Help build a virtual solar power station for Queensland
Town by town and city by city, Queenslanders are working together to build a virtual solar power station for Queensland. We've already smashed our first target, doubling our use of solar energy to 500 megawatts in less than two years - more than three years ahead of schedule.
Queensland residents and businesses can help build the virtual power station by installing solar panels or solar hot water systems.
By tapping into solar, households and businesses are using less electricity from the grid, as their solar panels are generating clean, green energy from the sun.
Each day, more families, kindergartens, schools, businesses, community groups, country towns and even whole cities are coming on board. And today, with the Queensland Government's great range of solar incentives, you can too.
How is the state's performance calculated?
The electricity generated by solar panels and displaced by solar hot water systems and major solar installations across Queensland are added together to show progress towards building the virtual solar power station.
At the start of our campaign in April 2010, Queensland was estimated to have around 250 megawatts of solar power installed. By July 2011 this had doubled to 500 MW. This represents approximately 230 000 household solar hot water systems and the equivalent of 141 000
small-scale (1.5 kilowatt) solar power systems.
Every time a house, business or government building installs solar, this figure increases.
All solar installations including larger projects will contribute to the target as we work with industry to bring these initiatives to life.
If I install solar, how much will my house be contributing to the virtual solar power station?
The amount of electricity your solar panels or hot water system will contribute depends on the size of your system.
For example:
- 665 households each with a 1.5 kilowatt solar power system will contribute one megawatt to the virtual solar power station.
- Every 833 average-sized household solar hot water systems* will contribute around one megawatt towards the target.
*Average sized system defined as one that is eligible for 30 Renewable Energy Certificates.
What are the benefits of solar?
By installing solar you'll be saving yourself money by reducing your electricity bill, while also protecting the environment.
Installing solar hot water could save you up to $250 on your electricity bill per year, while installing a 1.5 kilowatt solar power system could save you around $450 on your electricity bill, just by using less electricity from the grid. If you were signed up to the Solar Bonus Scheme you would also receive payments for exporting excess electricity (generated from the solar panels) back to the grid, meaning these savings could be even higher.
As well as making significant savings on your electricity bill, installing solar panels or solar hot water can help reduce your carbon footprint on average by two tonnes a year. That's a massive benefit for our environment. And when you add that up over millions of Queenslanders, you begin to see just what a positive impact we can all make by working together.
More Information
Think the virtual solar power station is a really bright idea?
- Find out about the incentives available and the benefits of installing solar panels or solar hot water in your home
- Find out how to get solar hot water or solar panels installed on your home or business
- Discover how solar technology works (PDF - 34.6 KB)
- Download the printable version of this information
Contact Us
You can contact us on our hotline, 13 GET SOLAR or 13 438 76527.
Last updated 4 August 2011
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