UQ goes solar in a big way

The University of Queensland will use a State Government investment in solar energy to help install Australia’s largest and most powerful array of photovoltaic panels.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced a grant of $1.5 million towards the $7.75 million project today, and inspected a 10 kW solar research array on the roof of UQ’s Sir Llew Edwards Building.

The new project, to be located on three buildings at UQ’s St Lucia campus, will feature a 1.2 MW solar photovoltaic installation capable of producing 1750 MWh of electricity a year. This will save approximately 1750 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which is equivalent to taking 335 cars off the roads each year.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield commended the State Government for its commitment to solar research and technology.

“UQ will show leadership as a generator and user of solar energy and also as a provider of internationally-recognised teaching, research and development regarding solar technologies,” Professor Greenfield said.

“It will also be a resource for students and staff, who will use the array to help develop next-generation solar technologies.”

Physicist Professor Paul Meredith, who chairs the University’s Renewable Energy Technology Advisory Committee, said the new solar field would cover a surface area equivalent to about one-and-a-half rugby fields with state-of-the-art high-efficiency panels.

“The system will be part of a larger Micro-Grid strategy to use renewable energy across the University’s other campuses over the next decade," Professor Meredith said.

“The UQ Micro-Grid will allow UQ and Queensland researchers to deepen their understanding of the issues and opportunities around solar and renewable energy deployment.

“In particular, we see this project becoming a close collaboration with stakeholders such as established energy providers and the solar industry, to encourage the integration of commercial-industrial scale solar infrastructure in Queensland’s electricity grid.

“It will also position our University as a major provider of solar research expertise and infrastructure in upcoming major initiatives such as the Solar Flagships Program.

“The UQ PV project is a globally-significant solar research infrastructure initiative and will be among the largest arrays at any university around the world.”

Media: Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (3365 2802, 0433 364 181).