Perth Zoo has successfully harnessed the power of the sun to become Perth’s first and largest accredited solar power station, making it the first solar Zoo in the region.
The Australian Government’s Solar Cities program is an energy initiative bringing together industry, business, governments and communities to change the way they produce, use and save energy.
Perth is one of seven Solar Cities selected to participate in the energy efficiency initiative. Perth Solar City has completed the construction of solar energy installations at 5 iconic locations across Perth to showcase the benefits of choosing sustainable energy options, such as solar power. Perth Zoo was chosen as one of the 5 locations.
What happened next?
To showcase the benefits of solar energy at the Zoo, two stages of the $2.7 million project funded by the State and Federal Governments began.
- STAGE 1: In 2010/11 , 303 solar panels with a power rating of 90.9 kW were installed at the Zoo’s South Perth site across eight buildings including the elephant barn, Reptile Encounter building, conference centre and classrooms, reception building, retail shop, staff amenities building and maintenance workshops.
- STAGE 2: In 2012 it was time to complete the system and another 452 panels were installed on one spectacular ‘solar pergola’ at Perth Zoo’s main entrance. The custom-built structure stretches over 100 metres long and has a power rating of 146.5kW.
The completed system has a total 755 solar panels and a total power rating of 237.4kW which is expected to provide the Zoo with 370, 000kWh of energy per year – that’s up to 30% of Perth Zoo’s current energy needs.
Did you know?
- Electricity is measured in units called ‘kilowatt hours’ or kWh. A 1000W (or 1kW) appliance running for 1 hour will consume 1kWh of electricity. A typical Western Australian home uses around 20kWh of electricity per day.
- There are two main types of solar systems for households which are often confused with each other. These are solar thermal (heat) and photovoltaic (electricity) systems.
- Solar thermal systems convert sunlight into heat for uses such as heating water (e.g. solar hot water system) whereas photovoltaic systems convert sunlight directly into electricity and are used for electricity generation. The Perth Zoo solar installation is a photovoltaic (PV) solar system.
What can you do?
You can help save wildlife too by living sustainably. By changing small daily behaviours you can help to protect the environment and wildlife. Find out more by exploring our Learn pages on the website and consider booking onto one of our educational programs.
Reduce your energy consumption by following the top tips below:
- Energy – Purchase energy-efficient lights and appliances (look for the energy star rating on common household appliances).
- Water – Install a waterwise shower head and take shorter showers (to save energy and water).
- Water/Solar – Replace your old hot water system with a gas boosted solar hot water system.
- Solar – Have you ever considered using cleaner energy by installing solar panels at your house? Perth has 300 sunny days a year which makes it a perfect solar city.
- For great information on how to ‘live greener’ visit the Australian Government’s website www.livinggreener.gov.au
The Australian Government’s Solar Cities Program is a partnership between all levels of government, industry, business and local communities to trial sustainable energy solutions. By changing the way we view and use energy, and gathering valuable data to inform future policies, Solar Cities is creating a new energy future for Australia.