Brookfarm, one of the most recognizable food manufacturers not only because of their products but also due to their multiple awards, recently unveiled the largest installation of rooftop solar panels in Byron Bay, New South Wales. The new installation utilizes 288 solar panels.
The Brookfarm bakehouse solar farm will generate 40% annual energy saving for the company and it is expected that their investment will pay itself back in as short as four years. Since it was installed, the new solar farm has generated an average of 500 kWh per day.
This amount of energy is enough to power at least 25 average Australian homes or several multi-purpose buildings per day.
Brookfarm Bakehouse solar farm investment
The Brookfarm Bakehouse solar system incorporates several components such as the solar panels from SunPower, inverters from Fronius, and the solar panel mounting systems from SunLock. These components have primarily been designed as well as manufactured within Australia.
In order to launch the project successfully, the Brookfarm Bakehouse solar project partnered with Juno Energy. In their collaboration, the solar panels do not simultaneously face the northern direction. Instead, they are split with panels facing east and other facing west.
This design would yield more consistent output when compared to the standard northern-facing design.
Innovative design on the Brookfarm Bakehouse solar project yields results
When asked about the project, Brookfarm’s very own Will Brook stated that supporting solar technology was always the plan, even during the initial construction of the bakehouse five years ago. The company simply waited for the technology to catch up with their needs and now everything has come to fruition.
Solar power electricity isn’t the only goal of the new the Brookfarm Bakehouse solar system, however. The roof is also designed to gather rainwater which may then be used in the company’s rainforest gardens. As a matter of fact, the Brookfarm Bakehouse solar project has seen planted over 30,000 eucalypt and sub-tropical trees as a part of their rainforest restoration plan.
Even the walls of the facility practice sustainability and renewable energy, featuring cool room panelling which allows white light to safely pass through (for illumination) while also insulating internal temperature within the structure.
Brookfarm Bakehouse solar system is one among many renewable projects
All of this goes hand in hand with Brookfarm’s goal of cutting energy costs while also providing neutral grounds for renewable energy and eco-friendly projects to flourish.
Because of this, the company was one of the 100 selective companies to be awarded the 2014 Bronze Recognition for the Sustainability Advantage Initiative under the New South Wales State Government.
This move towards solar energy and other forms of renewable energy is partly caused by the sudden drop in costs for solar PV installation in the past three years. In just three years more residential homes have shifted to relying on solar energy instead of purchasing power solely from the grid.
Not only has installation and maintenance become just as cheap – if not cheaper – than fossil fuel but it is also supported by Australia’s new PPA system.
Brookfarm is primarily known for the manufacturing and trading of gourmet macadamia products, trail mix products, bars, mueslis, and more. Their products are sold all throughout Australia and also in the UK and USA.
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