The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has developed and is managing a regional LED streetlight and solar PV project for the Goldfields Voluntary Regional Organisation of Councils (GVROC).
The City applied for and was granted $5.6 million in State and Federal funding to retrofit over 3,000 LED streetlights and install seven solar PV systems in nine towns across the Goldfields-Esperance Region.
This project will reduce electricity consumption from streetlights by approximately 55 percent, heavily reduce electricity consumption across seven shire facilities, reduce CO2 emissions by over 1,000 tonnes a year, and save GVROC shires over $360,000 in electricity and street lighting costs each year.
Lighting installations will be completed by December 2015, while solar PV systems installations are expected to commence in August 2015 and run until early 2017.
LED streetlights do not contain toxic mercury vapour like existing lights, meaning no toxic chemicals are released into the environment once the LEDs are disposed of. LEDs also provide better colour rendering, creating a safer pedestrian and vehicle environment.
In August 2014, the City commissioned WA’s largest council-owned solar PV system at its wastewater treatment plant in South Boulder.
The 150kW system will reduce onsite electricity consumption by approximately 15 percent, reduce CO2 emissions by 220 tonnes a year and save over $60,000 each year in electricity costs.
Due to the minimal roof space on site, a ground mount system design was chosen, which allowed for optimal orientation and tilting to maximise system production.
The system was designed and built by Solargain, and cost $595,000 including GST.
In June 2015, work will also commence on the construction of a 120kW combined roof mount, ground mount and car shade structure solar PV system. This system will reduce onsite electricity consumption by approximately 20 percent, reduce CO2 emissions by 170 tonnes and save over $50,000 each year in electricity costs. The system has been designed by SolarMatrix and will be built by local contractor Energy Made Clean.
