Ever since I was 12 years old, and I watched my two Grandfathers grow and maintain their edible gardens, I have yearned to do the same. I learnt so much from them and started my own veggie patch. Every year we would ‘compete’ to see who could grow the best tomatoes, carrots, lettuce you name it, and I was amazed at how much joy and satisfaction you could get from gardening.
A year after I graduated from secondary school I started an electrical apprenticeship. I was always that kid who would pull apart his electronic toys to see how they worked (then often needed my dad to put them back together) so becoming an electrician was an obvious career choice in many ways. I worked in Melbourne and rural Victoria, before moving to the U.K. for a number of years. Upon returning in 2010, I started working in the Solar industry and have never looked back.
To see the arrival of battery storage is an exciting time for me. I truly believe the future of our planet depends on us altering the way we live. Solar power is clean and renewable, as long as the sun shines you can create and use your own power. But up until recently it has been expensive to store. With feed in tariffs now down to very low levels, people are finding it’s almost not worth exporting your excess power back to the grid.
Over the very hot 4 day period of December 15 - 18 - 2015, I had the privilege and pleasure of staying at the Moora Moora Coop, at the picturesque Mt Toolebewong, which is located a few kilometres outside Healesville, Victoria. As the website states :
'Moora Moora is a co-operative residential community made up of a diverse group of about 50 adults and 20 children. We deliberately choose to live together in six small hamlets located on a beautiful co-operatively owned 245 hectare property situated at an altitude of 700 metres on Mt Toolebewong’.
I was here to complete the Solar Hybrid/Off grid training provided by Glen Morris of Solarquip. Over the 4 days we learnt how to size, configure, program and design both on-grid “solar hybrid” systems (solar panels plus battery storage) and off-grid stand-alone power systems.
Off grid living has been something that has always fascinated me. The thought of a world completely powered by renewable energy, people banding together for a common cause, working with nature and not against it, was something I always thought was years off, and not very achievable in the modern fast paced world. To see it working and thriving at Moora Moora was a dream come true.
Moora Moora is an amazing place, it is right up my alley. As they state :
‘We plan to create a community education environment, a centre for learning how to live. We seek to create a learning environment that facilitates full realisation of the members potential, a centre that involves people of all ages, where learning is throughout life and integrated within one's living situation. We base our learning on our environment and the people with whom we live’.
Sustainable living is not a pipe dream, Moora Moora is proof of that.
The day started after I successfully managed to navigate my way through some amazing nature, this truly is a beautiful part of Victoria, and indeed Australia. The weather was hot, but thankfully as Glen stated it was usually around 5 degrees cooler up the mountain, and we made our way over to the ‘Octagon’ to begin the lessons.
Glen explaining PV sizing
Over the 4 days, we would alternate between this room and the practical training site.
Our first look at one very impressive Redback unit
A great little trailer, set up as a mini test lab
The Selectronics SP pro, and ABB inverters
We were split into 4 or 5 groups and given tasks. The tasks varied, and consisted of a small PV set up in a trailer, to a pop top caravan, to more advanced work inside the sheds, working with Selectronics, ABB, SOLA X, Redback, Fronius, and Giant to name a few.
With my background in grid connected PV arrays, a lot of what I was seeing was very familiar, but it opened up an entire new set of parameters with the hybrid/off grid storage options, and in many ways it was like going back to square one.
The boys having a go at their first hybrid
We experimented all day with different wiring set ups, some more successfully than others, but eventually managed to see some results, even though the sun was starting to set and the PV being created was quite low.
The mix of students attending the course varied from salesmen, to engineers and of course electricians, so to see the mix of knowledge and experience in the same area, all demonstrating different techniques, style and skill, was a fascinating site.
Often I found myself asking questions to guys who had been around the block quite a few times when it came to the off grid/hybrid/storage field, and I found their experience a true asset for all of us new to the area.
The working day ended and we made our way over to the charming homestead where we would be staying, eating and socialising for the next 4 days, for the most popular part of the day – the ‘solar beers’.
The Moora Moora Café
After dinner I went for a walk and witnessed an amazing sunset, I was blown away by the beauty, but I got the feeling the locals up here see this kind of thing ‘all the time’
On the last day we went for a tour of the Co-op to see the different kinds of solar and hydro set ups that power the clusters. The first cluster is part of a micro grid, that is controlled by some SMA gear in a central mini control room, wedged between two residents houses.
The house itself is partially clad in sustainable material
Glen explaining the process of creating and mixing the render
Every where you look, there are solar panels
And not to mention some pretty impressive veggie patches
The property also has a Hydro power set up
With one heck of a view of Melbourne
Plus some great little greenhouses
As another day was winding down, I took the time to reflect on what I believe the future of Australia and renewable energy will be. I think we are in for a massive change in attitudes and understanding of renewables and the role they will no doubt play in the way we create and harvest our power.
Since the recent first wave or mini PV boom of 2010, the industry has advanced at an enormous rate, to even think about storing the ‘free’ and virtually endless sun that you capture on your roof a few years ago was enough to send a shiver down your spine with the thought of how much it would cost.
That is no longer the case. Off grid and hybrid storage is about to explode, and we have a chance now to be pioneers of an amazing seismic shift to move away from fossil fuels, and start to take care of our planet, and the state we leave it in for our children.
Sustainability starts with us, we need to change our mindset. It isn’t hard, and places like Moora Moora are proof.
I would like to thank Glen, the people of Moora Moora, and my classmates for making the last 4 days a great experience.
I met some great people and left with a wealth of knowledge on hybrid/off grid systems.
Glen Morris
By Chris Dunlevy, Earth Neutral.