Mobile Solar Pvs Can Now Replace Diesel Generators for Disaster Relief and Military Operations
Diesel generators as a temporary
power supply for military operations, disaster relief efforts and music
festivals could soon be replaced by mobile solar PVs.
An Australian-made innovation,
CROSS is a factory assembled, a relocatable solar array that has been developed
to reduce the logistics challenges associated with deploying solar PV
generators.
Australian Renewable Energy
Agency (ARENA) has announced $289,725 in funding for Canberra-based ECLIPS
Engineering to design, manufacture and test its rapidly deployable Container
Roll Out Solar Panel System (CROSS). This is on behalf of the Australian
government.
Designed to fit inside a standard
shipping container, the CROSS units can be stacked up to seven units high. The
system also come available in 20ft and 40ft configurations, with a maximum
output of 2,175W and 4,350W delivered in minutes ready for connection to an off grid inverter.
The $703,468 total project opens
up markets not previously available to the renewables industry, including
defense, disaster recovery, humanitarian, construction and temporary network
augmentation.
“CROSS units can be deployed in off the grid and fringe-of-grid areas, displace or offset diesel
consumption and improve the security of existing networks,” ARENA CEO Ivor
Frischknecht said.
“These renewable options can
reduce some of the barriers to entry for potential renewable off grid power users in
remote locations, including short project durations and where power systems
need to be periodically relocated,” Mr. Frischknecht said.
Roll-Out-Solar-System
“Renewable energy can provide an
emissions-free, silent energy system that could replace diesel generators in
the long run.”
Managing Director of ECLIPS Shaun
Moore said that the main purpose of CROSS was to improve power self-sufficiency
for defense.
“One of our early objectives was
to provide rapidly deployable utility-scale PV generators to improve the
self-sufficiency of Defence’s deployed forward operating bases. Diesel
consumption related to the provision of electricity can account for up to 70%
of deployed forces’ fuel usage and is a significant cost driver. More
importantly, deploying CROSS to forward operating bases also reduces the
frequency of convoys for fuel resupply, which reduces the threat to soldiers in
contested environments.
“These same logistics
efficiencies and benefits are transferable to commercial and utility customers
in remote areas of Australia,” he said.
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