By Lilia Guan
Determined to reduce green house admissions by 70 per cent by 2030, the City of Sydney has proposed to install solar panels on its properties.
The City of Sydney Council planned to install 2,000 kilowatts of photovoltaic panels on at least 30 of its properties over the next five years.
City of Sydney manager of environmental strategy, Nik Midlam told Government News, the City was calling for expressions of interest (EOI) to supply and install photovoltaic (solar electric) panels, from which a shortlist of companies will be selected to tender for a final $12 million contract over five years.
“It will be up to the tender applicants to find the best site and solutions, but we’ve done an initial analysis of suitability and believe solar power will help us get to the point of green house reductions within next five years,” he said.
Mr Midlam said the project would produce enough electricity to supply the equivalent of 400 households and cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 3 000 tonnes a year.
“This will reduce the City's power bills by $500000 and eventually mean we won’t have to use electricity at all,” he said.
More than 30 council-owned buildings across the local government area have been identified as possible sites for solar panels including; Town Hall House; Redfern Oval grandstand; Railway Square Bus Interchange; Sydney Park Pavilion; Victoria Park Pool; Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Pool; Cook and Phillip Aquatic Centre; the Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre; Prince Alfred Park Pool; as well as towns halls in Paddington; Redfern; and Glebe.
Mr Midlam said the funding for the project comes from the City's new Renewable Energy Fund created from the $2 million the City had previously spent each year on buying GreenPower.
In May, Council decided to invest directly in its own renewable energy systems whilst maintaining its carbon neutral status through the purchase of more cost effective accredited carbon offsets.
“Solar power panels are visible and show the community that the money is being spent on something they can see for themselves,” Mr Midlam said.
“We’ve already installed a 48 kW solar panel system in the Council’s headquarters and that’s a heritage listed building.”
The City has also installed solar hot water and or photovoltaic systems on 18 sites at a cost of one million including; Sydney Town Hall; libraries; community centres; child care centres; and depots in Redfern; Ultimo; Erskineville and Kings Cross.
Mr Midlam said together these projects have reduced carbon emissions by 180 tonnes a year.
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