250kW Commercial Solar system at J&S Engineering – Media Release featured in the Newcastle Herald
A 250kW solar system in The Hunter Region has been installed atop J & S Engineering at Racecourse Road, Rutherford. Click here for the online news article.
This investment is big step in the right direction for Hunter industry and is the largest rooftop solar system in The Region to date.
See below for the official media release:
19 August 2014
SOLAR AUSTRALIA INSTALLS HUNTER REGION’S LARGEST ROOFTOP SYSTEMS
The recent installation of the Hunter Region’s largest rooftop solar systems at J&S Engineering at Rutherford will dramatically reduce the company’s dependence on the electricity grid by harnessing the power of the sun and delivering cost savings well into the future.
The system, consisting of 1000, 250-watt panels, was designed and installed by Hunter solar specialists Solar Australia and is spread across three buildings, covering a total area of 3000 square metres.
J&S has provided products and services for the mining and heavy earth-moving industry for more than 20 years. The decision to invest in the system was a way for the family-owned company to cut its overheads in the face of the current uncertainty surrounding electricity costs and in the short-term, take advantage of Federal energy reduction rebates before the possible winding back of subsidies.
General Manager Ben Hickson said the system made sense as a long-term investment for a number of reasons.
“The environmental aspect was really important to us, as was the fact that it was a cost-neutral investment that gives the business significant long-term savings.
“We churn through a fair bit of power so to be able to get it all from the sun is fantastic. We only expect to have to switch back to the grid during the night shift and rainy weather.”
Solar Australia General Manager Todd Watson said J&S now expected an annual saving of up to $65k, which in theory, could power approximately 50 average households for a year. The system will also significantly reduce carbon emissions.
In addition to the installation of the solar panel system, J&S’s aging factory lighting was replaced with modern, energy-efficient lighting to reduce consumption and improve light output and quality. This has also reduced maintenance costs, thanks to long lamp life minimising the need for replacement of lamps – a job requiring elevated work platforms and trained working-at-heights fitters.
Mr Watson said installing a solar system was one of the best long-term investments companies like J&S could make, providing savings for decades to come.
“In general, the overall market is down, and companies are looking to improve their bottom line and limit capital expenditure,” he said. “More often than not, the monthly repayments on a solar system are less than the savings companies make.”
Solar Australia assesses every installation on a case-by-case basis. In-house engineers analyse the data and site information to design the most efficient and cost-effective solution, with a strong focus on efficiency and cost effectiveness. The company also offers remote monitoring via the internet through state-of-the-art inverters.
“We offer a turnkey solution,” Mr Watson said. “We employ our own installation team and take control of projects from the auditing stage right through to commissioning. In this case, it was an end-to-end turnaround of less than six months.”
About Solar Australia
Solar Australia had its beginnings in Newcastle in 2006, and is dedicated solely to the installation of solar systems. In that time, it has completed almost 15,000 solar installations commercially and residentially. It now operates Australia-wide.