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CASE STUDY
OVERVIEW: As a traditionally large consumer of electricity during daylight hours, the demand on power supply for air conditioning and general aviation operations is immense at Mount Isa Airport in Queensland, Australia. However, a new solar array consisting of over 800 Trina Solar panels, has helped the airport offset electricity usage by up to 80% daytime consumption and improve passenger experience.
MOUNT ISA AIRPORT, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
SITUATIONMount Isa Airport in western Queensland, serves a number of
regional destinations and largely services the mining sector in
the region. In 2016, the airport commenced works to upgrade
the existing airport car park with solar shade structures, to
improve safety, security, and sustainability at the airport.
The solar shade structures were intended to provide cover
for pedestrian walkways and up to 86 long-term car parking
spaces, providing relief from the strong Queensland sun while
harnessing solar energy for consumption.
Airport sustainability was a key focus for the project, not just
in energy consumption methods, but also on generating local
jobs to boost the regional economy. The project was awarded to
Mount Isa-based Q Energy Solutions, a family-owned company
that works across regional centres and remote communities in
northern Australia. Designed to be carried out in two stages,
phase one of the project commenced in August 2016 for the
underground electrical reticulation and structure foundations.
SIZE: 258kW
COMMERCIAL OPERATION DATE:
February, 2017
EPC: Q Energy Solutions
OUTPUT: 390MWh/
annum
MODULES: 820 Trina Solar 315W Duomax PEG14 modules
CASE STUDY
PRODUCT SOLUTIONWith a successful project history of working closely with Trina
Solar since 2011, including a 99kWp system at Longreach
Airport also in Queensland, it was a natural progression for Q
Energy Solutions to continue the partnership for the Mount Isa
Airport project.
The solution of choice for the solar array was 820 Trina Solar
PEG14 315W panels, for the 258kW solar array on top of the
carpark shade structures. Selected for their slimline aesthetics
and integration with the Schletter rail system, which offered the
span distances for the application, the 72-cell multicrystalline
model was the ideal solution to withstand harsh climate
conditions in Mount Isa.
“Our company has installed over 4MW of photovoltaics
throughout north-west Queensland focusing specifically on
Commercial PV and Stand Alone Systems,” said Matt Brewster,
Managing Director for Q Energy Solutions. “The extreme
climate dictates that we have to use robust, high quality
equipment in every installation and Trina Solar has not let us
down.”
RESULTSQ Energy Solutions completed the project on time in February
2017. With the 258.3kWp DC plant in operation the system is
capable of production yields of up to 390MWh per annum,
saving the airport in both kWh reduction and demand charges
whilst reducing their CO2 footprint by up to 5,490 tonnes over
the next 15 years.
Airport passengers are now benefiting from increased carpark
capacity and shade structures, which have improved visitors’
experience and the facility’s sustainability efforts in harnessing
solar energy for reducing energy consumption.
Following completion of the project, Mount Isa Airport
Manager, Nigel Rieck said: “It makes complete sense to embrace
solar out here in Mount Isa as we have some of the best sun
in the world. There is no better way to utilise the carpark and
provide shade to our customers.”
MOUNT ISA AIRPORT, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA