SA Solar First – The Best Badminton Players Are Always Energised

Thanks to the City of West Torrens, the home of Badminton in S.A, Satterley Hall in Lockleys, has recently had a 20 kW/hr ZEN Freedom PowerBank energy storage unit, along with a 7 kW system of 28 solar panels installed. This being the first commercial installation of Norwood company ZEN Energy Systems’ world-first Freedom PowerBank and will enable the Hall to store energy generated by solar power throughout the day, keep up supply during outages and recharge from the grid during the night.

More than 600 badminton players who use the facility will be happy that their matches will end in match-point rather than a sudden power cut due to the PowerBank energy storage unit offsetting almost 80% of the Hall’s energy usage.

John Trainer, the Mayor of the City of West Torrens explained that the solar power and energy storage system is the council’s “flagship” clean energy project. He also said “This is part of a long-term strategy to have a 15 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the six years between 2008 and 2014,”

Funding for the installation was shared between the City of West Torrens and the Local Government Association’s Solar Council’s Innovation Fund.

Richard Turner, ZEN Energy Systems chief executive, states that energy storage systems offer energy independence and added protection against increasing power bills. Mr Turner also said “These systems can also be used to store low cost off-peak energy, making it available during peak times when energy is much more expensive.” “Reliance on the public grid system is significantly reduced, while also providing up to four hours of energy back-up at peak power if the grid goes down.”

The Author

Darryn Van Hout

I developed an interest in the Australian energy and construction sectors more than a decade ago and have since closely followed the trends, technologies and developments shaping both industries. My involvement in the Australian solar market began in 2008, and over the years I have built strong connections with professionals, businesses and organisations across the construction, solar and renewable energy sectors in Australia and internationally. These connections include solar panel and inverter manufacturers, electrical and construction industry professionals, software developers creating tools to quote, monitor and manage solar power systems, and media organisations that closely follow developments across energy, construction and renewable technologies. Today, I continue to contribute as an industry advocate, author and commentator, sharing practical insights and information to help Australian consumers and businesses better understand solar power, energy technologies, construction-related developments and the changing Australian energy landscape.