Canberra based printer Instant Colour Press says it has slashed roughly a third off its power bills since installing solar power a year and a half ago.

Suzannah Walton, general manager for Instant Colour Press says, “It has cut our bills, although we do have more energy in summer than we do in winter. Our power bills come to $18,000 a year, and we are saving $8000-9000 a year. We are looking to get batteries but we are waiting for the technology to get better. We have done our research and we have figured that it is just not quite there.

“We have 123 panels. We own half of our complex and the panels cover about two thirds of that roof area.

[Related: Excel Australasia installs solar panels]

“We are a small business, we have been open since 1982. We have been in our current premises for 25 years. Dave McGuiness has been the owner since the business was established, his son Sean works with me, and I have been with the business for around 23 or 24 years.

“Dave and I are aware of the environment and our impact. We recycle, we are conscious of doing the right thing and passionate about reducing our carbon footprint. Additionally we have also the bills we are saving, it is a big investment but it will be paid off in four or five years.

“Currently we have 11 staff. We used to have 20 staff, when everything offset. We were one of the first Canberra printers to do digital. With that we had less machinery that required staff and more automation. Now we run mostly digital printing with the occasional offset production. We do a bit of everything, including wide format and signage.”

ICP is one of several print businesses now installing solar panels in a bid to combat soaring power prices. Excel Australasia has just installed solar panels which will power its entire production plant.

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