ALMOST 500,000 black balloons of greenhouse gases will be offset when the lights lining the Tullamarine-Calder interchange turn green, the Victorian Government announced recently.
More than 200 electricity generating solar panels have been installed along a 500m stretch of noise barriers on the recently upgraded Tullamarine Calder Interchange, which will feed electricity into the local grid and power part of the freeway lighting.
With wiring work almost complete, this will happen within a matter of weeks, said Minister for Roads and Ports Tim Pallas.
An Australian first, “the solar panels installed here are pioneering environmentally sensitive options for road design, and enable up to 10 per cent of lighting to be generated from solar power,” he said.
That’s enough electricity to power three small homes, said Mr Pallas.
“While this application is a first, it points to future projects having environmentally friendly elements in their original design, and as technology allows, will provide future transport infrastructure in an increasingly environmentally responsible manner,” he said.
