News Story
MPower solar installation saves site 80% of energy needs
30/06/2011
Solaris Technology, a member of the MPower Group, recently converted a railway site camp from diesel generator to solar power – saving the site up to 80% of its energy needs.
Solar energy
The team from Solaris project managed and installed a 20kw solar power system on a remote off grid site for ARTC (Australian Rail Track Corporation) in Western Australia. The entire railway site camp, located 200km east of Kalgoorlie on the Trans Australia Rail Line at “Zanthus” rail sliding, is now running on solar power.
Prior to the installation of the new system, the site was powered 24/7 by a 50kVA diesel generator, consuming 200 litres of diesel per day. Solar power will primarily contribute to the site’s energy needs with the diesel generator remaining as a back-up power source in times of peak demand or for battery charge on days of poor sunlight.
The site installation took four weeks with 25 tonnes of equipment installed and 15m³ of concrete for solar array footings. With a project value of $450,000 (50% contribution from RRPGP (Renewable Remote Power Generation Program) rebate program), the estimated payback time is just three to four years.
Components of the project were sourced from another company within the MPower Group, M+H Power Systems. These included:
- 108 x 190W mono-crystalline Suntech Solar Panels,
- 144 x Hoppecke 1250a.h gel Batteries,
- 6 x SMA Sunny Island Inverters (5kW, 48V) and a SMA Multi-cluster box.
- The solar array is AC coupled using 18 x SMA SB1100 grid connect inverters
A shipping container was used for an equipment hut with an independent sun-shade structure.