DESCRIPTION
This solar battery storage system was custom made by Magellan Power as battery back-up for a critical system related to mining.

The system is located in a very remote area, and because of the solar power used, will not need diesel to be driven to site on a regular basis. 

LOCATION
The Pilbara region of Western Australia.

SCOPE OF PROJECT
Design, manufacture and comissioning of a Solar Stand Alone Power System on a Cyclone Category D structure.

CUSTOMER REQUIREMENT:
The customer required a 6-day back-up power system for their remote alarm system, which reports any failure in the mining application it supports. The 6-day back-up was needed as the area the system is being deployed in is classified as a “Severe Tropical Cyclone” region. In case of such weather, the system has been designed and certified as category D (highest cyclone protection). The site itself is very remote, which is why the customer opted for battery backed-up solar power. It is located approx. 500 kilometres from the nearest town, so diesel generated power was impractical due to the distance to refuel. 

MAGELLAN SOLUTION:
Magellan provided a deployable, all-in-one solution which consisted of solar panels, batteries, an inverter and battery chargers to ensure continuous power on the remote site. The system was built for the environment and custom-made, with reinforced backing on the solar panels with a 40-year-design life on the steel frame, plus a steel base. The panel array is adjustable 20°- 45°.  



The skidd holds three double skinned IP54 outdoor enclosures – these house the following equipment:

1. 2 x enclosures of batteries: 1 x string of 2V, 850Ah batteries for solar applications. 

2. 1 x enclosure containing a Magellan SMC 24V, 50A Battery Charger, a 100A solar charger, and a 800W inverter. The solar charger charges the batteries and the load. 

3. The solar array consists of 6 x 325W panels.

4. Equipment is secured for category D cyclones.

5. The entire system is transported easily in 1 piece, with customised eyebolts for lifting. The skidd fits onto a standard truck and does not require a wide load for transportation. 



Also included is a power inlet for a generator and a 32A GPO plug for technicians to power a laptop if they are testing or repairing remotely (image above). 

The batteries are connected using Anderson plugs which make for a simple and safe battery connection (below).



(Below) Battery inverter/ charger enclosures.