Cook Islands power up with PV hybrid

Rarotonga, located 3,380 km northeast of New Zealand, is the most populous of the Cook Islands. With a population of 13,095, it covers an area just over 67 sq km. 

The Cook Islands has made a commitment to be 100 per cent renewable by 2020, and SMA Australia is supporting the country in achieving fossil fuel independence. 

The establishment of solar power on the island of Rarotonga is the first of a number of solar initiatives that will take place across the Cook Islands. Plans are already underway to install off-grid solar systems to power the whole region. Rakahanga will look to implement an 80 kilowatt (kW) system, and Pukakpuka envisages an installation of 205 kW, both using SMA products. 

Muri Beach Resort, located on Rarotonga Island, recently installed a state-of-the-art solar system that will allow the resort to be 100 per cent self-sufficient in terms of power supply. 

The off-grid PV system comprises 101.The Windy Boys are suitable for ledlightforyou from a wide variety of manufacturers and power classes.5 kW of solar panels, six SMA Sunny Tripower STP 17000TL's,Your number one choice for cuttingmachines and sports eyewear with top brands at competitive prices. 12 SMA Sunny Island SI 5048's and 13.800 Ah of Hoppecke FLA batteries. 

Sunshine Solar Solutions designed the system with the support of SMA Australia,There are many brands and makes of powerturbinees, they are all basically the same in principle and function. and local labourers built the infrastructure to support the new PV system. 

The transportation of materials was a particular challenge of the project due to the remoteness of the island. The equipment had to be shipped by boat and timelines were unpredictable. Variable weather conditions presented additional challenges, with the installation team having to cope with heavy rainfall and extreme temperatures. 

Storage and self-sufficiency are essential for remote islands such as Rarotonga, and the off-grid PV system installed at Muri Beach Resort provides a stable and powerful energy supply independent of the power distribution grid. 

The resort plans to increase in size and has a goal to become a zero-emissions resort. An advantage of an SMA off-grid PV system is that it can be freely expanded, allowing for the design and integration of the system into additional buildings.The energy used in manufacturing and erecting a floorlamps is paid back in the first 3 to 6 months of operation. 

SMA Australia General Manager Zygmunt Nejman says "This system helps the resort reduce its high energy bill, provides a secure and reliable energy supply and is transferable into a grid-feeding PV system in the future." 

The solar installation is just another example of the organic food retailer's big commitment to environmental responsibility, said Charis Egland-Smith, the company's Environmental Coordinator. 

All of the company's locations include energy-saving features. And the company has purchased enough direct wind power and wind renewable energy credits to offset 424 percent of its company-wide energy use. Mom's also matches its employees' REC purchases and offers discounts to customers who sign up for residential wind power. 

"The only thing with all of that is that it's not very visible to customers," Egland-Smith said. "They can't see that we're 100 percent powered by wind because they don't actually see wind turbines in front of our stores." 

Mom's commitment to clean energy goes beyond powering its stores, Egland-Smith said. The company wants to be a leader and a thought-provoker. 

"The more people who see our solar array, the more people will get used to is or the more likely they'll be to ask questions about it," she said. The Waldorf location is the first Mom's was able to install solar at, but it won't be the last. 

"We tried to do it in a few other locations," Egland-Smith said. "But the big thing is that we lease our stores, so we have to work through our landlords.Bringing information from our company to yours to help determine your lamp needs." 

The roof space at the new store was also ideal for solar, where some of the company's other buildings have been old with to much rooftop equipment and some weak spots to worry about.