Award winning food manufacturer Brookfarm has unveiled the largest rooftop solar panel installation in New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region.
288 solar panels on Brookfarm’s bakehouse will provide the company an estimated 40% annual energy saving, with a payback time of just four years. The system has produced around 500 kilowatt hours a day on average since installation; enough clean electricity to power at least 25 average Australian households.
The system components include SunPower solar panels, Fronius inverters and SunLock solar panel mounting systems; which are designed and manufactured in Australia.
Brookfarm partnered with Juno Energy for the project; which features a split orientation. Instead of having all panels facing in a northerly direction, the array is split east and west to provide a more consistent production that aligns with operations.
When the bakehouse was built 5 years ago, it was designed with solar in mind. “We originally designed the roof to support solar panels and we have been waiting for the technology to catch up, so today it is now a commercially viable option to solar power our production facility,” said Will Brook.
Rainwater is also harvested from the rooftop for use in the company’s rainforest gardens.
Other energy efficiency measures at the facility include the usage of cool room paneling for the walls of the facility, which externally insulates the building and internally reflects white light to minimise internal lighting needs.
Sustainability is an important issue for the company.
“On our farm we have planted more than 30,000 sub-tropical and eucalypt trees in the midst of our macadamia plantation as part of our ongoing commitment to rainforest regeneration,” states Brookfarm’s web site. “This regeneration has created a delightful haven for native wildlife including echidnas, duckbill platypus, koalas, wallabies, turtles, pythons and birds.”
In 2014, Brookfarm received Bronze Recognition under the New South Wales State Government’s Sustainability Advantage initiative; one of only 100 businesses to do so.
Brookfarm’s gourmet macadamia products, mueslis, bars and trail mix products are sold throughout Australia and exported to various destinations overseas, including the USA and Europe.
As the price of solar panels have rapidly dropped, companies are increasingly turning to the technology to rein in power costs. Commercial solar is also now more easily accessed thanks to innovative financial products such as solar leases and PPA‘s (Power Purchase Agreements).
