Projects | University of Queensland Warwick Solar Farm, Australia

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The University of Queensland (UQ) is the first major university in the world to successfully make the switch to 100 per cent renewables produced from their own assets, with the opening of the 64 Megawatt (MW) Warwick Solar Farm.

The UQ Warwick Solar Farm boasts more than 200,000 panels anticipated to generate around 160,000 megawatt hours per annum, enough to power more than 25,000 homes. The power will be provided to university campuses, alongside solar projects installed at Gatton and St Lucia.

Aiming to offset all of electricity usage

Emanating from the desire to own its renewable assets and offset 100 per cent of its electricity usage, UQ initially commissioned Aurecon to undertake a pre-feasibility study into what would be required to achieve this ambitious future energy sustainability goal.

Having established the feasibility of the concept, the partnership continued to co-create the Warwick Solar Farm solution, with Aurecon advising the university on the development purchase, design, and physical build, through project management services and coordinated technical engineering reviews.

Location

Bundjalung Country
Warwick, Queensland, Australia

Client

University of Queensland

Aurecon's Role

Future energy, power generation, sustainability and climate change, project management

Expertise

Integrated Advisory Solutions, Energy Transition & Decarbonisation, Power Generation, Power Transmission & Distribution, Sustainability & Climate Change

Complete

2020

Professor Peta Ashworth, Director of the Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership and UQ Chair in Sustainable Energy Futures, with students at the opening of Warwick Solar Farm. Image courtesy of Glenn Hunt.

Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Anthony Lynham (left), UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Høj (centre) and Minister for State Development, Tourism and Innovation, Kate Jones (right) at Warwick Solar Farm. Image courtesy of Glenn Hunt.

Aurecon advised UQ on the development purchase, design and physical build, through project management services and coordinated technical engineering reviews for Warwick Solar Farm. Image courtesy of Glenn Hunt.

Aurecon is assisting the University of Queensland to offset 100 per cent of its electricity through renewable energy. Image courtesy of Glenn Hunt.

The University of Queensland is the first major university in the world to successfully make the switch to 100 per cent renewables produced from their own assets, with the opening of the 64 Megawatt (MW) Warwick Solar Farm. Image courtesy of Glenn Hunt.

Aurecon was on site regularly during the construction of the Warwick Solar Farm. Image courtesy of The University of Queensland.

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Professor Peta Ashworth, Director of the Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership and UQ Chair in Sustainable Energy Futures, with students at the opening of Warwick Solar Farm. Image courtesy of Glenn Hunt.

Back to the beginning

One of the drivers for UQ to consider increasing its usage of renewable energy came after the university saw energy prices double in less than five years. The solar farm adds to the university’s existing renewable assets of a 3.3 MW solar farm at the Gatton campus, and over 3 MW of solar systems distributed across the rooftops of the university’s buildings.

While being focused on realising UQ’s vision, from early concept through to construction, Aurecon provided UQ with the support needed to deliver a project that is a meaningful investment in creating a self-sufficient sustainable energy future for the university, drawing on our expertise across the education and research market.

A centrepiece of sustainability and renewable energy

UQ is committed to be a leader in sustainability and build on its existing strengths in the renewable energy sector. As well as becoming a centrepiece of the university’s education and research into renewables for its undergraduate and postgraduate students across a range of academic disciplines, the Warwick Solar Farm also brings economic benefits to regional Queensland and contributes to Australia’s transition to a low carbon future. An information centre has been built for the public and visiting research and industry associations.

Not only will the Warwick Solar Farm generate renewable energy, it represents another huge step in the transformation of Australia’s energy sector. Aurecon is proud to have played a significant role in developing a solar farm that will have such a positive environmental, social and economic impact.