- WA's first 50kVa hybrid solar battery used to power construction work site
- Innovative solution is powering an off-grid construction site for the METRONET Whiteman Park Station
- Replaces the need to use diesel generator - saving up to 45,000 litres of diesel or approximately 42 cars off the road per year
Western Australia's largest rail infrastructure project, the METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line, is now home to the State's first 50 kilovolt-ampere (kVa) hybrid solar battery used in construction.
The hybrid solar battery is powering the off-grid construction site at the Whiteman Park Station.
The environmentally friendly solution uses a combination of solar panels and batteries, replacing the need for a standard diesel generator.
The use of solar and batteries will save an estimated 45,000 litres of diesel across the life of the project, and an associated reduction of approximately 128 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) equating to 42 cars off the road per year.
The Hybrid Power System consists of a large solar fold out array, a battery and a small backup generator. The 44-kilowatt Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels generate electricity, with excess energy sent to charge the 45kVA battery which is stored for overnight use or when the sun is not shining.
Aside from emissions reduction and electricity cost savings, using solar power backed by battery storage provides certainty in delivery.
The initiative supports the METRONET Sustainability Strategy, which has a target to reduce greenhouse gas emission from materials and energy across the program's construction and operations phases by 20 per cent.
As stated by Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"This is a great example of our Government seeking innovative solutions that reduce our carbon footprint, particularly on major infrastructure projects like the Morley-Ellenbrook Line.
"Across all our METRONET projects we're looking at ways to reduce environmental impacts and using a hybrid solar battery at the Whiteman Park Station shows the benefits of using renewable energy for construction.
"To date the hybrid solar battery has proven to be successful, and we will look at other opportunities to use similar systems on other projects."
