Solar power including panels on a car park shade structure are generating enough electricity for 33 per cent of annual electricity consumption at La Trobe University in Wodonga.

The 100 Kilowatt system is supported by a Schletter Carport framing system that uses concrete foundations protecting it from vehicles, whilst not reducing the original number of carpark bays.

Head of campus Guin Threlkeld said the university had been looking to provide shade for the 44 car park bays on University Drive and this was the ultimate solution.

“It’s always been said we needed something and this is making fantastic used of that space,” she said.

“We now have solar on most of our buildings including the two residences – we’ve got quite a system in place and this is a major piece of that system.

“We’ve also been doing internal work with lighting and other things to reduce our usage of non-renewable energy sources.”

The car park solar structure increases the total size of the campus’ solar PV systems to 345 kW, and the renewable energy generated reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 600 tonnes annually.

The university joins the Howlong Golf Resort, who were among the first to install such a structure in 2015, and Club Mulwala, in taking on the technology.

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