Roseworthy sits north of Adelaide in South Australia’s Mid North, approximately 50 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD. Home to the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy Campus, the site has played a major role in Australian agricultural education for more than 130 years. Established in 1883, Roseworthy is one of the country’s oldest agricultural teaching and research campuses and is best known for its focus on agriculture, animal science, agribusiness and large-scale farming systems. Reliable off grid power is essential in supporting this type of education and research.

Off Grid Power for Agricultural Research and Teaching

As part of its agricultural education programs, the University required a dedicated off grid power system to support a Wind Cube installation at the Roseworthy Campus, used to measure wind velocity. The Wind Cube relies on two high-precision scanners, each drawing 1kW at 240V AC, emitting laser pulses to measure wind velocity and direction across the surrounding landscape. Positioned approximately 1.2 metres above ground, the scanner head allows detailed observation of near-surface wind behaviour critical to agricultural research and teaching.

To ensure accurate data collection, the off grid power system needed to operate without interfering with the wind field being measured. This meant careful consideration of system placement, height and layout.

Custom Off Grid Power Designed Around the Wind Cube

MyEnergy were brought in to design and supply a tailored off grid power solution that could reliably run the Wind Cube scanners while meeting strict site constraints. The power system needed to be located downstream of the prevailing wind direction and limited to a height of approximately 1.2 metres. This positioning prevents the power infrastructure from affecting airflow and ensures unobstructed wind field observation in all directions.

After a detailed assessment, MyEnergy designed a complete off grid power system housed within a medium-sized steel cabinet. The cabinet allows for ventilation and is vermin and weather-resistant. The system was designed, built and tested off site, ensuring reliable power from the first day of installtion.

Ground-Mounted Solar and Reliable Off Grid Power Supply

With no suitable roof structures available, the off grid power system uses a ground-mounted solar array. The array consists of 20 JA Solar panels installed on an S-Rack Ground Mounting system, with the ground mounting completed using a GAYK pile driving machine operated by MyEnergy’s in-house team.

At the heart of the system is a Victron MultiPlus-II inverter, with power stored in 30.72 kWh of ZYC Energy battery storage to support continuous operation and backup power available if ever required through an auto start Himoinsa generator.

Advanced system monitoring is handled via the Victron Cerbo GX, giving clear visibility of system performance and ensuring reliable off grid power delivery during all operating conditions.

Off Grid Power System Overview

• Solar: 8.8kW JA Solar panels
• Inverter: Victron MultiPlus-II 48/5000/70-50 230V
• Battery Storage: 30.72kWh ZYC Energy batteries

Key Components

• Victron Cerbo GX
• S-Rack Ground Mount System
• Protective Steel Cabinet

Off Grid Power Supporting Agricultural Learning

The completed off grid power system now delivers a dependable energy supply for the Wind Cube installation and other agricultural operations at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy Campus. By combining ground-mounted solar, substantial battery storage and carefully planned system placement, the setup supports accurate wind measurement without compromise.

MyEnergy designs off grid power systems that integrate with agricultural technology, ensuring system placement does not interfere with technical equipment. At Roseworthy, this approach gives students hands on experience with practical off grid power while supporting accurate wind analysis for farming education. It shows that across Australia, off grid power is about reliability, adaptability and learning by doing, supporting the next generation of Australian farmers.

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