project muswellbrook case study
TRANSCRIPT
Going off-grid with solar storage solutionsCase study
BAI CommunicationsBringing the connection to your world
“The longer-term outcome of this
project will prove beneficial for
our customers in many ways, as
we’ll be able to provide them
with a lower carbon footprint,
more cost certainty and
improved reliability against the
grid in remote locations.”
JIm Hassell
CEO BAI COMMUNICATIONS
The project
BAI Communications (BAI) and solar power
solutions provider Photon Energy have joined
forces to trial a renewable energy based
solution to powering one to BAI’s television
and radio broadcast antennas, located in the
small regional town of Muswellbrook, New
South Wales.
The trial has the potential to transform
hundreds of remote communications
infrastructure sites into more sustainable, cost-
effective and reliable services.
BAI and Photon Energy – with funding from
the German Energy Agency (dena) – is
replacing the former grid-linked power
system with a German-made, 215kWh solar
PV powered battery system which features
sufficient power generation and storage
capabilities to provide the antenna with
constant, 24-hour power.
The potential
More than 300 BAI broadcast and
telecommunication sites in regional and
remote Australia would benefit from a
successful trial. Renewable-energy powered
sites give BAI the potential to uncouple
these towers fromexternal market forces and
provide our customers with a cheaper, more
reliable service.
“The potential for solar PV in the
replacement of conventional energy
sources is substantial and will bring
cost benefits and emissions savings
for Australia in the coming years
and decades.”
Michael Gartner
PHOTON ENERGY AUSTRALIA
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Our Australian broadcast and
telecommunications infrastructure transmits
from 622 sites in metropolitan, regional
and remote locations, reaching more than
98% of the Australian population. We’re
committed to providing Australians with
cheap, reliable access to terrestrial TV, radio
and telecommunications services wherever
they are.
The solar PV system
The solar PV system powering the tower at
Muswellbrook is German-engineered and
designed, featuring:
• 96 solar panels producing 39kWp (peak power)
• 24 BAE batteries producing 215 kWh
• 3 SMA inverters
• Monitoring system
• 8kVa diesel back-up system (for emergencies)
The tower
Broadcasting and telecommunications
towers are critical pieces of communications
infrastructure, powering emergency
communications, television and radio
broadcasts, and mobile telecommunications
throughout Australia.
Location
Muswellbrook, New South Wales, approx.
250km north of Sydney
Capabilities
500km projection through medium wave
signals transmission
Services provided
Communications services including local radio
People serviced50,000
The project could improve BAI’s service delivery in four key ways:
GRID POWER(CURRENT)
1. RELIABILITY Inconsistent regular power outages
High & unpredictable expensive regional electricity and diesel prices
Low power is generated & maintenance conducted by external entities
High burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and diesel
Uninterrupted 24-hour power generation
Fixed & potentially lower power, setup and maintenance. Costs are known
High power is generated and maintained by BAI
Low to zeroharnessing renewable energy
2. OPERATIONAL COSTS
3. BAI CONTROL
4. CARBON FOOTPRINT
SOLAR POWER (FUTURE)
BAI Communications
We design, build and operate highly available
communications networks – broadcast, radio,
cellular, Wi-Fi, digital - for our customers
across the globe. We are keeping people
connected with information, entertainment
and each other, every hour of every day.
Contact
Level 10, Tower A, 799 Pacific Highway
Chatswood NSW 2067
AUSTRALIA
Phone: +61 2 8113 4600
www.baicommunications.com
Photon Energy
Photon Energy NV is a global solar power
solutions and services company with five
divisions of expertise that together cover the
entire lifecycle of solar power systems.
www.photonenergy.com
www.dena.de
www.renewables-made-in-germany.com
This project is part of the worldwide dena
Renewable Energy Solutions Programme
coordinated by Deutsche Energie-Agentur
GmbH (dena) – the German Energy
Agency – and co-financed by the German
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs
and Energy (BMWi) within the initiative
“renewables – Made in Germany”.