The solar PV panels and wind towers will be placed on the existing eastern grandstand and are expected to generate enough clean power to run the stadium’s floodlights and reduce its overall energy needs by approximately 18 per cent.
ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said, “Over the course of 4,000 daylight hours a year, the stadium’s technology showcase will be capable of generating up to 220,000 hours of electricity.”
Energy generated by the PV panels and wind towers is planned to flow into the ACT grid and no direct power to function linkages will be made at the stadium itself.
A decision is yet to be made concerning the wattage of the PV panels however they are expected to be 20 - 40 kW depending on the industry’s response and final engineering advice.
Article continues below…Principal stadium users – the Canberra Raiders Rugby League team and the CA Brumbies Rugby Union team – are supportive of the project and the panels and towers will be installed so that visual distraction to on-field users is minimised.
The project is the first in ACT’s $1 million ‘Weathering the Change’ climate strategy 2007-25, which aims to showcase progressive and innovative renewable energy technologies around the capital city.
Mr Stanhope said “Placing renewable energy generators at prominent ACT locations will highlight the Government’s support for renewable energy and help the community understand the potential for cleaner and greener generation in their own backyards and in their own lives.
“Energy generation technology capable of generating up to 55 kW of emissions-free energy will be installed at the stadium, showcasing the potential of these technologies to the hundreds of thousands of Canberrans who frequent the venue over the course of the year,” he said.
“The equivalent of the entire ACT population passes through the Stadium in the course of a year. These installations will serve as a reminder of what we can all achieve in our own ways to reduce climate change impacts.”
A Canberra Stadium spokesperson said future projects to complement the installation are planned, however as yet, no time frames have been decided on.
