IMAGINE generating clean and green, renewable power! Tathra Community Solar Farm has with its 30kw solar photovoltaic installation,
Tathra Community Solar Farm – IMAGINE generating clean and green, renewable power!
Technical Details
- 120 x 250w pollycrystalline Trina solar panels with an installed capacity of 30kw
- 2 x 15kw Fronius Symo 3 phase inverters – grid connected
- PV panel angle 15o
- Mega anchor footings (no concrete)
- Chiko V frame with Sunlock rails
History
In 2014 Bega Valley Shire Council (Council) formed a partnership with Clean Energy for Eternity (CEFE) to develop one of Australia's first community solar farms. CEFE is a local not-for-profit registered organisation which has had a national reputation for championing the role of community action to tackle climate change. Through organising multiple events and broader community engagement, CEFE has raised money over many years for local community organisations (e.g. RFS fire sheds, community halls, churches, surf clubs, preschools and a tourist venue) to install solar PV. To further this work CEFE approached Council to develop a joint venture which could be a beacon to other communities around Australia for climate change action. By combining passion and expertise, the Tathra Community Solar Farm project was conceived, built and opened in 2015. The project captures financial savings and reinvests these in other local solar projects - creating a win:win:win for CEFE, Council and the local community.
Our Supporters
The project has received fantastic support from the local community and various organisations. Community donors, including local business, helped raise valuable funds for the project, while the Tathra Mountain Bike Enduro event provided significant support and funding to make the project a reality. The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage assisted and Bega Valley Shire Council contributed half of the project cost and project managed the design and construction.
and…Award Winning!
The TCSF won a prestigious NSW Green Globe award in 2015 for Excellence in Leadership and Innovation – Climate Change.
Image: Prue Kelly, CEFE; Daniel Murphy, BVSC; Matthew Bell, Ernst & Young – photo OEH
SunSPoT helps home and building owners discover the savings they can make with solar power.
SunSPoT has been developed to help home and building owners discover the savings they can make with solar power.
Bega Valley is one of a select number of Local Government Areas that have full use of the program.
The advantages for local residents include potential increased energy savings, reduced emissions and the ability to check how much solar you can put on your house and business.
SunSPoT is being made available to Council and Bega Valley residents through funding by the Office of Environment and Heritage.
As part of the SunSPoT package for the shire, Council has access to a dashboard that shows current and historical solar installations in the Bega Valley shire, average financial savings per household, and CO2 emissions offset. This is a powerful tool for setting solar installation targets, benchmarking and reporting.
What is SunSPoT?
The not-for-profit SunSPoT Solar Potential Tool assesses a rooftop for solar photovoltaic potential and gives an estimate of how much electricity is generated and how much money solar (and batteries if desired) could save the owner each year.
Users search for their address in the online tool and SunSPoT colour codes the spaces of the roof to show the best areas for solar panel placement – indicated by red and orange dots.
Then it’s a simple matter of outlining the area for the solar panels, and SunSPoT estimates the energy generation and savings potential. The calculations become more accurate when electricity billing and usage information is added.
SunSPoT makes it easy for homeowners and other smaller energy users to understand what investing in solar can do for them – before they get quotes from solar companies.
SunSPoT is free and it’s online at apvi.org.au/sunspot/
What will SunSPoT tell you?
SunSPoT provides answers to many confusing questions about solar for buyers including:
- How much money will a solar photovoltaic system save me in a year?
- What are the best areas for solar panels on my building roof?
- What size system is best?
- How much energy will it generate?
- What should I be paying for a solar system?
- How much more will I save with a battery?