The sun-drenched region of Australasia has long been a haven for solar energy, and Trinasolar has played a pivotal role in offering a full spectrum of solutions to build on this opportunity.
In 2023, both Australia and New Zealand saw significant advancements in their overall solar sectors.
Australia has witnessed a significant 12.5 per cent increase in total installed solar capacity, now boasting 34.2 gigawatts (GW).
In parallel, New Zealand has also made impressive progress, thanks to strong government support, a rising need for grid-balancing services, and the ever-changing dynamics of the power market.
Consequently, both countries are experiencing a heightened demand for innovative renewable solutions, establishing themselves as frontrunners in the renewable energy sector.
Trinasolar has played a pivotal role in this renewable landscape across Australasia. As one of the few providers offering a full spectrum of solutions, it delivers an extensive array of modules, trackers, and energy storage systems.
With an integrated approach, Trinasolar serves a variety of sectors and applications, ranging from large-scale solar farms to community projects and educational institutions, thus driving the momentum towards a sustainable future.
Trailblazing community-driven solutions
One of Trinasolar’s most remarkable achievements in the region is the Goulburn Community Farm in New South Wales, a pioneering initiative driven by residents under the Goulburn Community Energy Co-operative.
This 1.35MW solar farm, designed and installed by Smart Commercial Solar and developed by Komo Energy, is set to be one of the world’s first to integrate Trinasolar’s cutting-edge Vertex N bifacial modules, TrinaTracker Fix Origin fixed-tilt racking, and the advanced TrinaStorage Elementa 2.2MWh battery energy storage system.
“We’re thrilled to be involved in a project which shows what community will and persistence can achieve when it comes to accessing clean energy,” James Duckworth, National-Business Development Manager at Smart Commercial Solar said.
“Community Energy 4 Goulburn and Komo Energy have worked hard for years to bring cheaper, cleaner energy to Goulburn, and we’re excited to deliver this significant solar and storage project for them.”
Advancing through collaborative research
In parallel, Trinasolar announced its involvement in establishing Australia’s inaugural tracker testbed at the Hills Educational Foundation (HEF) located near Brisbane, Queensland.
This collaborative effort with HEF, Queensland University of Technology, and construction and civil engineering services by Diona, was initiated by Robert Saunders (now at Elecseed), who brought together diverse partners responsible for the project’s design, technology, construction, funding, and research.
The testbed measures the performance of a modern solar farm against an eight-year-old counterpart, using Trinasolar’s Vertex DEG19 bifacial modules on single-axis Vanguard 2P trackers.
The insights gained from this testbed will aid cost analyses for future solar farm replacements, reflecting Trinasolar’s holistic approach to continuing advancing solar technology.
The testbed will explore the albedo effect, experimenting with materials like recycled tin cans, pale-coloured ground covers, and cement sheeting to enhance light reflectivity for increased energy yield.
Additionally, the college aims to delve into agrivoltaics, intending to utilise white-painted offcuts of shipping containers for cultivating mycelium, a protein-rich fungus widely recognized as a valuable feedstock.
“Agrivoltaics is something that Australia’s farming community is interested to explore,” Joseph Marinov, CEO of the Hills Educational Foundation said.
“Creating an environment conducive for crops to grow under the solar modules will help the country’s farmers to embrace renewable energy.”
A showcase of integrated solutions
Trinasolar’s prowess as a total solutions provider is further exemplified by its involvement in New Zealand’s largest solar farm to date – Kohirā solar farm.
This monumental utility-scale solar project, developed in collaboration with Lodestone Energy, spans an impressive 64 hectares and features over 61,000 Trinasolar Vertex 550W modules mounted on TrinaTracker systems, generating 33MW of DC energy.
The project’s integration of Trinasolar’s ultra-high-power bifacial dual glass modules with Vanguard 2P trackers, powered by a smart algorithm will optimise the tracking angle of the sun, ensuring maximum energy generation even in challenging environmental conditions.
The Kohirā solar farm showcases the implementation of agrivoltaic farming, enabling the coexistence of solar energy generation and agricultural activities like grazing sheep or growing crops beneath the solar panels.
By maximising land use efficiency, this dual-purpose system not only generates renewable energy but also supports local agricultural initiatives, a crucial factor in regions like New Zealand with its increasingly limited land resources.
Beyond supplying solar panels and trackers, Trinasolar has actively supported local installers, such as Infratec and Drillco, by sharing its 27 years of experience and providing training in assembly and installation techniques.
This collaborative approach has enabled lower installation pricing, minimized contingency costs, and streamlined processes for faster delivery and unified
after-sales service.
“Our collaboration with Trinasolar enables us to fulfill our goal of supplying renewable energy solutions to more consumers in New Zealand, meeting their sustainability goals while ensuring economic stability,” Gary Holden, Managing Director of Lodestone Energy said.
Trinasolar’s comprehensive product portfolio, backed by 27 years of solar innovation, positions the company as a formidable driving force in Australasia’s renewable energy transformation.
As a top global photovoltaic module supplier with over 190GW shipped by 2023, Trinasolar’a cutting-edge versatile tracker solutions are optimal for diverse Australasian terrains, and deliver robust stability and effortless installation.
Trinasolar’s in-house battery manufacturing expertise also allows the company to provide advanced BESS solutions that seamlessly integrate with its solar offerings, creating a comprehensive clean energy ecosystem.
For more details, visit trinasolar.com/au
This article featured in the June edition of ecogeneration.
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