Shipping Container Transformed into Solar & Battery Storage! | 100% Off-Grid Farm

Just north of the QLD/NSW border, in the heart of the Scenic Rim, lies a chemical-free farm powered by clean energy. Ayton Farm’s mission is simple - producing naturally-grown food that enhances consumer health, rather than undermining it. The owners are passionate about creating and maintaining a clear and healthier way of life.

Being passionate about sustainability, the owners of this regenerative farm were looking to capitalise on energy from the sun to power the property. In addition to this, our customer wanted to offset the cost of irrigation on the property. Having already had a solar system installed, our customer requested Springers Solar’s expertise to expand their solar generation capabilities.

Despite the clear objective, challenges arose from the onset of this installation, each requiring careful consideration and meticulous planning from our engineering team. The initial solar system design was a grid-connected hybrid system, which would connect the property back to the grid to ensure round-the-clock power.

However, after further investigation and discussion with the customer, it was determined that their energy goals and power loads far exceeded the system size restrictions enforced by Energy QLD. With this in mind, our team pivoted to a new system design, one that is completely removed from the grid and would provide the customer with complete energy independence.

The 40.48kW ground-mounted solar array is made up of 92 x ‪@TrinasolarPV‬ Vertex S+ 440W Solar modules. Because of the location, the ground-mounted panels were designed to sit above the flood level from the most recent storm season. This was achieved by collaborating with ‪@Clenergy‬ the solar racking manufacturer, to ensure we could design a mounting system that would effectively elevate the panels while still maximising the direct sunlight the panels would receive.

The components for this system were installed in a converted shipping container, which was later installed on an elevated platform to ensure it was also protected from floods. Inside the container, plasterboard was installed to create structural walls for the inverters to be mounted to.

3 x 7.5kW ‪@selectronicau‬ Inverter Chargers, chosen for their reliable power conversion, were paired with 3 x ‪@FroniusSolar‬ 15kW GEN24 Symo Selectronic-Certified Inverters. This enhanced setup operates on an AC-coupled configuration, allowing to efficiently handle substantial AC loads throughout the day.

In addition to the AC-coupled components, this system also includes a ‪@VictronEnergyBV‬ SmartSolar RS 450/200 Solar Charge Controller, which is DC-coupled to ensure the large battery stack maintains maximum energy storage for the customer.

The system is completed by 36 x ‪@powerplusenergy1694‬ 4kWh ECO4840P battery modules. These modules are contained in two PowerPlus PIR20C Battery Cabinets, and offer our customer a total of 144kWh of battery capacity for the property.

Read the full case study here:

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