Solar panels a boost for Collinsville community

Whitsunday Regional Council Mayor Ry Collins today officially opened the new solar array at the Collinsville Water Treatment Plant (WTP).

Mayor Collins said the Collinsville Efficient Resilient Solar Program, which was jointly funded by Council and the Australian Government, was a valuable project for the Collinsville and Scottville communities.

“Close to $3 million has been invested into the WTP, which now has a new 200kW solar array, upgraded high level water pumps and renewed 6ML high level reservoir roof structure,” Mayor Collins said.

“Collinsville is one of the best places for solar energy generation in Queensland with an average of 292 sunny days per year.”

Deputy Mayor and Division 4 Councillor Michelle Wright said the new system was building resilience into the Collinsville power network and had the capacity to supply the bulk of the Water Treatment Plant’s energy requirements.

“The project has significant benefits including reducing energy consumption and running costs of the plant, eliminating an estimated 273 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually and extending the life of the water reservoir,” she said.

Whitsunday Regional Council Project Manager, Vinai Sokkalingam, said 532 solar panels were installed with invertors connected to the plant’s switch board.

“The two 185KW motors were replaced with new variable speed drive controlled motors, and two Variable Speed Drives were installed to control the new motors,” he said.

Mr Sokkalingam said the two high level super Titan split casing pumps have been overhauled to maximise the life of the pumps.

“The room within the pump building was retrofitted to house the new Variable Speed Drives and solar panel invertors, and air conditioners were installed to ensure the climate is controlled for the sensitive electrical assets,” Mr Sokkalingam said.

“A spoon drain was also constructed around the reservoir to reduce soil erosion and improve runoff from the reservoir,” he said.