Energy-efficient freeway feature wins major award

An innovative solar energy sound barrier that produces electricity to help light a section of the Tullamarine Calder Interchange in northern Melbourne received a major award recently.

The photovoltaic sound barrier, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, was designed and installed by leading Victorian renewable energy retailer Going Solar with the aid of a grant from the Victorian Government's Renewable Energy Support Fund. The sound barrier was constructed from 500 metres of vertically-inclined Photovoltaic PV panels, to provide 25kW of peak power output.

The outstanding design was recognised at the recent Appropriate Technology Retails Association of Australia conference, where Going Solar was presented with the award for best grid connected system above 5kW by the Victorian Minister for Energy, Peter Batchelor. More than 400 delegates attended the conference dinner hosted by the Clean Energy Council.

The Tullamarine Calder Interchange Alliance - an alliance of VicRoads, Baulderstone Hornibrook and Parsons Brinckerhoff - included the 24 kW PV sound barrier in the project for its aesthetic appeal, cost effectiveness and environmental sustainability. Noise reduction is achieved by the density of the glass, which deflects sound from the neighbouring houses, while the power produced feeds into the electrical grid, offsetting energy used by the streetlights.

A data monitoring system collects the performance data and transmits it to both the VicRoads control centre via GSM modem and to a public display located one kilometre away via an optic fibre. A feasibility study conducted by Going Solar found that although this was a more expensive outlay than the concrete alternative, the additional money would be paid back by the electricity production within 15 years.