More than 2000 solar energy panels have been switched on to power Gippsland Water’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Morwell.
Gippsland Water switched to solar as part of its ambitions to be powered completely by renewables by 2025.
Managing Director Sarah Cumming said that the plant is now supported by three forms of renewable power.
Energy for the plant is now provided by the 1200 kW solar array, a 385 kW hydro generator, and two 330 kW biogas generators that utilises gas produced from the wastewater treatment process.
“While this is great for the environment, it’s also saving us almost a million dollars every year, keeping downward pressure on customer bills,” Cumming said.
The solar array’s capacity is enough to power the plant – the seventh of the utility company’s plants to be powered by renewables, and the largest.
Other solar-powered Gippsland Water sites include water treatment plants in Warragul, Traralgon and Tyers, wastewater plants in Warragul and Moe, and the company’s office in Traralgon.
Work is underway on another solar project, installing floating panels on the lagoons at the wastewater treatment plant in Drouin.
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