De Bortoli Wines solar installation by SCE Energy Solutions
Company Updates Energy Solar

The Largest Optimised Rooftop Solar in New South Wales

October 13, 2023 No Comments
SCE Energy Solutions installs the largest Tigo Energy optimised rooftop solar at De Bortoli Wines in Bilbul NSW. 

De Bortoli Wines is Australia’s 6th largest overall and second largest family winery located 6.5 hours west of Sydney in Bilbul. The installation involved the installation of solar to three main switchboards (MSBs) on multiple roofs throughout the site.  

Before working with SCE Energy Solutions and Tigo Energy, they had installed 250kW almost a decade ago and had firsthand experience of the issues associated with Legacy solar, fault finding, etc. like all wineries they also suffer from a mould that attaches to the rooflines and subsequently to the solar panels.

Before starting the project we had many issues with roof structure integrity and available roofs near the correct MSB. New build purlin spacing caught us out with mounting engineering having to be completed on the run seeing 500+ panels requiring three rail installations and the tilted panels to the new sheds needing a tripod tilt system in place of standard tilt legs.

The largest part of the system on the new twin sheds showed us ample space to install the array with no power cables to the MSBs. We had to run 3.1km of large 150mm cables underground, overhead and along buildings back to two separate MSBs in two different locations to complete the inverter connections.  

De Bortoli is a forward-thinking company that adopts early technologies that assist with achieving its 10% energy reduction target each year. They have been looking to increase their existing 250kW system for some time although now was the correct time to install a solar system to cover their site baseline given the recent large increases in energy costs. The new solar system will cover 30-35% of their total energy usage and when in full generation will see the three MSBs the solar is connected to powered completely from the sun.

De Bortoli Wines and SCE Energy Solutions
De Bortoli Wines and SCE Energy Solutions

Having Tigo optimisation and monitoring will enable the highest PV system output. Optimization will allow them to mitigate string performance through individual panels being affected worse than others and the monitoring will allow them to see when panels are in need of a wash. The safety of rapid shutdown and the PV off buttons at every inverter station also gave them peace of mind when installing to most of their buildings and for servicing.  

Tigo Energy Intelligence enables SCE Energy Solutions to view site performance down to each individual module. In addition, SCE and customers view the incremental energy production enabled by Tigo optimisers, shown in the stacked green bars.

De Bortoli Wines Solar Installation
Company Updates Energy Solar

SCE Delivers Advanced Solar Fleet Management and Monitoring Services in Australia

September 21, 2023 No Comments
Tigo Fleet Management Software deployed by SCE Enery Solutions monitors over 20,000 modules from one dashboard.
Tigo Energy, Inc. a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy storage solutions, today announced that long-time customer SCE Energy Solutions has deployed Tigo Fleet Manager, an extension to the Tigo Energy Intelligence (EI) platform, featuring a powerful interactive dashboard that provides rich and actionable system performance data from the fleet down to the module level. SCE Energy Solutions (SCE) uses Tigo EI Fleet Manager to uncover and operationalize sophisticated insights about the growing fleet of solar systems in its care to deliver the highest possible standards of performance, reliability, financial stability, and safety to its customers.
 

With more than 3.44 million photovoltaic installations deployed, the installers behind Australia’s growing solar energy sector need advanced solutions to deploy, monitor, and manage constantly expanding portfolios of customer solar systems. As a Tigo Energy customer for over a decade, SCE now uses the EI Fleet Manager to monitor system performance and manage operations and maintenance (O&M) across the more than 20,000 solar modules deployed in its fleet of customer systems by operationalizing system performance data down to the individual component and fully using customizable groupings of systems by common attributes like equipment type, location, size, or status.

“Tigo Fleet Manager has been a game-changer for us because it provides unprecedented visibility into our customer fleet, allowing us to deliver on our system performance commitments and offering valuable new services,” said Jon De Martin, CEO at SCE Energy Solutions. “As our solar portfolio continues to grow, it would have been nearly impossible to consolidate the countless data points we rely on to deliver best-in-class customer service. Beyond performance monitoring, we now have such fine-grained visibility into the hardware we’ve deployed that it has completely transformed our operations and maintenance. Tigo EI Fleet Manager, combined with the TS4 MLPE platform, allows us to deliver superior performance as we grow into more and larger solar systems.”

SCE customer De Bortoli Wines is Australia’s 6th largest overall and second largest family winery. With the goal of 10% energy reduction per year, the winemaker engaged SCE to update and expand its optimized solar generation capacity to 1.15MW. The new system comprises more than 2,200 solar modules, including the existing ones, yielding De Bortoli Wines a system that now offers protection to first responders with rapid shutdown, Tigo optimization to protect system performance from module soiling issues common to winery operations, and module-level monitoring for detailed insight to system performance. Through the Tigo EI Fleet Manager, SCE leverages sophisticated new data visualizations designed to elevate what is actionable, reduce alert fatigue, and present installers with an intuitive interface that tracks critical operational, production, and consumption data across all modules at the De Bortoli site.

