How does Solar Energy generation work?
- Electricity is produced when light shines on a solar panel to jolt electrons on an electrical circuit free. Accumulation of electricity from a group of solar panels is regulated by Inverters and distributed to the grid at the sub-station.
- The amount of electricity produced can be affected by the angle of incidence of the light ray on the panel. Athena will install a tracking system to keep the solar panels tilted towards the Sun, in order to achieve optimized outputs.
What are the key features of Athena Solar Farm?
- Athena only uses premium Tier 1 solar panel, inverter and energy storage systems supplied by world-leading manufacturers. These quality products come with long warranty periods and performance guarantees.
- Athena has no vested interest in the equipment and will select the most suitable suppliers through a competitive selection process. Given the topography and other attributes of the Bendemeer site, Athena will deploy solar panels mounted on a tracking system so as to achieve optimization.
How long can solar panels last?
- Athena only deploys Tier 1 solar panels, which come with a 25-year manufacturer’s warranty. Based on the operating environment at Bendemeer, Athena expects the Solar Farm to operate for 25 to 30 years.
How many solar panels will be used and how are these solar panels being configured?
- Athena estimates to use 490,000 solar panels for the Bendemeer Solar Farm. Each row of solar panels is typically 30, 60 or 90 meters long, depending on the terrain, each separated by a 5-7 meters corridor.
- However, we will study the terrain and soil condition carefully to optimize the final design, so that we minimize any shadowing effect on the panels and ensure we leave enough land in between the rows of solar panels for sheep grazing.
What is the Development and Construction lead-time of a Solar Farm?
- In Australia, the typical Development lead-time for a Solar Farm is about 12 months, in order to obtain all necessary permits and approvals to begin construction.
- Construction lead-time depends on a few critical factors, such as delivery lead-time of key equipment, number of workers deployed, etc. Athena estimates the Construction lead-time for Bendemeer Solar Farm to be about 12-15 months.
Will we be affected by the glare from the solar panels?
- Athena only uses Tier 1 solar panels which are coated with anti-reflective material. Besides minimizing reflection, the performance of these premium solar panels is also superior.
- Glaring is not an issue for Solar Farms, as evident by the fact that solar panels have been deployed in Residential, Industrial and Sensitive Facilities, e.g., airports, around the world.
Will the Solar Farm alter the aesthetics of the landscape?
- Inevitably, the installation of solar panels will have some effect on the aesthetics of the landscape. Athena is committed to working closely with the local community to address these concerns.
- We encourage members of the community to approach us with any concerns relating to this issue.
- Ultimately, Athena believes that the long-term benefits of Bendemeer Solar Farm will more than off-set any effects on visual aesthetics.
How does Athena manage any potential fire risks?
- Solar Farms have very minimal fire risks.
- Athena adheres strictly to a Code of Conduct substantially in line with the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practices Charter, as well as other regulations, including fire safety.
