SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre opens massive rooftop solar power installation

A new 512 kilowatt solar panel system at the South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre, that will aid the facility’s energy efficiencies and reduce its carbon emissions, has been officially turned on today.

A video display panel marking the recently completed project was unveiled today (14th September) by SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre ambassador and Olympic 100 metre Gold Medallist Kyle Chalmers and South Australian Office for Recreation and Sport General Manager Kylie Taylor.

The project, undertaken by the South Australian Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure on behalf of the Office for Recreation and Sport has installed a 512 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system, with an associated grid-interactive inverter and public display board; LED lighting to the car park and a lighting upgrade within the facility’s gym, dry land training area and leisure water space.

The solar system, installed by South Australian owned company, Solar Depot Pty Ltd, is made up of 1600 x 320 watt solar panels, which will generate a daily output equivalent to that of about 170 home systems.

The system will indicatively produce 702,000 kWh of energy each year, save the equivalent of 192,000 litres of fuel each year and offset 442 tonnes of carbon annually.

Total project cost for these energy initiatives is $1,200,000 and it is estimated that the system will pay for itself within seven years.

The video screen will display energy generation on a daily basis and over time for users of the facility to view.

The initiative forms a significant addition to the South Australian Government’s Carbon Neutral Adelaide commitment, a shared vision for the world’s first carbon neutral city, while also contributing to the achievement of targets associated with the South Australian Government energy efficiency strategy for government buildings.

The SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre is a major sporting facility hosting national and international events, including Olympic trials.

Images: Kyle Chalmers inspects the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre' solar panels (top), the solar panels in situ (middle) and Chalmers reveals the installations's video display panel with Kyle Taylor from the South Australian Office for Recreation and Sport (below).

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