By MICHELLE SLATER
A Melbourne-based company is eyeing off the Latrobe Valley to manufacture and install floating solar panels on the region’s open cut coal mines.
FloatPac Solar is in talks with the region’s major energy companies to install the technology at the Valley’s three mine sites and the Hazelwood cooling pondage.
It also includes discussions with Loy Yang A operator AGL as the company plans to eventually transform the coal-fired power station into a low-carbon
industrial energy hub.
FloatPac Solar chief executive officer Gavin Hodgins outlined the plans at a webinar on Monday night at a magazine launch led by Communities Leading Change talking about transition beyond coal.
Hazelwood Pondage
An increased risk to public health and safety has necessitated the demolition of buildings in the Hazelwood Pondage and its surrounds.
The area was returned last year to ENGIE Hazelwood after the expiration of a long-term lease on the former caravan park area, and includes buildings previously occupied by the local yacht club, power board club and an associated aquatic centre building.
Since ENGIE was required to lower water levels in the pondage due to a decline in structural integrity of the pondage walls, the infrastructure on the site has been subject to on-going vandalism.
An example of the levels of vandalism was the disappearance of the stairwell from the former yacht club.
ENGIE has confirmed it has provided Latrobe City Council with a final engineering report into the condition of the Hazelwood Pondage, amid community calls to have the report made public.