Around 300 square meters of solar panels will soon be providing free electricity to help power Upper Hunter Shire Council’s Scone Administration Centre.

 

The 60 kW solar PV system is predicted to supply over one third of the power the building requires. The successful tender for the project is Smart Commercial Solar. The company plans to make this a showpiece for future car park solar projects across the Hunter.

 

Solar panels will also be installed at the Early Learning Centre in Scone. Gummun Place Hostel in Merriwa already has solar panels, reducing the building’s energy costs.

 

Increasing the use of solar energy is one of the actions in Council’s Draft Sustainability Action Plan. Under the draft Plan, Council aims to reduce water and energy use and increase the proportion of energy sourced from renewables and water sourced through onsite water capture and reuse.

 

The draft Plan also proposes upgrading to LED lighting in the eight most significant Council Buildings to reduce energy consumption.