“We are a sustainability-driven winery with a comprehensive plan to reduce our impact on the environment, and the large increases in energy costs of late only further validated the decision to expand our solar generation infrastructure aggressively,” said Tarek Heiland, head engineer at De Bortoli Wines. “SCE has been a great partner throughout the upgrade and expansion process, and we are excited to have the latest Tigo technology for safety and performance. This solar system now covers 30-35% of our total energy usage in full generation, and we could not be happier about this investment.”

From visibility into pending and in-progress installations to comprehensive system and production status indicators, the EI Fleet Manager offers system diagnosis and in-depth monitoring of more than a dozen critical health and performance metrics for deployed solar systems. With this level of visibility, Tigo EI Fleet Manager makes it easy to pinpoint and quickly deploy mitigations across devices from various vendors, from the system level down to the module. Tigo EI Fleet Manager supports all system sizes – including residential, commercial, and industrial solar deployments – and use cases, from large multi-system fleets to individual systems, in meeting their safety and financial goals. SCE  has deployed Tigo IE Fleet Manager across its entire portfolio of customer systems, including De Bortoli Wines, Planet Fitness, the headquarters of Komatsu, Australia, and more.

“We are delighted to see major solar installation companies like SCE fully exploit the power of energy data with EI Fleet Manager to improve the solar customer experience, deliver valuable new services, and streamline internal operations,” said Zvi Alon, CEO at Tigo Energy. “As the volume and fidelity of data produced by solar systems grow, so must the sophistication, speed, and ease with which that data can be turned into actionable information. Our fleet tools do exactly that, and the installers who make full use of them create benefits for their customers and their operations. We look forward to continuing our journey with SCE as they grow their business and  continue raising the bar for solar performance, reliability, and safety in Australia.”

For more information about Tigo EI Fleet Manager and how solar installers like SCE Energy Solutions leverage the platform to manage growing portfolios of customer installations, please read the case study here.

This article was written and published by Tigo Energy.

Planet Fitness Thuringowa Solar Installation
Energy Solar

Powering Up: The Six Benefits of Commercial Solar Systems for Gym Owners

June 6, 2023 No Comments

Gym owners are no strangers to high energy bills with the significant amounts of power required to keep the air conditioning on and equipment running. However, with the ever-increasing energy costs, more and more gym owners in Australia are turning to commercial solar systems to power their facilities. But is it worth the investment? 

In this blog, we’ll explore the key reasons why our customers, in particular gym owners, have been investing in commercial solar systems, including the long-term cost savings, positive environmental impact, reduced reliance on the grid, tax benefits and how they can enhance the value of your property. 

Here are six benefits of commercial solar systems for gym owners: 

1. Lower Energy Costs

One of the biggest advantages of commercial solar systems is that they can help you save money on your energy bills. This is especially important for gyms that use a lot of electricity, By generating your own electricity, you’ll be able to reduce your dependence on the grid and avoid costly peak energy rates. This means that your solar panels are paying themselves off in energy savings within 2.5 to 3.5 years!

2. Increased sustainability

If you’re committed to reducing your gym’s environmental impact, commercial solar systems are a great way to do it. Solar energy is clean, renewable, and produces no greenhouse gas emissions, so you’ll be able to run your gym with a much smaller carbon footprint. 

For example, the 97.2kw Tigo Energy Smart Solar System we installed at Planet Fitness Thuringowa in Northern Queensland is reducing 120, 240 kg of CO2 emissions every year.

Planet Fitness Thuringowa Solar Installation
3. Improved reputation 

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their choices on the environment. By installing a solar system, you’re demonstrating your commitment to sustainability and reducing your carbon footprint. This can enhance your reputation and attract customers who are looking for environmentally conscious businesses to support.

At SCE Energy Solutions, we provide you with an entire media package, including photos and videos of the installation, a carbon reduction certificate and a live solar website so you can showcase to your customers the conscious effort your business is making to become more sustainable. 

4. Significant Returns on Investment

While the initial investment in a solar system can appear significant, with extremely high energy rates some of our customers are paid these off in under 3 years. Firstly, it’s important to know that solar panels are built to last. Most manufacturers offer warranties ranging from 25 to 30 years, with the panels continuing to operate efficiently even after the warranty period. This means you can expect decades of clean energy generation and substantial savings on your energy bills. 

We conduct a thorough financial analysis to determine the specific ROI of a commercial solar system for your gym. We assess factors such as your energy consumption, available roof or ground space for solar panels, tax incentives, and system costs to provide accurate projections of the financial benefits and payback period. 

5. Enhanced property value 

Commercial solar systems can increase the value of your property! If you own the building that houses your gym, installing solar panels can make it more attractive to potential buyers or tenants. Solar panels are a highly desirable feature for businesses that are looking to reduce their environmental impact and energy costs, so having them installed can make your property more competitive in the market.

