Melbourne Showgrounds goes solar

Yingli Green Energy Australia and Enphase Energy have installed a 100 kW solar system at Melbourne Showgrounds through installation partner EnviroGroup.

The solar PV installation on the administration centre rooftop comprises 400 250 W Yingli solar panels and 400 Enphase M215 micro inverters.

Managed by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria Limited (RASV), Melbourne Showgrounds comprises purpose-built exhibition and event spaces, as well as restored heritage buildings, and spans over 19 hectares. The showgrounds host some of Melbourne’s most popular trade shows, music and recreational events and are home to the Royal Melbourne Show, the state’s largest community event that attracts more than 450,000 visitors annually. Through this solar PV system, RASV will reduce the building’s electricity bill by up to 40% and its carbon footprint by 172 tonnes a year.

“The Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria is continually looking for new ways to reduce environmental impacts and to reduce operating costs. An energy audit to identify ways to improve our sustainability led us to solar power. EnviroGroup, Yingli Solar and Enphase Energy have delivered an impressive solar system that reduces our energy bills and meets our need to be more environmentally sustainable,” Mark O’Sullivan, chief executive officer of RASV, said.

Melinda Payne, general manager of EnviroGroup, said, “One of the greatest challenges we faced with the installation in the Melbourne Showgrounds was the limited roof space and partial shading from its air-conditioning plants. By using Enphase Microinverters, we are able to overcome these limitations and produce a solar photovoltaic system that provides maximum yields.”
Nathan Dunn, managing director at Enphase Energy Asia-Pacific, said, “Enphase Microinverters made it possible for the RASV to exploit the full potential of their available rooftop at Melbourne Showgrounds and maximise their return on investment. Furthermore, Enphase Microinverters are designed to harvest more energy than string inverter systems, regardless of obstacles or shading. We have seen a steady increase in projects where Enphase was chosen over string inverters in perfect north-facing conditions due to our strong track record for superior production, reliability and safety advantages.”

Organisations like RASV have realised the full potential of solar power and how it can reduce their reliance on grid electricity for greater environmental sustainability, said Daman Cole, managing director for Yingli Green Energy in Australia.

The Melbourne Showgrounds solar system has been installed as part of the organisation’s broader green initiative to reduce energy consumption and to align with the organisation’s goals to minimise its environmental impact.