In September, four Steora smart solar-powered benches were installed on the Esperance foreshore with the support of Southern Ports, Cliffs Natural Resources, The Shire of Esperance and Horizon Power.
One bench was installed at the Jetty Headland, another adjacent to the James Street all-abilities playground, a third at the barbecue area on Brazier Street and the fourth bench is located at the popular Esperance skate park.
Tourists and locals have made good use of the free solar energy to charge their phones and increase the amount of time they spend outdoors, enjoying everything the town has to offer.
Recently released data indicates that an average of over 1,000 users are connecting to the benches on a weekly basis. The breakdown per bench is as follows:
- Skate park, The Esplanade - 500 users a week
- All-abilities playground, James Street - 250 users a week
- Jetty Headland, The Esplanade - 150 users a week
- Barbecue area, Brazier Street - 140 users a week
Horizon Power Goldfields Esperance Retail & Community Manager, Donna Gibson, has applauded the results and commended the Shire of Esperance on this renewable energy, community initiative.
“It is great to see how many people are making use of these solar benches. We knew they were going to be popular but the results have completely surpassed our expectations. We’re expecting to see the usage increase even more as we head into the tourist season,” she said.
For more information about the Esperance Smart Solar Benches, please click here or read the Shire of Esperance media release.