Western Australia Minister for Water Dave Kelly

Water Corporation Boosts Solar To Reduce Energy Footprint

Victor P Taffa

• Water Corporation is installing solar rooftop systems on its buildings across the State
• Renewable energy generation including solar panels and biogas generators to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Pumping water and wastewater across 2.6 Million sqkm of Western Australia is a mammoth task that requires a significant amount of energy, so the Water Corporation is working to reduce its energy footprint.

“Western Australia’s water supplies are being adversely affected by climate change, primarily due to reduced rainfall in the south-west.” Minister for Water Dave Kelly said.

“That is why it is so important for water utilities to lead by example and do what they can to reduce greenhouse gases that accelerate climate change.”

 

From the installation of solar panels at offices, pump stations, treatment plants and borefields, to a renewable energy generator at a major wastewater treatment plant, the Water Corporation is committed to exploring and adopting new technology to reduce its emissions.

Over the next few months, 9 Water Corporation offices, workshops and depots are having solar energy panels fitted, including nearly 350 panels which were this week installed in Balcatta. Installation of solar panels at these 9 sites will cost about $325,000.

These solar panels will have the ability to generate up to 50 % of the total power required to run each site.

In total, it is expected the solar panels across the 9 sites will reduce the Water Corporation’s annual emissions by 450 tonnes, this is equivalent to powering 110 households or toasting 18 Million slices of bread.

State Government, through the Water Corporation, has also started the construction of a renewable energy generator at the Beenyup Wastewater Treatment Plant in Craigie.

The generator will use biogas, a by-product from the wastewater treatment process, to produce renewable energy to help meet the energy needs of the Advanced Water Treatment Plant, which forms part of the Groundwater Replenishment Scheme.

Due to be finished later this year, this renewable energy generator joins the co-generation plant already in operation at the Woodman Point Wastewater Treatment Plant.