Sydney convention centre roof to get 4,500 solar panels
About 4,500 photovoltaic panels will be installed on the roofs of the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) in Sydney, Australia. Once the project is completed, it will be described as the largest solar farm among the central business districts of cities in the Southern Hemisphere, ABC News Australia reports.
The panels are expected to generate enough electricity to supply up to 400 households. Rooftop electricity generation combined with purchased renewable electricity is intended to ensure that the public complex operates exclusively on green energy.
Emissions reduction
According to the government, the solar farm will reduce carbon emissions by up to 2,000 tonnes per year. This is approximately equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by a forest of about 100,000 mature trees.
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Solar panels had already been installed at the convention centre, but the old modules were too heavy to be mounted on certain sections of the roofs. The new, lighter and more efficient panels will make it possible to expand the area used for solar generation. Capella Capital head of asset management Chris Jones said that, thanks to the upgrade, ICC Sydney will be able to generate approximately 300% more energy.
Equipment upgrade
According to Jones, battery systems were not considered because they would have required too much space. Therefore, the complex will use the electricity grid as a notional battery. ICC Sydney's annual electricity costs reach A$1.8 million.
The centre's administration also aims to reduce energy consumption every year by upgrading, among other things, lighting and refrigeration equipment. The dismantled old panels will be donated for reuse to the Kindly Animal Sanctuary near Armidale. They are estimated to be able to operate for another 10 to 15 years.
