CASE STUDY

OVERVIEW: As a traditionally large consumer of electricity during daylight hours, the demand on power supply for air conditioning and general aviation operations is immense at Mount Isa Airport in Queensland, Australia. However, a new solar array consisting of over 800 Trina Solar panels, has helped the airport offset electricity usage by up to 80% daytime consumption and improve passenger experience.

MOUNT ISA AIRPORT, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

SITUATIONMount Isa Airport in western Queensland, serves a number of

regional destinations and largely services the mining sector in

the region. In 2016, the airport commenced works to upgrade

the existing airport car park with solar shade structures, to

improve safety, security, and sustainability at the airport.

The solar shade structures were intended to provide cover

for pedestrian walkways and up to 86 long-term car parking

spaces, providing relief from the strong Queensland sun while

harnessing solar energy for consumption.

Airport sustainability was a key focus for the project, not just

in energy consumption methods, but also on generating local

jobs to boost the regional economy. The project was awarded to

Mount Isa-based Q Energy Solutions, a family-owned company

that works across regional centres and remote communities in

northern Australia. Designed to be carried out in two stages,

phase one of the project commenced in August 2016 for the

underground electrical reticulation and structure foundations.

SIZE: 258kW

COMMERCIAL OPERATION DATE:

February, 2017

EPC: Q Energy Solutions

OUTPUT: 390MWh/

annum

MODULES: 820 Trina Solar 315W Duomax PEG14 modules

CASE STUDY

PRODUCT SOLUTIONWith a successful project history of working closely with Trina

Solar since 2011, including a 99kWp system at Longreach

Airport also in Queensland, it was a natural progression for Q

Energy Solutions to continue the partnership for the Mount Isa

Airport project.

The solution of choice for the solar array was 820 Trina Solar

PEG14 315W panels, for the 258kW solar array on top of the

carpark shade structures. Selected for their slimline aesthetics

and integration with the Schletter rail system, which offered the

span distances for the application, the 72-cell multicrystalline

model was the ideal solution to withstand harsh climate

conditions in Mount Isa.

“Our company has installed over 4MW of photovoltaics

throughout north-west Queensland focusing specifically on

Commercial PV and Stand Alone Systems,” said Matt Brewster,

Managing Director for Q Energy Solutions. “The extreme

climate dictates that we have to use robust, high quality

equipment in every installation and Trina Solar has not let us

down.”

RESULTSQ Energy Solutions completed the project on time in February

2017. With the 258.3kWp DC plant in operation the system is

capable of production yields of up to 390MWh per annum,

saving the airport in both kWh reduction and demand charges

whilst reducing their CO2 footprint by up to 5,490 tonnes over

the next 15 years.

Airport passengers are now benefiting from increased carpark

capacity and shade structures, which have improved visitors’

experience and the facility’s sustainability efforts in harnessing

solar energy for reducing energy consumption.

Following completion of the project, Mount Isa Airport

Manager, Nigel Rieck said: “It makes complete sense to embrace

solar out here in Mount Isa as we have some of the best sun

in the world. There is no better way to utilise the carpark and

provide shade to our customers.”

MOUNT ISA AIRPORT, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA