Melbourne data centre installs 51 kW solar system

Telecoms provider OMNIconnect has installed the Enphase Microinverter system at its data centre building in Melbourne, through installation company MORE Solar Energy.

MORE Solar Energy employed Enphase M215 microinverters for the 30 kW rooftop solar photovoltaic system with a further 21 kW being installed in May. The aggregated 51 kW solar system will assist OMNIconnect in its company commitment to building a sustainable and green business, and further guarantee a reliable power supply.

Peter Hutton, CEO at OMNIconnect, said, “Since our new Enphase solar system was installed in December 2014, Enlighten Monitoring reports that it has generated 19.8 MWh of energy, roughly the equivalent of planting 359 trees. We are expecting the system to deliver 70 MWh of energy and over $12,000 in tangible savings per year.”

Already a highly energy-efficient building, the data centre houses a range of innovative environmental technologies and solutions including economised cooling, lighting sensors, energy saver lights, a water collection and filtration system, and natural ventilation. The company additionally uses a heat recovery system that uses hot air from the data centre to heat the office areas during winter months.

“The Enphase system works in concert with existing green initiatives to provide clean energy in the most efficient way possible,” said Nathan Dunn, Asia-Pacific managing director of Enphase Energy.

“Not only does this reduce overheads and the building’s carbon footprint, it also bolsters the stability of the facility’s power supply, which is crucial for any data centre.”

Enphase Energy worked closely with solar installer MORE Solar Energy to design and deliver a system for the data centre with maximum production capabilities. “This facility holds and delivers critical, high-value data around the clock, which means that any additional support for the existing power supply is actively pursued,” said Leon Fong, project developer at MORE Solar Energy.

The Enphase Enlighten monitoring system provides the company with real-time analytics to ensure the data centre’s system is working at optimum level.

Enphase Microinverters are designed to IP67 standards and only came to market after one million hours of power-on testing. The Enphase Enlighten monitoring system also provides OMNIconnect with the ability to ensure the data centre’s system is working at an optimum level at all times.

Image courtesy of Enphase Energy.