Australians have long held a fascination with big things.
Whether it's Coffs Harbour's Big Banana, Ballina's Big Prawn or the Big Pineapple in Nambour, there seems no better way to put a country town on the map than installing something huge.
In south-west Victoria, the regional city of Warrnambool is planning to launch Australia's largest floating array of solar panels.
More than 1,200 double-sided solar panels will be permanently moored in the middle of the Brierly Basin as part of a $1.4 million pontoon project unveiled by water authority Wannon Water.
It is not clear whether the green energy innovation will translate into a tourist attraction, however the proposal promises at least two big changes: a big reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and big savings off electricity bills.
Big benefits
The new solar energy system will be floated on pontoons made of high-density polyethylene; the same material used to make water pipes.
Wannon Water says the solar site will generate more than 600,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable energy a year and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 600 tonnes annually.
In dollars and cents, that is a saving to the company of more than $500,000.
"We are the state's second largest water corporation by area, so the costs of pumping and treating water is significant," Wannon Water chair Jacinta Ermacora said.
"We're working to lower those costs to not only provide better outcomes for our customers, but for our environment as well."
The water within the basin is pumped in from the Otways and collected off nearby rooves before being treated and pumped to homes in Warrnambool, Allansford and Koroit.
Launched by the state government as part of its push for water companies to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the project has been fully funded by Wannon Water.
"The water sector is leading the way towards a cleaner future — showing consumers and industry that we can tackle climate change and boost renewable energy use," Victorian Water Minister Harriet Shing said.
The state government has invested more than $200,000 for a similar floating system at Lardner Park, near Drouin, in Gippsland.
It is expected that system will provide power to the park and serve as a solar demonstration at Farm World events that are held at the centre.
The government says more than 400 floating solar panel systems have been installed across the globe, but Warrnambool's will be the first of its type for the Australian water sector.
"We've pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent by the year 2025 and achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030," Ms Ermacora said.
"We believe this is not just achievable but is the right thing to do — for Wannon Water, for our customers, and for our community."
