WIRAC saves with solar

Nine hundred and sixty square metres of new solar heating technology has now been installed across the roof span of Warwick Indoor Recreation and Aquatic Centre (WIRAC).
Southern Downs Regional Council installed the solar technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the costs of heating the four pools at WIRAC.
The solar system supplements the existing gas and electric heating system.
“It’s estimated that this new solar initiative will annually generate around 60 per cent of the heat required to keep our pools at optimum swimming temperature,” chief executive officer Rod Ferguson said.
“This is a great initiative that is not only environmentally friendly but is expected to help manage energy costs,” Mr Ferguson said.
Installation started in May last year and was completed last month with final integration of automation technology to the boiler system.
The WIRAC Solar Hot Water project is a joint initiative of Southern Downs Regional Council and the Queensland Government.
The project cost about $125,000, of which $75,000 was subsidised by the Queensland Government’s Department of Infrastructure and Planning.