6. Tax Credits and Incentives

In addition to the savings on your energy bills, installing a commercial solar system can also make you eligible for tax credits and incentives. The Australian federal government offers several tax incentives and rebates to encourage businesses to invest in renewable energy, as well as some Australian states and Territories. 

To determine what incentives and rebates are available for your business, you can consult with our solar specialists to help you navigate the various options and requirements for your property here. 

Ready to slim your energy bills?  

In conclusion, installing a commercial solar system is an excellent way for gym owners to cut costs, improve energy reliability, enhance their reputation, and make a long-term investment in their business. 

If you’re interested in learning more about commercial solar systems for your gym, schedule a free consultation with our team who can assess your energy and help you design a custom system that meets your needs and budget. With the right system in place, you’ll be able to power up your gym while also powering up your commitment to sustainability. 

The Lamson Group goes off grid when sun's up » solar
Company Updates

The Lamson Group goes off grid when sun’s up

April 1, 2023 No Comments
Industry trade partner The Lamson Group is running a solar farm of 767 panels on the rooftop of its Sefton factory, addressing a key part of its strategic plan to reduce its carbon footprint.

The panels, installed in stages by SCE Energy Solutions over a period of four years, comprise one of the largest solar power installations in the industry, providing The Lamson Group with the ability to be totally off-grid at its main site.

“Five years ago we decided to lead the trade market in our environmental footprint. Our partners were being asked about their supply chain and we wanted to be leaders to allow our partners to succeed. Our partners, which include print managers,  printers, copy shops and mailing houses, are also increasingly keeping an eye on environmental impacts and carbon footprints, so it made sense to invest and to do the right thing,” says The Lamson Group CEO Rodney Frost.

“In November 2018, we installed our first system of 312 panels on one of the roofs and we let that tick along for a couple of years, just to make sure that it performed as proposed. We decided to invest in a full solar farm on all of the available roof space that we have  to be able to cater for more than what we currently require.”

“The solar power installation has led into something we’re proud of, in terms of doing the right thing for the environment – when the sun’s up our main site is off the grid,” he adds, pointing out that as far he knows, The Lamson Group is the only trade only business that is totally off the grid at its main site.

Frost says that in terms of savings, there has been a four and a half year return. The 767 panels receive just under 305KW per hour and so far, have been able to save 235 tonnes of CO2 a year.

“Ultimately, however it’s not only about the cost savings. It’s also trying to do the right things for the right reasons,” he says.

Frost can see how the move towards reducing CO2 emissions can benefit others in the industry and hopes that The Lamson Group can act as a role model and leader in the environmental sector, offering advice to other companies going the same route.

“This is something that’s not competitive in nature. It’s a collective incentive for the greater good and those generations ahead. And, as power prices go up, it’s a way to get on the front foot of energy saving,” he says.

“I’m happy to talk to anyone that is considering going through the process just to give them a heads up on what to be careful of. It’s not a hard process to have a look and find out what your return and CO2 reduction will be. The technology is precise, and within a couple of months an ROI can be obtained to see how long it’s going to take to see a payback and how many tonnes of carbon footprint you’re going to reduce.”

The Lamson Group website shows live statistics, and is transparent about what is being generated, which Frost says is something to be proud of.

“All of the information about our CO2 savings and power generation is available  on our website. If you go into the environment section on the site, you can see the statistics of what every single panel is generating live. That’s pretty cool technology,” he concludes.

Credit: Article by Print 21. 

 

SCE Deployed More Than 7MW of Monitored Solar Energy Across 800 Sites in Australia » solar
Company Updates

SCE Deployed More Than 7MW of Monitored Solar Energy Across 800 Sites in Australia

November 25, 2021 No Comments

 Tigo Energy Inc., the solar industry’s worldwide leader in Flex MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics), announced today that Australia’s SCE Energy Solutions has deployed more than 7MW of monitored solar energy across 800 commercial, residential, and rural solar installations. SCE has leveraged the Tigo Energy Intelligence (EI) software platform to expand its service-oriented approach to maximize the benefits of the Tigo platform for its clients across Australia.

SCE Energy Solutions uses the advanced chart pages for fleet management and kiosk view from Tigo Energy to enable two unique services for clients. Using the data provided by the EI software platform, SCE conducts weekly maintenance checks for system owners to ensure their systems are operating at peak performance. The kiosk view of the EI platform enables SCE to set up a screen for residential and commercial system owners through which they can showcase energy production and their commitment to renewable energy customers, colleagues, and friends.

SCE Energy Solutions has used Tigo TS4 Flex MLPE optimizers with remote module level monitoring since 2012. Since that time, SCE has implemented Tigo’s technology to service system owners throughout the Commonwealth of Australia, monitor their fleet remotely, and help customers highlight their investments in solar energy. Additionally, SCE provides critical feedback to Tigo for continuous improvement to the platform.

Read the full article here.