Toowoomba Southern Hotel invests in $1.6m solar panelled car park
A Toowoomba hotel’s massive solar investment is set to slash energy bills while providing covered parking, as Queensland businesses lead the renewable energy charge across the state.
A $1.6m private investment into a solar panels by one of Toowoomba’s oldest pubs could be a role model for businesses to adopt renewables.
The 600 kilowatt solar panelled car park at the Southern Hotel will cover 75 per cent of the hotel’s energy bill.
Southern Hotel owner and general manager Richard Bowly said the newly installed undercover solar car park was an investment of $1.6m.
“We’ve got 600kW of solar, which will drive our hotel at 100 per cent when the sun is shining. We’ve also got 300kW hours of backup batteries, which will take us out of the peak at night, and we’ve got four electronic vehicle charges, two fast charges, which will charge a vehicle in about half an hour,” he said.
“The energy that this produces will power 30,000 houses per year. So that’s what we’re taking out of the grid. We are now 75 per cent renewable and we think that it’s a great project. It’s in line with what people are doing to combat climate change, and it’s a great addition to our business.
“The other thing is, our customers are really enjoying the undercover parking, especially on hot days.
“The only thing greener than our salads is our carpark.”
Toowoomba South MP and Energy Minister David Janetzki said the Southern Hotel was an example of private businesses investing in solar across Queensland.
“This is an iconic business, Richard and his family are iconic hoteliers and have been for generations,” he said.
“It shows that they’re willing to tip investments into their business and continue to serve the community as they have done for generations.
“In all the postcodes in Queensland, Toowoomba has the third largest penetration of rooftop solar in the state. We come in just after Bundaberg and Mackay for rooftop penetration. So whether it is households or more and more businesses across Toowoomba, rooftop solar is an important part of their life.
“I want to see private sector investment into renewables, whether that is on a smaller business scale, like we see here at the Southern, or whether we’re seeing it right across the state.
“We’re seeing wind and solar projects, 4.7 gigawatts, financially committed or under construction. That’s more than any other jurisdiction in the country.”
DS Energy was contracted to build the solar panelled car park at Southern Hotel which includes two fast EV chargers.
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Originally published as Toowoomba Southern Hotel invests in $1.6m solar panelled car park
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