By Joni BoydWednesday 4 Dec 2024Station NewsReading Time: 4 minutes
If you’ve driven past the Hope 103.2 studios lately, you might have noticed some changes.
Key points:
- The decision was made after careful consideration.
- It was a decision that we didn’t take lightly and there were a few concerns which needed addressing.
- Environmental and financial factors as well as a desire to invest into future generations of Hope 103.2 helped make the decision a clear ‘yes’.
We’re excited to announce: Hope 103.2 is on solar!
After two years of research (or feasibility study, as the tech guys say), the decision was made to install solar at the Hope 103.2 studios.
It was a decision that we didn’t take lightly. We’re always trying to do the absolute best we can, as a listener funded station, with the money that is entrusted to us. And so, we started the formal tender process in February 2023, where we compared multiple solutions from each of the three vendors and took feedback from an independent, large-scale solar provider.
There were a few concerns which needed to be addressed. Among these, were the significant upfront investment required and the fact that the roof on the main studio was unsuitable due to its age and condition.
Thankfully, solar installation makes us eligible for credits through the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which helped off-set some of the cost.
Additionally, there were concerns around the shading patterns created by our beautiful gum trees, which may have degraded the solar system’s performance.
“We decided to install the panels on the back garages and rear office building instead of the main studio building,” said Ben Archer, Hope 103.2 IT Systems Admin and Broadcast Engineer.
The decision was made after careful consideration.
“This means future repairs to the main studio building roof can be completed without the system interfering.”
Additionally, “the use of DC optimiser technology mitigates the performance impact of partial shading.”
For those of us who don’t understand tech-speak, DC optimiser technology converts DC voltage to a higher or lower level of DC voltage.
It was a decision that we didn’t take lightly and there were a few concerns which needed addressing.
Having found ways to alleviate these issues, there were a few significant aspects which made the decision to install solar a clear ‘yes’.
Environmental impact
“As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of our planet,” Ben said.
“The system is estimated to reduce our carbon emissions by 25%.”
Creating a sustainable society both locally and globally is nuanced, complex and can seem overwhelming. But installing solar is one way we realised we can make a difference.
“The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.” Genesis 2:15
We care for God’s creation and are conscientious stewards of what has been entrusted to us.
Power bill saving
With a looming energy contract renewal, we were looking at significant usage cost increases.
It was a decision that we didn’t take lightly and there were a few concerns which needed addressing.
Environmental and financial factors as well as a desire to invest into future generations of Hope 103.2 helped make the decision a clear ‘yes’.
Installing solar this year has been, in Ben’s words, “significant and timely.”
“We were rolling off a fixed contract onto a new contract where energy usage costs had jumped in line with the skyrocketing energy market.
“This made the proposition even more financially attractive and reduced the ROI estimate.”
The move is estimated to reduce our grid energy consumption by 25%.
Working with Solahart
As part of the tender process, we reviewed nine solutions from three different solar providers.
“From the beginning it was clear Solahart was listening to our requirements and provided several suitable options for us to consider,” Ben said.
Environmental and financial factors as well as a desire to invest into future generations of Hope 103.2 helped make the decision a clear ‘yes’.
“When it came to making the decision on such significant investment, Solahart gave us confidence not only in the technical solution, but that we could trust them to deliver and support us into the future.”
When it comes to major projects like this one, it’s expected that there would be hurdles along the way. But the Solahart team made sure the whole process was smooth.
“Solahart’s sales team demonstrated extensive product knowledge and professionalism, making the initial stages of our project smooth and informative,” Ben said.
“Throughout the project, communication and timelines were transparent giving us confidence things were progressing as expected.”
Investing in the future of Hope 103.2
With an initial return on investment estimate of five years, installing solar is a significant investment into future generations of Hope 103.2.
“The reduction in operating costs frees up more resources to be spent on other initiatives,” Ben said.
Needless to say, we’re excited that Hope 103.2 is now a little bit greener!