Epuron Solar has now commissioned its multi-site solar energy system at Ayers Rock Resort. The system supplies 30 per cent of the Resort’s daytime use, or about 15 per cent of its annual overall energy use and reducing the need for trucked-in fuel.

Epuron developed, financed, owns and operates the solar systems which were built for Epuron by its construction contractor CPS National.

With $4.7m in Clean Energy Finance Corporation funding, the 1.8MW solar PV system, which the Resort owners have named Tjintu (meaning ‘sun’ in local Pitjantjatjara language), is spread across five ground and roof mounted locations around Ayers Rock Resort. Epuron is providing the solar energy supply under a long-term agreement with the resort’s owners, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, which is wholly owned by the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC), a Commonwealth government entity.

“There couldn’t be a better location for a solar field harnessing the energy of the sun than in the heart of Australia’s Red Centre,” said Voyages CEO Andrew Williams.

“As Uluru becomes ever more popular as a holiday destination, energy demands at the Resort are also growing and the Tjintu project will ensure we manage the growth of the resort in an environmentally sustainable way,” added Andrew.

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia received $450,000 from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to analyse and share the learning and expertise gained from the project. Live solar system data from the site is available here: http://dkasolarcentre.com.au/locations/yulara

“The CEFC’s finance for the Ayers Rock Resort solar project is encouraging additional private sector investment in renewable energy and helping to build Australia’s technical experience in remote-area solar installation and maintenance,” said Oliver Yates, CEO of the CEFC.

The CEFC has previously financed an expansion to Epuron’s Uterne Power Station at Alice Springs to 4.1MW, making it Australia’s largest completed solar farm using tracking technology and which feeds solar power into the Alice Springs grid sufficient to meet the needs of about 1,100 homes.