22 Railway Road Subiaco

The Challenge

22 Railway Rd is a commercial strata scheme consisting of thirty six tenancies. The scheme is configured as an embedded network, and as such purchases the sites electricity supply via a single supply, then on-charges their tenants via their privately-scheme owned meter network. The scheme asked EnergyTec for a solar feasibility study to ascertain the Return on Investment (ROI) and ongoing savings achieved should they deploy solar onto their complex. EnergyTec obliged, and the feasibility was undertaken.

The roof was structurally suitable to accommodate solar and was in very good condition. The electricity infrastructure was also new, however special limitations would require significant modification to accommodate the solar integration, should the owners choose to proceed. A 100-kW system was nominated as the optimal size, which would generate 154,133 kWh of electricity or 37% of the sites annual requirements. Emissions savings of 118 tonnes of CO2 per year with a 4.32-year ROI are forecast. The scheme approved our recommended “Next Steps” to prepare a preliminary project plan to formalise costs, agreements and issue a solar RFQ to the market. The successful applicant was selected and recommended to the scheme with updated ROI forecasts.

Our Solution

EnergyTec was engaged as the project managers to oversee the solar project design/implementation and the integration into the electrical infrastructure. This included a meter network integration and automation scope for specific advanced meters to configure for bi-directional electricity flow and remote communications for the solar meters to enable future solar monitoring capability.

EnergyTec also recommended our Advantage Service Level Agreement (SLA) which includes electricity procurement. We identified the complex could improve its electricity purchasing arrangements by taking its load out to the WA contestable energy market for competitive pricing. The Scheme signed off on the SLA and the outcome has yielded electricity cost savings for every kWh purchased from the grid. The electrical infrastructure and solar integration design have been completed and the project has just received Western Power approval. Implementation is currently in progress.