MEDIA RELEASE

Senator the Hon Penny Wong

Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water
Sharryn Jackson MP
Member for Hasluck
PW 125/10 28 May 2010

SOLAR PROJECT LIGHTS UP PERTH ARTS PRECINCT

Approximately 200 solar panels have been installed across the roof of a major Perth arts studio, in a
Perth Solar City project that will cut 94 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Located at the former Railway Workshops buildings in Perth’s east, the Midland Atelier arts studio
will use the 201 solar panels to run lighting and equipment used by residents of the creative
precinct, such as photographers, fashion designers and artists.

The project is an initiative of Perth Solar City – one of seven Solar Cities across Australia funded
by the Federal Government. The $94 million Solar Cities initiative encourages households, industry
and the community to work together to find ways to better use and conserve energy.

Minister for Climate Change, Energy Efficiency and Water, Senator Penny Wong, said the 60
kilowatt installation at Midland Atelier would generate electricity equivalent to the power needs of
more than 15 homes.

“This Perth community is playing its part in reducing Australia’s emissions,’’ Senator Wong said.

“With these solar panels, Midland Atelier will generate enough electricity to run the lighting and
equipment needed by the resident artisans.

“This is an example of the clean renewable energy sources we want to promote under our target for
20 per cent of Australia’s electricity supply to come from renewable sources by 2020.’’

Ms Jackson said the Midland Atelier workshops, built in the early 1900s, would now be at the
forefront of new technology. The solar panels have been installed on the rooves of The Foundry and
Pattern Shop buildings.

“This Perth project is an example of the type of collaborations that we need as we learn to adapt and
build Australia’s resilience to our changing climate,’’ Ms Jackson said.

The Midland Atelier Solar installation is a $500,000 project jointly funded by the Federal
Government and the Western Australian State Government.

To date, the nation’s seven Solar Cities projects have completed 6300 energy audits and installed
more than 2700 kilowatts of photovoltaic solar panels.

For more information about the Solar Cities Program visit: www.environment.gov.au/solarcities.

Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600 Tel 02 6277 7920 Fax 02 6273 7330