Distributed generation, renewable – New South Wales
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The site
Kogarah Town Square is a development of residential, commercial and retail spaces, public library and car parking, occupying a total area of approximately 10,000 meters squared. The redevelopment provides a demonstration of the feasibility of sustainable urban design.
A holistic state of the art environmental engineering design includes a roof integrated photovoltaic (PV) power station designed by EnergyAustralia. The energy produced will supply Kogarah Town Square’s living and working environment with excess sold to the grid.
Technology
The entire roof of Kogarah Town Square was redeveloped, including the roof membrane and rainwater accessories such as gutters and downpipes. This was attractive to the developer as it minimised the number of contracts to be managed. PV modules were placed on all roof surfaces rather than just the north-facing roofs.
A Solardek system was selected for the main part of the roof owing to its design flexibility and ease of installation. This system utilised Uni-Solar PV laminates and Colorbond steel with a specially designed steel sheet profi le. The Uni-Solar amorphous technology performs well in hot weather. In addition, transparent glass PV modules have been placed on an awning and a glass roof in the building.
The energy produced by all the PV modules is connected to the electricity grid via 58 Sunpower inverters that are computer monitored and can be displayed locally and over the internet via custom-designed software developed in Australia. This program also monitors weather sensors providing temperature, humidity, insolation, wind speed and rain gauge
information.
The project is expected to generate 153,000 kWh per annum, with greenhouse gas savings of 140 tonnes per annum. EnergyAustralia will purchase all of the power that is exported to the grid.
Funding arrangements and acknowledgements
The project received a Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program (RECP) grant of $1 million. The power station is accredited under the Mandated Renewable Energy Target, and SEDA provided $200,000 in return for the right to create RECs. The developer funded the
rest of the $2 million project cost from the sale of the residential and commercial space.
Owner: Kogarah Town Square Body Corporate
Capacity: 160 kWp
Location: Kogarah Town Square, 5 km south of Sydney CBD
Commissioned: May 2003
Capital Cost: $2 million
Construction Contractor: EnergyAustralia and Ridge Roofing
Operator: Kogarah Council