The first of two Central Victoria Solar City Solar Parks had its open day on Saturday. The Huntly solar farm in Bendigo welcomed visitors for a guided tour of the facility and to provide energy efficiency tips and renewable energy product information. The other solar farm is located in Ballarat and will have its open day this Saturday, November 28th, from 12.30 – 3pm.
The two solar farms each have a 300kW generating capacity. Each farm will generate enough solar power to provide 150 households with clean electricity. The trial program will run until 2013.
The combined area required for the Solar Parks is in excess of 3 hectares, around the size of three soccer fields or two Aussie Rules ovals. The land needed for the Bendigo Solar Park was donated by Greater Bendigo City Council. The Parks are Australia’s largest ground mounted, solar panel based, grid-connected solar farms and incorporate solar tracking systems that track the sun throughout the day to help maximise solar energy generation.
The Parks include a digital display board which will show the amount of energy generated and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions saved. Both also include an educational element to help inform visitors of the environmental benefits of solar energy, how the farm operates and about the Central Victorian Solar City project.
The $42 million Central Victoria Solar City project is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, the Central Victoria Solar City Consortium and other supporting organisations.
More on Australia’s Solar Cities initiatives.
