Downer helps Queensland schools make the switch to solar

19/10/2021

360 state run primary, secondary and special education facilities across Queensland have made the switch to solar thanks to the Downer New Energy team’s roll out of the Advancing Clean Energy Schools (ACES) Program in partnership with the Queensland Department of Education.

In Phase 1 the team has successfully delivered 7.2MW or 20,895 solar modules to 100 schools across Cairns, Townsville, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and the Sunshine Coast. A further 11.7MW was rolled out to 147 schools in Far North QLD, North QLD and the North Coast regions as part of Phase 2.

Downer’s Project Manager Kieran Sullivan said his team worked closely with schools to complete a detailed assessment of their capacity to support solar PV installations as part of the project, along with identifying other energy conservation measures.  “Our in-house engineers then designed bespoke solar PV systems to support each school’s unique load profile and site-specific layout, working with a range of construction partners to implement the new measures,” said Mr Sullivan.

As a result of the strong performance in Phases 1 and 2, Downer was awarded an additional two regions of the Program (Metropolitan and Darling Downs South West) and successfully supported the roll out of 11 MW to an additional 113 schools. In total, 30MW of Solar PV (or 81,700 solar panels) generating 23.40GWh has been installed in schools across Queensland – equivalent to the energy used to power 3,500 Australian homes for a year and saving the client approximately $4.1 million to date. Phase 3 is expected to deliver a further 13.8MW of solar

“As we ramp up for Phase 3, it is a good time to reflect on the achievements to date. These are really pleasing outcomes for our client and good news for the uptake of renewable energy across the Sunshine State,” said Mr Sullivan.

Tim Guthrie, Downer’s Manager of New Energy said the project showcased the important work the team was involved in to support the path to a net zero goal and a sustainable future. 

“We are seeing more customers come to Downer with their specific sustainability needs and we are proud to work in partnership to deliver a successful outcome for them, whilst maintaining the strong focus on safety and quality which Downer is so well-known for,” said Mr Guthrie.

“The Advancing Clean Energy Schools (ACES) Program is a prime example of how Downer is delivering a great result for not only the customer, but the wider community as well,” concluded Mr Guthrie.

Key outcomes

·         Designed and installed solar PV systems in 357 schools across QLD

·         Installed over 30MW of Solar PV to date (more than 81,700 solar panels)

·         Generated 23.40GWh of renewable energy for the client, equivalent to the energy required to power more than 3,500 average Australian homes for a year

·         17.13 GWh of this energy or 73% of the solar used behind the meter has saved the client approx. $4.1 million to date

·         18,950 tonnes of CO2e has been avoided, equivalent to:

o   4,262 cars being taken of our roads for a year.

o   The weight of 3,200 Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaurs!

 ·         Cool conditions, clear skies and lower demand during the QLD winter resulted in an energy offset of 60-80%, and higher export to the grid. This offset percentage will reduce as summer arrives and demand increases, but export to the grid reduces.

Pictured: Annandale State School, Townsville – 201.3 kW / 165.6 kVA PV system

Pictured: Bwgcolman Community School, Palm Island – 39.2 kW / 30 kVA PV system with 19.2kWh output smoothing battery bank

Pictured: Trinity Bay State High School, Cairns – 592.4 kW / 487.4 kVA - largest solar installation on the ACES Program to date