Contractors have installed solar panels at Wade Park as part of a plan to make the sporting venue Orange City Council's first energy-neutral sports facility.
Orange City Council Sport and Recreation Committee chair Cr Tammy Greenhalgh is delighted the new solar array, installed on the roof of the cricket centre, will be another step towards a more sustainable energy future.
''This is a great upgrade that we have been waiting on for a long time at one of Orange's major sporting venues,'' Cr Greenhalgh. "Every dollar we can save on Wade Park 's running costs means better value for ratepayers."
ENERGY: Cr David Mallard and Cr Tammy Greenhalgh take a close look at Orange's newest solar array on the roof of the cricket centre at Wade Park.
The new solar array is part of a bigger upgrade that also includes new change rooms, an upgrade of the kiosk area and the referee rooms as well as new female amenities.
A new battery storage system and more energy-efficient LED field lighting will also add to the site's improved energy status.
Orange City Council Environmental Sustainability Committee chair Cr David Mallard says the new battery is the Council's first.
''Orange City Council is pleased to be working in partnership with the NSW Government. The $888,000 grant from the Regional Sport Facility Fund announced earlier this year will make all the difference," Cr Mallard said.
"The biggest potential use of electricity at Wade Park is running the field lights for night games. That made the addition of a battery, Orange City Council's first, the obvious solution."
The 40kW solar panel installation is the first stage of the development. The Park will become 100 per cent energy self-sufficient once LED field lighting is installed in the new year, along with the new
30kW/60kWh battery.
