The Darwin Aquaculture Centre (DAC) has a new solar system that will save $40,000 a year in energy costs.
“Our photovoltaic system converts sunlight directly into electricity to produce around 400 kilowatts a day. That’s enough to power the equivalent of 20 homes—enough to run most of our operations during daylight hours,” said Damon Gore, DAC Manager.
“As a dedicated aquaculture facility, we use a lot of filtered saltwater, pumping up to three million litres every 24 hours—more than enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. We can also hold up to 900,000 litres in our many tanks of various sizes and shapes.
“We’re committed to reducing our power consumption and the cost of our cyclone-coded solar panels will pay for itself within 15 years. We’ve also reduced our power consumption by using energy-efficient lighting on timers and installing pumps that use a third less energy. Conventional power keeps us running after the sun goes down.”
DAC is managed by the NT Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries to support the Territory’s aquaculture industry. Located on Channel Island in Darwin Harbour, its research program has areas dedicated to fish, molluscs, echinoderms, algae, live feeds and environmental control. It’s also home to a laboratory, office, and workshop.
“In recent years our key focus has been on research and development of species for culture in remote coastal Indigenous communities. Giant clams, sea cucumbers and tropical rock oysters all have potential for small-scale, community-based businesses—an exciting prospect.
The centre also produces barramundi fingerlings for annual restocking of Manton Dam and the lakes around Palmerston.
Over the years the centre has seen the development of sandfish, pearl oysters, mud crabs, barramundi, golden snapper, molluscs, copepods, rotifers and algae. DAC also welcomes commercial tenants who conduct private research and development at its facilities.
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Photo attached: Darwin Aquaculture Centre's new solar panels. Photo credit Dave Wilson.
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Media contact: Darrel Trueman, (08) 8999 2044, darrel.trueman@nt.gov.au
