Case Study

Wests Illawarra Leagues Club

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Project Size:

365 kW Solar Car Shade


When Wests Illawarra, a longstanding community club and hospitality venue in Wollongong, NSW, set out to upgrade its ageing car park, their primary focus was enhancing the experience of their loyal patrons. They sought to provide improved parking amenities while integrating a forward-thinking renewable energy solution that would contribute to their sustainability goals and reduce operating costs. To achieve this, the club partnered with Smart Commercial Solar to deliver an innovative solar car shade system that not only powers the club but also enhances its facilities.

The result? The largest solar car shade structure in the Illawarra, generating 20% of the club’s electricity needs while providing covered parking and EV charging for members and guests.

Key Project Stats

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25% reduction in energy consumption

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Annual CO2 reduction of 358 t

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Total on-site generation 590kW (with 225kW existing rooftop solar)

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THE CHALLENGE

Wests Illawarra’s primary challenge was twofold: they needed to resurface their deteriorating car park while simultaneously incorporating renewable energy to reduce their reliance on grid electricity.

Additional project complexities included:

  • Minimising customer disruption during the busy holiday period.
  • Ensuring a waterproof and aesthetic design that complemented the venue.
  • Maximising solar generation while maintaining valuable parking space.

With these objectives in mind, Smart Commercial Solar was selected to bring this ambitious vision to life.

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 “The biggest challenge for us was minimising the interruption to our customers and trying to maintain as many parking spots as we could throughout the construction period. Smart worked closely with New England Constructions to ensure that we maximised those parking spaces while still meeting our project timelines.”

Matt Demos, Strategic Leader, Wests Illawarra

 

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THE SOLUTION

To address these challenges, Smart Commercial Solar collaborated with Wests Illawarra, New England Constructions, and Canyon Solar to deliver a tailored solution featuring:

  • Three solar car shade structures generating 365kW of solar energy.
  • Integration of four 22kW Wallbox EV chargers without compromising parking space.
  • Prefabricated modular construction to minimise disruption and speed up installation.
  • Waterproof walkways ensuring a premium customer experience.
  • Custom branding elements, CCTV, and colour-matched finishes for a seamless integration into the club’s infrastructure.

By choosing Canyon’s prefabricated option, Smart Commercial Solar drastically reduced on-site construction time, completing the project in under a month—three times faster than a traditional solar car shade installation.

Will Beaumont, Founder and CEO of Canyon Solar, explained the efficiency of his company’s approach to modular construction.

 

 “Prefabrication is a game-changer for large-scale solar infrastructure. By manufacturing our structures offsite, we ensure precision engineering, reduce construction time, and minimise disruption to the site. Seeing Wests Illawarra’s car park transform in record time is a testament to how efficient and effective this approach is.”

Will Beaumont, Owner & Founder, Canyon Solar

 

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THE RESULTS

  • 30% total reduction (20% through solar car shade and 10% through rooftop solar) in grid electricity consumption—significantly lowering operational costs.
  • Enhanced customer experience with covered parking, improved security, and EV charging.
  • Largest solar car shade structure in the Illawarra, positioning Wests Illawarra as a leader in sustainability.
  • Future-proofed infrastructure with provisions for an additional 200kW expansion.
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LOOKING AHEAD

With a strong commitment to sustainability, Wests Illawarra is already exploring the next phase—expanding their solar car shade system in the medium term and potentially integrating battery storage to further enhance energy independence. Their leadership in renewable energy serves as a model for other organisations looking to implement innovative clean energy solutions.

Anastasi Kotoros, Project Lead at Smart Commercial Solar, reflected proudly on the project’s impact.

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“This project showcases how sustainability and customer experience can go hand in hand. By integrating a high-quality, modular solar car shade with EV charging and waterproof walkways, we delivered a truly custom solution that meets both operational and environmental goals. It’s exciting to see Wests Illawarra leading the way in renewable energy innovation.”

Smart's Performance team will continue to monitor and manage the system, ensuring it delivers maximum performance and financial returns for years to come. 

As Smart Commercial Solar continues to partner with businesses and community organisations across Australia, the Wests Illawarra project stands as a testament to what’s possible when sustainability meets strategic vision.