Solar system lights up desert town

The largest solar power system ever mounted on a building in the southern hemisphere has been switched on in the red heart of Australia. The rooftop solar photovoltaic installation is expected to generate 40 percent and 80 percent of the energy requirements of the Crowne Plaza Hotel Alice Springs.

Speaking from the desert town on Wednesday, hotel general manager Adam Glass said the system would help the Crowne Plaza reduce its annual carbon footprint by 420 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

Alice Springs Mayor Damien Ryan said the ground-breaking $3.3 million PV installation was a "great achievement" that made the hotel "one of the iconic sites in Alice Springs," according to a Feb. 18 9News report.

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