Earth v Sky, Glebe

3 February

Earth v Sky, by artist Allan giddy, will light up two large Moreton Bay figs at the end of Glebe Point Road with different colours as the day turns to dusk. The artwork will use the world's first colour-sensitive public light control system, developed by the artist and engineers from University of New South Wales. The innovative control system uses special software to take a digital "sample" of the susset and projects a contrasting colour onto the trees using energy efficient LED Lighting. Work will begin this month and will be finished by early 2012, weather permitting. The display will operate only during sunset hours and will not affect the trees or the local wildlife.

In February 2007, Council endorsed the public artwork Earth V Sky as part of the Glebe Point Road Streetscape Upgrade project. The artwork proposed a wind turbine to power the lighting of the fig trees at the end of Glebe Point Road during twilight hours. A feasibility study has indicated that a 5kW turbine would be necessary to provide adequate power to the artwork allowing surplus power to be fed back into the grid. The scale would be comparable to the current field lighting towers at Jubilee Oval (18m).
After the detailed feasibility study, it has been discovered that ‘inverter’ and ‘grid connection’ approvals from Energy Australia have not been developed for small scale urban wind turbines. This project will seek to develop the appropriate standards. An appropriately qualified supplier of renewal energy systems linked to the University of Newcastle has invited the City of Sydney to participate in the development of this small scale wind turbine technology by joining a federally funded program to develop renewable energy....http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/council/documents/meetings/2009/Committee/Environment/290609/090629_EHC_ITEM04.pdf

The lighting of the trees is part of an artwork called “Earth V Sky” and involves the installation of 9 lights capable of producing a range of colours which will be programmed to respond to the changing evening sky. The period of illumination is estimated to be between 1 and 2 hours depending on the season and length of sunset.
The proposed wind turbine will provide electricity to power the lights and will be located in the north western corner of the reserve. The turbine and lights will be connected by under ground cabling, as well as being connected to the local power grid to distribute excess electricity....

Geo-Location: -35.46067, 139.21875-35.46067;139.21875

Page Created 3 February 2012. Page updated 7 May 2015.