Remote Power
Remote Power Systems
Photovoltaic solar power systems are ideally suited to provide power in almost any situation where the grid is either unavailable or not desired, from simple water pumping systems, remote telemetry and communication systems right through to complete households and stations, anything needing electricity can be powered by the sun using photovoltaic solar power systems.
In some situations it may be beneficial to combine more than one energy source, into a hybrid system. Hybrid systems are generally used when the power requirements are quite high, such as for a household or worksite and can include any mix of solar power, wind power, hydro power, diesel (or other fossil powered) generators and / or virtually any other available source of electricity.
Household Remote Power Systems
Typical household 'stand alone' power systems (SAPS) use solar as the primary power source with a diesel genset to provide backup in case of extended poor weather or short term increases in electricity requirements. This means that the solar array can be smaller than would be required to give the same level of energy security were solar to be used alone. The cost of running the genset should be low as it will generally only be used infrequently during periods of extended cloudy weather. Significant government assistance is available for PV solar power systems that are installed in remote areas that are currently relying on diesel. See our rebates page for more information.
The size of the solar arrays and battery banks will depend largely on how much energy the household uses. The more power consumption, the larger the solar power system will need to be. Systems can be single or three phase and can be as large as required. Remote power systems generally cost between $20,000 and $50,000 with a 50% government rebate available in many cases. Contact Solar Horizon to talk to one of our engineers about what system would be best for you.
Device Scale Systems
Solar power is often the most cost effective way to run devices which are located in areas where no low voltage grid connection is available. Since no wires need to be run to link the system to a grid line, solar power often works out as the cheapest option even in cases where there are power lines close by.
Solar power can be used to run any manner of devices such as water pumps, remote monitoring devices, remote switching, telecommunications sites and traffic signals to name a few. Please feel free to contact us with any enquiries regarding remote power applications.