The solar panels on Low Island

The sewage treatment plant

Low Island, as part of Low Isles near Port Douglas in Queensland, is the first island in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to be powered almost completely by renewable energies.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has undertaken significant upgrades on Low Island that have contributed to the overall sustainability of the island.

The Authority undertook a complete conversion of Low Island’s energy management system and it is now generating 97 per cent of its energy needs from renewable sources. The remaining three per cent is gas used for cooking.

Low Island has moved from a complete reliance on generators using 100 per cent fossil fuels to the use of generators using local recycled biodiesel for back-up power only.

The production and use of biodiesel is producing approximately 80 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than petroleum diesel.

The biodiesel, sourced locally from the Mossman Sugar Mill, is produced by using cooking oils from restaurants and takeaway food outlets from Cairns to Cape Tribulation.

Rainwater tanks have been upgraded to ensure the island and its residents are provided with enough rainwater for the drier months.

The island operates a state-of–the-art sewage treatment plant that the Authority modified to significantly reduce the energy requirements of the island, while still maintaining this first-class waste management system.

In addition to reducing emissions, costs have also gone down by about 40 per cent.

Central to the success of the renewable projects on Low Island was the involvement from local industry and community, who continue to provide ongoing support maintaining the island.

These projects achieved outcomes both for the environment and the community by using local expert advice and experience of those who have knowledge of tropical environments.

It also resulted in an increase in local and regional capacity to adapt and deliver resilient responses to threats like climate change and water quality.