eArc solar panels featured in Clean Energy Council Award Finalist list

Date Posted:18 September 2018 

The finalists in the 2018 Solar Design and Installation Awards have been announced and eArche solar panels feature in the 30-240 kW solar system category.

The Solar Design and Installation Awards recognise excellence in the design and installation of Australian solar projects. Nicholas Lake, Gregory Wilson and Simon Gibbs (Nickel Energy) are finalists for converting a 68-year-old diesel train to become the world’s first solar-powered train in Byron Bay, NSW.

The two-carriage heritage train was fitted out with 6.4kW of eArc solar panels and a large solar battery bank and officially launched on 16 December 2017. The train operates on energy from the sun, with one diesel engine remaining solely as emergency back-up.

The revamped train does 14 round trips a day providing a return shuttle service for the three kilometre journey between North Beach Station in Sunrise Beach and the Byron Beach Platform in Byron Bay township.

There is a train in India that has solar panels to power lights and fans, but not to power the whole train.

To find out more about eArc lightweight solar panels click here

 

World's first solar powered train at Byron Bay
 

UPDATE: Awarded Judges' Honourable Mention