Remote Australian community deploys 19 kW/61.4 kWh battery-backed power system
A 19 kW/61.4 kWh remote area power system (RAPS) has been installed almost 1,000 km northwest of Adelaide in South Australia’s remote Great Victoria Desert region, to meet most of the community’s electricity needs.
Tjirilya Aboriginal Corp. (TAC), which represents the Mt. Willoughby Station Traditional Owners, had relied on an aging off-grid power system that depended heavily on a diesel generator to meet daily electricity needs. The system consumed increasing amounts of fuel and raised ongoing reliability concerns.
The system, located 251 km south of the Northern Territory border, is built around a single-phase Victron MultiPlus-II inverter/charger that delivers 15 kVA of power while allowing for future expansion as energy needs grow.
MyEnergy Engineering, an Adelaide-based system designer and installer, said it includes 40 roof-mounted JA Solar panels, installed using a Schletter mounting system and supported by 61.44 kWh of ZYC Energy battery storage to ensure reliable power availability.
The system was integrated into the existing infrastructure, including the existing generator, which now operates as backup only when required.
Key components include an SMA Sunny Boy 5 kW inverter, Victron SmartSolar MPPT RS 450/100-Tr, Victron SmartSolar MPPT RS 450/200-MC4 and Victron Ekrano GX.
The system was remotely designed, pre-built and fully tested at MyEnergy headquarters, housed within a large weather- and vermin-resistant custom steel cabinet. This approach allowed for efficient transport to site and reduced installation time in the remote location.
TAC is responsible for land management across the region for ecological, environmental and cultural heritage preservation. The new system provides a dependable power supply to support day-to-day living and conservation operations. Reliance on the generator has been significantly reduced, keeping it as a backup as needed.
More about
Written by
Comments
Popular Posts
