Solar Powered Raglan Surf Life Saving Club

Solar Powered Raglan Surf Life Saving Club  Raglan's lifeguard tower might be 400 metres far from the nearest electric power source, but inside you will discover working lights, a powered radio and hot water. Solar panels on the top of the pastel-coloured watch, operated by Believe in Waikato Raglan Surf Life Saving Club, have brought capacity to the tower for once since it ended up being opened in 2011.

Your project, made possible by a $20, 000 allow from WEL Strength Trust, has just been named Innovation on the Year at the 2015 Surf Living Saving Northern Place Awards of Excellence. The club's convener regarding lifesaving, Keagan Gaarkeuken, said the off-grid a solar panel system converts the DC electricity from the solar panels in 230V AC energy, which is fed to the tower.

With as much as 4. 6kw of power available for electrical appliances the club is now able to run a freezer within the tower for snow, maintain fully charged radios for disaster services, and have hot water, plus power with regard to other medical apparatus. "We can basically run any type of electrical appliance. This summer we'll put in a very microwave and small fridge, so we causes it to be much more comfortable with the lifeguards. "

The tower replaced an old wooden building which sat for the beach, slightly further out than the current tower - in a very spot that has eroded away. President Andrew Withers mentioned the foundations on the double-storey tower go "as far down the way it goes up, " in case there is future erosion for the beach.

When Withers had taken over as chief executive four seasons back, he said the club had a lot less than 10 lifeguards. Now there's 93 for the team. Withers said a concentrate on training and "regrouping a few old lads" was the true secret to getting the numbers up over the last several years.