A proposal to cut running costs at Tamworth's Australian Equine and Events Centre (TREC) by installing solar panels has hit a roadblock.
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In a report to be put to council on Tuesday night, Sustainability officer Tim Hurcum, has recommended the plan be shelved.
The plan was to reduce energy costs associated with the venue, which in the 2018/2019 financial year cost ratepayers $165,142.
An assessment conducted in 2018 recommended a 50kW solar PV array would be the ideal set up. It would not have negated energy costs, but it would have helped to significantly reduce the yearly burden.
Three options were being investigated.
Floating solar panels on the recycled water dam would cost $85,000 to install and save approximately $7,200 per annum, resulting in a payback period of 11.8 years and excluding additional land consolidation costs of up to $10,000.
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A ground mounted solar system would cost up to $75,000, with estimated savings of $7,600 and a payback period of 9.9 years, also excluding the potential additional land consolidation costs of up to $10,000.
The capital cost of the third option, a roof mounted system, including the cost of structural upgrades, amounted to $65,000 with a payback period of 8.6 years. But it was previously rejected due to the potential aesthetic impacts.
The report concluded: "Previously Councillors have indicated that for a solar PV installation to be considered, the payback period of the project should not exceed 7 years. Following investigating the three available options to install a solar PV system at the AELEC facility, none of the options above meets this requirement and so it is not recommended that Council proceed with the installation of a solar PV array at the AELEC at this time."
Instead, the report recommended council should consider other sites, with shorter pay-back periods, for the installation of solar panels.
