The Bega Valley Shire Council in NSW has successfully exported power from its newest solar energy site to the grid.
Installed on the Water and Sewerage Services Operations Depot, the solar panels are now interconnected with other installations in the Bega area, forming the council’s most extensive solar energy generation site to date.
Steve Marshall, the Water and Sewerage Services Manager, highlighted that this new solar project qualifies the council for the registration and trading of Large-scale Generation Certificates with the Australian Clean Energy Regulator.
“Our latest site boasts a peak-power output of 285kW and is anticipated to generate a substantial 300MW-hours of energy annually,” Marshall said.
He further explained that this energy output could power 40 average Australian homes for an entire year or be equivalent to the fuel capacity of 685 cars, each holding 50L of petrol.
Marshall emphasised the environmental impact, noting that the project removes about 60 tonnes of coal from the energy generation process each year, contributing significantly to environmental sustainability.
The new solar array is the third PV system installed on BVSC water and sewerage assets, with a combined 620 solar panels deployed across the South Bega reservoirs, the Bega-Yellow Pinch Pumphouse, and the Bega Water and Sewerage Operations Depot.
This marks the third successful implementation of a solar energy site on the council’s water and sewerage assets.
The council’s commitment to sustainable practices is evident in its ongoing collaboration with local contractors to connect three additional Water and Sewerage sites.
This accomplishment aligns with a 10-year power purchase agreement with Red Energy and six regional councils, providing a cost-effective means for the council to achieve its 100 per cent renewable energy target through sourcing energy from the Metz Solar Farm near Armidale.
According to the council’s Community Strategic Plan 2040, it is targeting 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.
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