Autonomous Energy worked with Toyota Motor Corporation Australia to design, supply, install, commission and maintain a 500kW large commercial scale Solar PV system, covering the roof of the 'Powertrain Factory' at Toyota's Altona North manufacturing plant in Melbourne.
At the time of installation this was the largest solar PV power system in Victoria and the third largest roof mounted Solar Power system in Australia. Autonomous Energy's industry leading solar engineering, installation and project management teams are responsible for all aspects of this complex and innovative project.
Autonomous Energy solution
- System was an Australian first featuring direct connection of 2000 Kyocera Solar Modules to Toyota's 22,000 volt medium voltage network via a single 500kW Central Inverter and transformer.
- Detailed site-specific Health and Safety Management Plan, including tailoring safety policies and procedures to ensure project delivered safe outcomes for all Toyota staff, Autonomous Energy staff, contractors and the public. Regular safety audits conducted by Autonomous Energy, Toyota and external safety auditors.
- Installation of sloping walkways, permanent ladders and access platforms
- Custom stillages designed and constructed to ensure safe storage of pallets of panels on the roof.
- Electrical isolation points utilizing string combiner boxes were integrated to allow safe disconnection and isolation for each string of panels for each roof section.
- The point of connection for the power conversion unit is 22,000 Volts. Autonomous Energy designed and managed the construction of high voltage and low voltage reticulation infrastructure required for the connection of a 500kW central inverter and 750kVA step up transformer.
- Innovative integration of the systems communication and control to the Toyota network including the use of Fibre optics for SCADA monitoring and control, three separate communications protocols to provide solar performance monitoring and automated control to the inverter, transformer, high voltage motorized circuit breaker and seven string combiner boxes.
What Toyota says
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Autonomous Energy completed the installation of a 500kW solar power system at Toyota Motor Corporation Australia’s manufacturing plant in Melbourne in May 2014. They provided Toyota with excellent service and high quality of workmanship. Autonomous Energy’s knowledge and experience in Solar power system design and installation was invaluable and great asset to in the project’s success.Their attention to safety, detail, workmanship and quality control was above our expectations. Autonomous Energy also catered for our needs and request without any hesitation which made the final handover of the project a smooth transition. I would recommend Autonomous Energy to anyone and any company who wishes to carry out work in the design and installation of Solar Power systems. Autonomous Energy maintained a professional attitude from the first day we engaged them. Their willingness, good communication and positive attitude in all aspects of the project allowed this large scale Solar Installation to be a huge success.
- Mario Como, Senior Engineer, Toyota Motor Corporation Australia