Orange City Council has signed a deal with Kenjarhy Solar to install a 100 kilovolt solar array, which will produce enough energy for approximately 25 homes.

Council’s environmental sustainability committee chairman Neil Jones said the deal included no upfront costs, with Kenjarhy Solar to sell electricity to the aquatic centre.

“As panels become more mainstream, Australia’s business community is seeing opportunities to get involved and so the council is trying a new financial basis for this latest project,” Councillor Jones said.

“The council has installed large banks of panels on the works depot roof and at a number child care centres, and at each of those facilities there’s been major savings,” Cr Jones said.

“Many council facilities use most of their power in the daytime when solar panel generation as at its peak.”

Significant savings are expected over the life of the 15 year deal, after which, the solar array becomes council’s property.

Kenjarhy Solar’s managing director Brad Draper said he was pleased to be able to get involved in a community-focused project.

“It’s great to see a key community project that delivers benefits for the environment as well better value for rate-payers,” Mr Draper said.

“The Aquatic Centre uses both gas to heat water and electricity to power filters and space-heating, so the solar panels won’t be meeting the facility’s entire energy needs, but they will be making a difference.

“We’re an indigenous-owned business. As well as our own staff we’ll be employing a number of indigenous labourers on this project.”