Case Studies

Application: Solar micro-hydro
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
Year: 2023
System components:
– 9kW kW of solar panel input
– 6 Morningstar TriStar TS60 controllers,
– 7.2kW total load diversion
– 1 Schneider XW inverter, 4.8kW
– 40 kWh AGM battery bank
Partners: Viridian Energy

A unique hybrid solar micro-hydro system on Vancouver Island, using Morningstar TriStar controllers, provides a technological showcase for the Viridian Energy Co-Op on Vancouver Island, B.C.

Applications: Flood Monitoring
Location: NY, United States
Year: 2023
System components:
– 2, 100W solar modules
– 1 Apex 12V, 120Ah lead acid battery
– 1 Morningstar SunSaver MPPT solar charge controller
– Mikrotik Ltap LR9 LTE Gateway
Partners: Voltaic Systems

Through a pilot program underway in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, solar design firm Voltaic Systems is working with NYC’s FloodNet cooperative to potentially bring greater security to neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area.

Applications: Telecommunications, Navigational Safety, Mining, Environmental Monitoring
Location: BC, Canada
Year: 2011-2023
Product: TriStar MPPT, ProStar MPPT, SunKeeper solar charge controllers
System sizes: Small off-grid (<5kW)
Partners: Hakai Energy Solutions

With projects covering Western Canada from Vancouver to the Arctic Circle, a diverse solar innovator standardizes on Morningstar for its portfolio of data-driven “smart, reliable” remote off-grid smaller solar electric systems for a wide range of applications, including communications, navigational safety, mining and environmental monitoring.

Application: Security (Portable Turnstiles)
Location: United States
Year: 2017-2023
Product: ProStar MPPT solar charge controller
System size: 1.2kW of solar, 600Ah battery capacity
Partners: Ameresco, Outlaw Industries

Sensitive military and other installations — such as construction sites for hospitals along with fertilizer plants, solar array “farms,” and oil & gas facilities — require high-level security access control, even if in some cases on a temporary basis (such as construction sites). “Smart” turnstiles with electronic access control are often the best way to secure the premises, manage the entry and exit of authorized personnel, and prevent those unauthorized from entering.

Application: Telecom
Location: Village of Rockstone, Guyana, South America
Year: 2022
Products: SureSine SI-300-48-120-60-HW inverter, TriStar TS-MPPT-45 charge controller
System size: 1.5kW of solar, 680Ah battery capacity
Partner: coreNOC

The lack of internet access in South American villages inhibits healthcare, education, commerce and cultural preservation opportunities for local residents. Together, coreNOC and Morningstar provided a high-speed, broadband connectivity solution powered by solar for the village of Rockstone in Guyana.

Application: Security/Surveillance
Location: Multiple Countries
Year: 2000 to present
Products: ProStar MPPT solar charge controllers and EMC-1 accessory
System size: 800W of solar and a 200-800Ah+ battery bank or a diesel generator

Fueled by the rising cost of materials along with concerns about rising criminal activity, construction sites, retail locations, and other businesses are increasingly seeking effective surveillance systems. ECAMSECURE strives to meet its clients’ goal of 100% equipment uptime for continuous protection. With sites often located in remote, challenging locations, Morningstar’s solutions are proven to deliver maximum efficiency and data needed to provide the 24n support that ECAMSECURE’s clients expect.

Application: Telecom
Location: Northern Manitoba, Canada
Year: 2021
Products: TriStar MPPT 600V charge controllers
System size: 13.4kW of solar, 15kW/48VDC generator, 1,200Ah lithium-ion battery bank
Partners include: Apeiron Energy, Charge Solar, Qcells, Polarium

A tier-one telecommunications client enlisted Apeiron Energy to provide a way to reduce its cellular tower’s reliance on two AC diesel generators to meet Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, all while maintaining 99.5% reliability. The tower’s remote location in Northern Manitoba’s arctic conditions added to the appeal of using renewable energy. Unlike the diesel generators, a solar electricity system requires no fueling and, with no moving parts, very little maintenance.

The ARIAS®️ and moving from an AC to a DC genset helped eliminate one generator and increase efficiency, reducing about 90% of the client’s annual fuel costs because the generator now only runs when the solar resource is insufficient, rather than 24/7. 

Location: Danish sector of the North Sea
Year: 2016
Products: TriStar TS-MPPT-60 and TS-MPPT-45 controllers
System size: ~10kW for a 800W continuous load and a 24V, 4800Ah battery bank
Partners include: JCE Energy

JCE Energy’s client sought a cost-effective system to supply power to telecommunications systems, navigation aid systems, bird deterrent systems, foghorns and other applications on its unmanned platform in the Danish North Sea. Operating on an unmanned platform in a remote location at sea, the system had to be fully operational without any human supervision, and sufficiently weatherized to withstand the harsh conditions of the North Sea.

JCE also had to consider the weight of the system to accommodate transportation and loading onto the deck, along with compliance with the Hazardous Location Zone system. JCE engineered a Zone 1 hybrid power system comprising a Zone 2 wind turbine, solar panels and battery enclosures, accompanying Zone 1 battery isolators and a Morningstar controller. This system is fully autonomous, requiring minimal maintenance and generating significant cost savings. As a world leader in the design and manufacture of electrical control systems for hazardous areas, JCE Energy relies on Morningstar to help power critical applications in some of the most remote and harsh environments in the world.

Location: Brunei, Southeast Asia
Year: 2019
Product: TriStar
System size: ~<100 W of solar
Partners include: Orga BV, Shell

Jack-up platforms often serve as offshore hotels and heliports for workers and visitors commuting by helicopter to and from oil and gas wellhead platforms. Aviation safety status lights are critical to operations, providing visual warnings to alert pilots whether a helideck is safe for landing. To simplify installation complexities, this critical warning light system often requires its own reliable and robust solar power system with high power availability, autonomous operation, and simple routine maintenance.

Orga BV provides dependable, effective status lighting systems powered by solar to meet the tough demands of these applications. One example is Shell’s Champion project. Orga chose to use Morningstar products because they are ‘fit and forget,’ reducing expensive service calls. They are also suitable for use in the potentially explosive environment.

If you’re looking to optimize your solar energy system, check out Morningstar’s 45 amp or 60 amp solar charge controllers and learn how to get the most of out of your solar system.