Search
Lighting towers are a fixture on almost every project that interfaces with the public, keeping roads safe for drivers and giving night shift crews the light they need to work safely. Traditionally, that means diesel generators running through the night. With residents living close by and strict noise limits in place, that wasn't an option here and cutting fossil fuel emissions was a clear requirement from the outset.
After weighing up the options, the team invested in a fleet of 30 Australian made solar light towers. It's a decision that solved more than one problem at once. No generators meant no noise complaints, no diesel refuelling runs and no servicing headaches. It also meant a real cut in emissions and a genuine saving for the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA).
"Investing in the solar fleet solved three challenges at once. It reduced carbon, eliminated generator noise and delivered significant cost savings to our client. It also created a long term capability we can deploy across future projects. That's the kind of practical, self performing thinking that defines how we deliver at Symal." said Brian Pinkman, National Sustainability Manager, Symal Group
The numbers speak for themselves. The solar fleet paid for itself within 10 to 12 weeks compared with hiring conventional diesel powered towers, and delivered a full return on investment within FY26. Across the project, it cut Scope 1 carbon emissions by approximately 44 tonnes, all while giving our client a significantly discounted hire rate.
It's a small piece of plant with a big impact and it's now part of the capability we bring to every project where noise, emissions or cost make diesel generators the wrong choice.
