Atherton Tablelands Pistol Club sold on solar panels

Dimbulah Sport and Pistol club, located west of Cairns and Mareeba are reaping the rewards from installing solar panels.

The clubs weapons safety training officer Phil Quayle and the club’s last foundation member are pleased that the community club is taking steps towards a more sustainable future.

Thanks to the Queensland State Governments Gambling Community Benefits Fund grant, the club was awarded $7500 to install eight 190 watt solar panels and a grid connect inverter.  Since the installation, the club has earned money from selling power back to Ergon.

The solar panels have put the clubs energy bill in credit between 17th November 2011 and 15th February 2012.

“Small community clubs are usually always putting out money so we are really rapt with this,” Mr Quayle said.

“We run on a very slim budget so anything like this is good news for our club.” Shooter and member Gaye Taylor said the club was on a “membership drive” with about 10 active members.

She said former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was a patron of Pistol Shooting Queensland and was a shotgun shooter.

“A lot of people don’t know that,” Ms Taylor said. “This facility we have here is an Olympic discipline.

“We’d like to see some young people join.”

If your a part of a not for profit organisation, or you would like to find out more about the Queensland Government Solar grant, click here.

by Australian Solar Quotes

The Author

I took an interest in the Australian energy sector close to ten years ago and since then have monitored the trends, technologies and direction of the Australian Energy Market. I was drawn to the Australian solar market in 2008 and since then have worked heavily in the field. I am partnered with national and international solar energy companies, from manufacturers of solar panel and inverter technology, online software developers that introduce tools to quote, monitor and manage solar power systems and media organisations who like myself, closely monitor the solar and renewable energy sector.