UPDATE: 29/07/2014: Looks like we underestimated the legacy the Eco Challenge event will give to the Kawana Waters Surf Lifesaving Club and local community! Updated savings & stats at the bottom of the post.
How to solar charge a festival.
Have you ever looked at the roof of a Surf Life Saving Club and thought… where are their solar panels? Well yes, you might be right… a little strange but I have been for years (not strange, just thinking) and finally thought I’d do something about it.
You know when you’ve been given a good idea from the idea store in the cosmos because things/people/circumstances all come together with miraculous timing like it was written down somewhere and now it’s unfolding in front of your eyes.
Well that’s how this story was/is… step by step. OK so, so far you know I look at roofs and wonder why they don’t have solar panels. Well I was introduced by a good friend Dave, from Coefficiency, to a Scotsman who thought the same.
And the timing was impeccable because within days our Surfrider Foundation team on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia mentioned it was time to start preparing for their next “Eco Challenge” event.
Previous events had been held in a park with mixed outcomes, so when I read up on sustainable event management practices mentioning using existing infrastructure the plan was becoming clearer.
Things Start Coming Together
I spoke with Craig Macintyre, President of Surfrider Sunny Coast who’d just found out that Kawana Waters Surf Life Saving Club were planning improvements to the venue. So a meeting was arranged Greg Howell, Climate Wave Enterprises – sustainable event management, Scotsman solar guru Gerry MacKenzie from MacEco we were off to the Sunny Coast to add another piece to the jigsaw puzzle.
You know you’re having a great meeting when there’s lots of questions being asked and answered to everyone’s satisfaction. With Gerry’s background in renewable energy over many years, and his technical knowledge coupled with his communication skills, all aspects of the initial project were covered.
The next step was President of the Kawana Waters SLSC, Kane Domio’s position to liaise with both committees to determine the feasibility and possible benefits. “After due process and the very capable assistance from both parties and a multitude of questions we are extremely happy to announce that Kawana Waters SLSC are not only going solar, but have a legacy to future generation of renewable energy and coupled with an exciting ongoing fundraising partnership,” said Kane.
The before shot with just the tracks
After shot with those beautiful renewable energy panels
Kawana’s Solar Legacy
So there we have it so far, an Australian first, where three businesses have partnered with two non-profit organisations to leave a legacy of close to half a $Million for the community, all by hosting a one day sustainable event! You gotta love that.
Oh, while we’re talking legacy these statistics below are calculated on a 50 kilowatt / 200 solar panel installation over the 25 year guarantee period of the panels (panels can last 40 years), similar to the Kawana Waters SLSC system:
- 1,916,250 kwh total power output
- 1,167,170 kgs carbon eliminated
- 1283 tons of carbon offset
…which, in English, is the equivalent of…
- 71 Cars off the road
- 215 Homes fully powered
- 958 Trees planted
- 16,406 light bulbs powered
- 38,325 Full grown trees cleaning the air
- 264,719 litres of fuel saved
but best of all, will save Kawana SLSC a staggering $425,000 in power bills!
Stay tuned for further updates & join us on our Eco Challenge Sunshine Coast
Greg Howell
Climate Wave Enterprises