Solar panels on schools, hospitals and prisons could power Queensland into a renewable future, report finds

The rooftop space on Queensland’s public buildings could hold the key to powering the state with solar energy, new research has found.

The analysis, commissioned by the Australian Conservation Foundation, found installing solar panels on the roofs of public buildings in five local government areas would produce enough electricity to power 44,000 homes.

The research was conducted by the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering (SPREE) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW).

It found schools, hospitals, prisons and libraries in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Logan and Gladstone have 727,574 square metres of rooftop solar potential.

The report’s author, Mike…