Powering One of South Australia’s Most Innovative Robotic Dairies Off-Grid.

Rockwella Dairies on the Fleurieu Peninsula is a family-run operation where innovation has long played a central role. Rockwella Dairies were recently recognised with the South Australian Dairyfarmers' Association (SADA) Innovative Farmer of the Year Award, acknowledging the owners' ongoing investment in industry-leading genetics, precision livestock technologies, renewable energy and robotic milking infrastructure.

This commitment to adopting new technology has helped position Rockwella among Australia's leading dairy enterprises, while maintaining a strong focus on animal welfare and business performance. That same approach extends to one of the property's most critical operational requirements: power.

Rockwella operates a large-scale robotic dairy where power is required around the clock. From robotic milking and milk cooling to wash cycles and pumping, the operation combines high daily energy consumption with significant three-phase loads that demand a stable and reliable power supply.

With daily energy demand of approximately 2.8MWh and peak demand reaching 290–350kW, providing reliable power for the site requires careful planning around continuous loads, sudden changes in demand and the sensitive equipment that keeps the dairy operating 24/7.

Powering a 24/7 Robotic Dairy

Unlike a typical agricultural property, a robotic dairy has a continuous load profile. Milking systems, refrigeration, pumps and cleaning equipment operate throughout the day and night, with large loads capable of coming online at the same time.

For Rockwella Dairies, system stability was just as important as overall energy capacity. The new system needed to manage high instantaneous three-phase loads while maintaining the voltage and frequency stability required by sensitive robotic equipment.

The property already operates with a 400kVA diesel generator, while the owners are also considering future methane and biogas generation. With the option of a grid connection requiring significant investment, the priority was to establish a reliable and scalable power platform capable of supporting the dairy’s current operations and future plans.

A High-Capacity Off Grid Power System

MyEnergy designed the off grid power system around the demanding operating profile of the dairy, combining 308.75kW of solar, 645kWh of battery storage and 300kW of inverter capacity.

The 308.75kW JA Solar array was installed across the roof of the milking shed using a Schletter roof mount system, making use of the available roof space to provide substantial solar generation for the dairy’s continuous power requirements.

At the centre of the system are three Deye High Voltage C&I battery cabinets, providing a combined 645kWh of battery storage and 300kW of inverter capacity. A Deye EMS 1000 manages energy across the system, coordinating solar generation, battery storage and the dairy’s changing load profile.

The result is an off grid power system designed not simply to generate and store energy, but to actively manage the complex demands of a large robotic dairy operating 24 hours a day.

Integrating Existing Infrastructure

Rockwella Dairies already operates with a 400kVA diesel generator, providing firm generation capacity for the site. The new off grid power system has been designed to integrate with this existing infrastructure while creating a more flexible and scalable power platform for the dairy.

The system architecture has also been developed with future methane and biogas generation in mind. Rather than relying on future biogas generation as the stabilising backbone of the system, the priority is to first establish a stable solar, battery and diesel foundation capable of supporting the dairy independently.

This provides a strong foundation for additional generation to be incorporated in the future while maintaining the stable three-phase power required by the dairy’s robotic equipment.

Off Grid Power System Overview:

• Solar: 308.75kW JA Solar Panels.

• Battery & Inverter System: 3 × Deye High Voltage C&I Battery Cabinets — 215kWh storage + 100kW inverter capacity each.

  (645kWh total storage + 300kW total inverter capacity)

• Monitor: Deye EMS 1000.

• Mounting System: Schletter Roof Mount System.

Designed Around Real Operating Conditions

For a robotic dairy that never switches off, reliable off grid power is critical to production. Rockwella Dairies required more than a standard solar and battery system; it needed a carefully designed power architecture capable of supporting continuous loads, large three-phase equipment and multiple generation sources.

The completed system provides a stable foundation for the dairy’s current operations while leaving room for future expansion and biogas integration as the site develops.

Running a Robotic Dairy? Talk to MyEnergy about a power system designed around the way your site actually operates.