News Service from House Harris

NT: Solar system lights up desert town

DARWIN, Feb 18 AAP - The largest solar power system ever mounted on a building in the southern hemisphere has been switched on in the red heart of Australia.

The rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) installation is expected to generate 40 and 80 per cent of the energy requirements of the Crowne Plaza hotel in Alice Springs.

Speaking from the desert town on Wednesday, hotel general manager Adam Glass said the system would help the Crowne Plaza reduce its annual carbon footprint by 420 tonnes of carbon dioxide

The solar power system would generate enough electricity to serve 60 family homes.

"The water and energy savings that will result from our plans are staggering," said Mr Glass.

"We are located in one of the hottest parts of the country...

"This means on one hand that we are a large consumer of energy, but on the other, we have access to a ready renewable resource to significantly offset that consumption."

More than 1,000 panels cover almost every northern-facing surface of the building and Lloyd Berger - from hotel owner Investnorth - said the development "set the green benchmark" for Australia's business sector and hotel industry.

The solar system is accompanied by a $50,000 in-house energy efficiency program, including a system that regulates the heating and cooling of rooms.

"The system is smart enough to detect a room is occupied, even when a guest is sleeping," said Mr Berger.

The hotel has replaced over 3,110 light bulbs with energy-efficient options, while water and gas usage will be improved with new shower heads.

"Australia's movement towards a green economy is not just about incorporating renewable energy technology into new buildings," said Mr Berger.

"We should also concentrate on how existing infrastructure can be adapted to dramatically increase energy efficiency."

Data from the solar panels will be fed into an in-house television channel, allowing guests to see how much energy the hotel is saving at any given time.

Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan said the ground-breaking $3.3 million PV installation was a "great achievement" that made the hotel "one of the iconic sites in Alice Springs".

It was partly funded by a grant from the federal government's $94 million Solar Cities Program.

AAP tr/