Ikea store in Adelaide hosts Australia’s largest commercial microgrid

May 29 (Renewables Now) - Australia’s largest grid-connected commercial microgrid has been commissioned at the Ikea store in Adelaide, it was announced last week.

The microgrid includes a rooftop array of 3,024 solar panels. It combines 1.2 MW of solar generation with an on-site 3.45-MWh lithium-ion battery, controlled by eleXsys energy management system.

The AUD-6.6-million (USD 4.3m/EUR 4m) project is powering 70% of the Ikea Adelaide store, while surplus electricity can be traded into the South Australian network at times of peak demand. It was backed by a AUD-1.95-million grant from the South Australian government’s Renewable Technology Fund.

The microgrid was designed and built by Planet Ark Power and will be owned and operated by Epic Energy.

IKEA Australia sustainability lead Peter Richmond said the microgrid would contribute to the goal of 100% renewable energy consumption by the Adelaide store by 2025 and generate more clean energy for the local community.

(AUD 1 = USD 0.654/EUR 0.608)