MACQUARIE Club Dubbo has set the green standard for businesses in the city by embracing solar energy.
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The club now boasts a 35-kilowatt system of about 140 panels behind the bowling greens to supply electricity during the daylight hours.
Macquarie Club Dubbo president Dick Smith said the move towards the sustainable technology was chosen in order to lower power bill costs.
"Our electricity bill was getting unmanageable and we thought it would be a good idea to keep abreast with the times," he said.
The new energy source was installed in June this year across a period of three weeks after the Macquarie Club Dubbo committee decided it would help with the large energy prices.
"What convinced me was one of the committee members said to me that if they hadn't built the Sydney Harbour Bridge when they did it wouldn't be affordable today," Mr Smith said.
"The majority of members thought it was a great idea."
The new power system at Macquarie Club Dubbo will not only help the business make a saving but also contribute to the local power grid with excess energy.
"While the sun is out there we are getting free power," Mr Smith said.
The club used two local businesses in the implementation of the new technology at Macquarie Club Dubbo.
Orana Energy Systems installed the system and Solar Choice acted as brokers of the business deal while keeping the club up to date on developments.
Mr Smith said working with Solar Choice saved Macquarie Club Dubbo thousands of dollars.
Nathan Henkes of Orana Energy Systems explained the benefit of the new system for the club would be to "significantly offset" rising electricity prices.
"It won't eliminate the bill but it will knock the guts out of it," he said.
Orana Energy Systems first monitored the daytime usage of the club.
"The system is sized as a replacement to the business' daytime electricity usage," Mr Henkes explained.
He added there was a huge emerging market for businesses as the daytime was when they operated as opposed to residents who usually went to work.