Solar Forest Stage 1 Zoos Victoria - Werribee Open Range Zoo

Zoos Victoria is a not-for-profit zoo-based conservation organisation.

Zoos Victoria operates world-class zoos on three sites, the Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Werribee Open Range Zoo. Our mission is to galvanise communities to commit to the conservation of wildlife and wild places by connecting people and wildlife.

Werribee Open Range Zoo (WORZ) recently developed and has commenced implementation of a five year operational master plan that aims to deliver the objectives of the Zoos Victoria corporate plan.

A key objective within the master plan is to continue to invest in renewable energy including wind and solar. As well as reducing our ecological footprint, highly visible projects such as the Solar Forest will encourage our visitors and other organisations to make positive change.

This project is Stage 1 of Zoos Victoria Solar Forest project. This is no ordinary solar panel installation. We envisage visitors on the walkway leading to Werribee Open Range Zoo's entry, and literally seeing a forest of solar panels, providing a shaded canopy on peak visitation days and an opportunity to see a new age in solar panel technology, installation and design.

This is an opportunity to form partnerships with specialist consultants to design, engineer, construct and install test case examples of architectural features that can provide solar outputs in a premium tourist location.

The aim of this project is to trial a smaller scale Solar Forest (Stage 1,) and to showcase this project locally and globally as a case study in leading design and innovation for solar PVs across our carbon conscious communities.

The entry to Werribee Open Range Zoo has recently been redeveloped as part of WORZ'S master plan. The entry precinct encompasses the entry roads, car parks and walkways which provide access to the ticketing area via pedestrian arteries and culminates in a gathering place prior to the purchase of entry tickets. Furthering our thematic intent this solar project, building features and the landscape will all work together functionally as well as aesthetically. The Solar tree structures will also act as a vehicle for communication about ZVs commitment to sustainability and Fighting Extinction.

The energy generated from this solar system will be fed into batteries that provide solar energy to a new outlet in the visitor car park for electric cars and vehicles, and to provide lighting. The overall renewable energy project objectives of this solar system are:
* To understand power production, cost and design considerations for the future Solar Forest project.
* To reduce Werribee Open Range Zoo's greenhouse gases through the production of renewable energy.
* To be visually aesthetic, provide a very visible and iconic demonstration of Zoos Victoria's environmental sustainability in an effort to inspire others (over 600,000 visitors per year.)