Collaboration meets innovation in our future-focused power solution, Solar Qube—a rapidly deployable stand-alone DC power source system for remote areas.
Background:
In 2021, the Victorian government released its Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Plan, which contained a goal to develop a demonstration SAPS that converted solar power into hydrogen and use that hydrogen to generate electricity during power outages or in remote areas that are not served by the grid.
After being awarded the Renewable Hydrogen Commercialisation Pathways Fund (CPF), we utilised our joint venture with Western Australian utility Horizon Power, Boundary Power, to provide an Australian-first custom solution that supports Victoria’s production and use of renewable hydrogen in practice. The project aimed to improve energy access to remote and isolated communities with a stand-alone high power source that is continuous, high quality, and quick.
Solution:
We developed a demonstration plant, Solar Qube, to work as a renewable Stand-Alone Power System (SAPS) using solar power and renewable hydrogen hydride battery to store and generate electricity when needed.
Through Boundary Power, we decided on an innovative modular design that can be factory pre-assembled to fit standardised shipping container specifications for ease of transportation, keeping the issue of access top of mind.
The Solar Qube unit was configured with:
- Solar Panels 9kWp including racked roof mounting (as part of a larger rooftop mounted system)
- Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) 16kWh
- Inverter modules 10kW (2 x 5kW)
- Metal Hydride Hydrogen Energy Storage System (HESS) 20kWh with additional 3kW inverter. The HESS also incorporates its own electrolyser and fuel cell to ensure all hydrogen used is renewable and created on site
- Weatherproof mounting frame and enclosure
- Communications equipment for integration into metering/reporting systems.
Outcome:
This hydrogen Solar Qube is the only SAPS of its kind in the country, deploying ready-to-go export energy in under 90 minutes. It offers power utilities an innovative solution for remote or hard to reach communities where the cost to maintain and upgrade traditional poles and wires infrastructure can be significantly higher.
The HI-SAPS will supply solar power to the site during daylight hours to meet daytime energy demand, with excess energy used to charge the BESS followed by the HESS. The BESS will also be discharged to meet the power demand at night and during peak periods while the HESS will meet energy demand gaps where solar and BESS energy are not available.
With no site works required, deployment can occur immediately, making the Solar Qube well suited to support emergency services in their rapid response and recovery following major disasters such as fires, floods and storms.
