Autonomous Energy delivered a large commercial scale solar PV system, featuring both roof mounted solar and a solar carpark. Concurrently we implemented a large energy efficiency upgrade throughout the Col Crawford dealership facilities. The project is genuinely ground-breaking because approximately half of the solar panels are integrated into a custom designed solar car park shading structure that generates pollution-free solar electricity at the same time as providing shade and cover from rain for the rooftop car park area. The solar car park is on the top floor concrete slab of the service centre and required a high degree of engineering and construction expertise to execute. Autonomous Energy worked closely with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to structure an innovative finance arrangement for this project that enabled the client to save money from day one, at no upfront capital cost.
Autonomous Energy solution
- The solar car park was custom designed to maximise the amenity of the existing carpark, ensure structural strength of the concrete slab and building as well as maximising the available solar resource, all with no loss of car parking spaces.
- The system was installed over several different roof surfaces with different types of roof sheeting and structural supports. Our solar engineers collaborated with independent structural engineers to ensure that the entire system was installed to all relevant Australian standards.
- The new solar power system, along with the energy efficiency measures, reduced the company’s electricity costs by more than 60 per cent, saving them 682,736 kWhs each year – the equivalent to permanently removing 577 cars from the road or generating enough energy to power more than 200 houses.
What Col Crawford says
-
We are excited to be implementing such an innovative clean energy project that protects the environment and improves the efficiency of our business. At the end of the day, it simply makes good business sense - the project delivered by Automomous has a phenomenal business case and essentially the decision was a no-brainer.
- Steven Crawford, Principal, Col Crawford Lifestyle Cars