Innisfail Installs Rooftop Solar

Bradken is striving to be carbon neutral by 2030 through a combination of operational improvements, equipment electrification and by switching to renewable energy where possible. In some regions renewable electricity is purchased from power companies but in this case the workshop is facilitating direct energy generation through solar panels.

The 100kW system means that on average 25% of the site’s annual electricity is directly from a renewable source. In its first four months of operations, even with heavy rain, it has averaged 31%.

The projected annual greenhouse gas emission savings are 145 tCO2e.

Region Manager - Sugar Operations, Frank Scamnello, oversaw the project and is thrilled with the results so far.

“Besides the environmental benefit, there’s a financial benefit too. It’s really a no-brainer,” says Frank.

Bradken Innisfail is an engineering workshop that provides brazing, fabrication and heat-treatment, particularly for the Australian sugar industry. Their largest energy user on site is a vacuum furnace, which contributes almost 30% of the site’s total electricity.

To install the solar panels, the roof first needed to be replaced, which delayed the project, but allows for safer roof access. The system has a performance guarantee of 25 years, ensuring renewable energy will be generated reliably well into the future.

CN2030 Project Director, Kirsty Morgan, is also happy with the progress being made to become carbon neutral.

“We were optimistic that it would do an effective job to help lower our emissions at Bradken Innisfail,” says Kirsty.