Launched in April 2003, the Queen Victoria Market solar energy system is the largest grid-connected solar photovoltaic installation in the southern hemisphere.
It has the capacity to generate 252,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year – enough to power 46 average sized homes for a year!
The decision to switch the Queen Victoria Market to solar power offers the City of Melbourne and the community the distinct benefits of significantly reduced energy bills and a dramatic reduction in the volume of greenhouse gases being generated in Melbourne’s inner-city precinct.
Real time information on how the solar installation is performing is displayed on an information board outside the food court on Queen Street.
This project, funded by the Australian Greenhouse Office and the City of Melbourne, was awarded to BP Solar and Origin Energy.
Facts and figures
- 1328 solar photovoltaic laminates have been installed.
- Each laminate measures 1.59 metres by 0.79 metres.
- The installation required around 2000 man hours to complete.
- The system generated 239,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity during the 2003 – 2004 financial year.
- The installation saved more than 350 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions for the 2003 – 2004 financial year alone.
The installation process
The installation began in October 2002 and the task to assemble and secure the solar photovoltaic panels to the existing timber on the market roof was completed in March 2003. Special bi-directional meters were installed to allow power generated by the system to flow back to the grid when solar generation exceeds the needs of the Queen Victoria Market.