MyEnergy Engineering
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. 3 min read
Located in the remote South Australian outback, Murnpeowie Station lies approximately 96km east of Marree and 102km north-east of Lyndhurst. The property has a long pastoral history dating back to the 1850s, originally operating as a sheep station before transitioning to cattle. With no mains electricity available, power must be generated and managed entirely on the property, making reliable energy infrastructure an important part of station operations. For Murnpeowie, this meant establishing a new off grid power system capable of supplying reliable three-phase electricity while significantly reducing the station’s dependence on diesel generators.
Shifting from Diesel to Solar
The objective for Murnpeowie was to change the role of the station’s generators by making solar generation and battery storage the primary source of electricity. Existing generators remain integrated into the system, automatically stepping in for backup and battery charging when required. To achieve this, MyEnergy designed a 45kVA three-phase Remote Area Power System combining a 52.25kW solar array with 124kWh of lithium battery storage, providing the station with a substantial source of solar and stored energy while retaining generator support for periods of low solar production or increased demand.
Three-phase Power, Built Before It Reached the Station
With Murnpeowie located so far away from major towns, completing as much of the system build as possible before arriving on site was an important part of the project. The central power system was built in a 20ft insulated shipping container, creating a dedicated enclosure for the inverters, batteries and controls. Three Victron MultiPlus-II 15kVA inverter/chargers form the heart of the system, providing a combined 45kVA of three-phase inverter capacity, paired with 124kWh of ZYC Energy lithium battery storage. Housing the equipment inside an insulated and air conditioned container provides a secure and protected environment for all components, while allowing the core system to be built and tested before being transported to the remote site.
The Container Build
The container system was built at MyEnergy HQ, starting with a standard 20ft shipping container before being transformed into a purpose-built remote power system. From insulation and internal fit-out through to electrical wiring, battery storage, inverters and system controls, each element was planned and installed by our expert, in-house team to create a complete power system ready for deployment to Murnpeowie Station.
Framework
Lighting
Insulation and Lining
Powerwall Build
Battery Storage
Inverter Configuration
52.25kW of Ground Mounted Solar
A dedicated 52.25kW ground mounted solar array provides the station’s primary source of energy, consisting of 110 × 475W JA Solar panels installed on an S-Rack ground mount system. Positioning the array at ground level allowed the solar infrastructure to be established independently of existing station buildings. Solar generation is managed through a Fronius inverter and a Victron SmartSolar charge controller, creating an AC and DC coupled system. Energy generated by the array can supply station loads while simultaneously charging the battery bank, building up stored energy for use when solar production falls.
Generator Backup Without Generator Dependence
Generators still play an important role at Murnpeowie, but the new system changes how frequently they need to operate and what role they play in the station’s overall power supply. The existing generators have been incorporated as automated backup and charging support, allowing the system to call on generator power when additional generation is required to support station loads or recharge the batteries.
Remote Monitoring and Support
Distance is an important consideration when supplying off grid power to a remote station, making visibility over system operation particularly valuable. The Murnpeowie system incorporates a Victron Ekrano GX, providing system management and remote monitoring. This connectivity also allows the MyEnergy team to monitor system performance and provide remote support from MyEnergy HQ, giving greater visibility over an installation located hundreds of kilometres from major regional centres.
Remote Area Off Grid Power System Overview:
Key Components:
Off Grid Power Built for Station Life
With 52.25kW of solar, 124kWh of battery storage and 45kVA of three-phase inverter capacity, the station can now draw on solar and stored energy as its primary power supply, with its existing generators ready to provide additional support when required. The result is a complete off grid power system designed around the demands of a working pastoral property and the realities of operating in remote South Australia.
Need reliable power where the grid won’t go? MyEnergy designs and builds award winning off grid power systems for stations, farms and remote properties across Australia, combining solar, battery storage and generator backup around the individual power requirements of each property.
Explore MyEnergy’s containerised off grid power solutions for agriculture and remote properties, here;
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