungan on land provided in-kind by Wide Bay Water Corporation. Installation of the first solar panels has commenced and the project to harness the clean energy from the sun is due to be operational by early 2012.
The Fraser Coast Community Solar Farm will comprise more than 1,500 individual solar panels covering approximately 2,600 square metres.
This is the first time in Queensland that a stand-alone solar farm has been integrated with a major commercial and industrial business.
Solar at Hervey Bay Hospital health facilities
The Queensland Government is investing approximately $1.3 million to install 266 kilowatts of solar panels on the roofs of Hervey Bay Hospital.
The solar panels are expected to provide approximately 385 megawatt hours of energy annually or enough energy from the sun to power 50 homes for a year. The clean energy produced will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 400 tonnes per year.
An interactive web-kiosk and large screen television displaying energy data will also be installed in the hospital's foyer as an educational tool for visitors.
International engineering firm ABB has been awarded the contract to install the solar power system and the solar panels are expected to be producing clean energy at the hospital by mid 2012.
ABB has extensive global expertise in the solar industry and aims to deliver a solar power system which operates at high efficiency, providing a lower cost per kilowatt production.
ABB’s innovative technology and expertise is gained by the global firm’s involvement in many of the world’s largest turnkey solar projects.
The solar power generated at the Hervey Bay Hospital and the Fraser Coast Community Solar Farm are contributing to Queensland's virtual solar power station.
More Information
Think the community solar farm and panels on Hervey Bay Hospital health facilities are a really bright idea?
- Find out about the incentives available and the benefits of installing solar panels in your home
- Learn how solar panels work
- Download the media release on this project
- Download a printable version of this information
Last updated 9 February 2012.
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