Case Studies

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.

Application: Telecom
Location: Oregon and Washington
Product: Sunsaver MPPT
Partners include: The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network

Unlike severe weather, which can be tracked and mapped for days and even weeks before landfall, earthquakes appear suddenly and without warning. Advances in technology now allow detecting earthquakes within life-saving seconds before shaking has begun.

The Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) monitors ground motion and generates real-time earthquake information to emergency responders, the press and public. The project has more than 400 stations, making it the second largest seismic network in the United States. Strong-motion instrumentation, especially with real-time digital communications, requires a reliable power source. Because weather hazards often cause widespread power outages, each system must have a backup battery system with enough capacity to operate continuously for four days.

Morningstar’s SunSavers enable many of PNSN’s power supply systems. Its EMC-1 adapter allows monitoring critical data in real-time, alerting technicians of any issues. The EMC also integrates with the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) to help PNSN’s engineers plan for maintenance.

Location: Java Sea, Indonesia
Year: 2020
Products: TriStar TS-MPPT-60 controllers
System size: 25kW for a 1.6kW continuous load with 24V, 5,500Ah battery banks
Partners include: JCE Energy

Wellhead platforms in the Java Sea play a vital role in oil and gas development, but their remote location in a harsh, hazardous environment requires a more durable and powerful means of generating electricity for critical onboard systems. JCE Energy supplies larger, more powerful solar electric systems including nickel-cadmium batteries, a monitoring and alarm system, power distribution boards, solar panels, and a Morningstar controller suitable for use in Zone 1 hazardous areas. These systems power locally installed instrumentation, telecoms equipment, navigational aids, and process equipment/motors on each platform.

Location: Persian Gulf Coast, Middle East
Year: 2000
Products: SunSaver SS-MPPT-15L controllers
System size: 200W with 12V or 24V, 120Ah battery banks
Partners include: JCE Energy

One of the many hazards unmanned offshore installations face in daily operation is that seabirds like to use them for roosting. Not only does the waste they produce impair the efficiency of solar modules, but it can also cause serious corrosion and continual shutdowns with material failures. The challenge lies in implementing a bird deterrence system that can continually operate without access to a source of power on board. That’s why two decades ago JCE Group successfully certified the world’s first Ex Solar Power Pod (SPP) consisting of a PV module, battery, and solar controller on a steel frame. Capable of powering bird deterrent devices, they are designed to continuously operate in hazardous locations and in the presence of flammable gasses and are ATEX-approved for Zone 1 and 2 areas for use in navigation aids, alarm systems, gas detection, bird scaring, camera surveillance, ship-to-shore communications
and more. The solution’s success prompted JCE to create a dedicated renewable energy division. Today, through JCE Energy, SPPs continue to provide solutions, thriving along with Morningstar controllers in extreme environments including desert, jungle, offshore and sub-zero climates.

Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Year: 2020
Product: TriStar TS-MPPT-60 controller
System size: 6kW with a 48V, 900Ah battery bank
Partners include: JCE Energy

Torry Battery is a landmark artillery installation that has overlooked Aberdeen’s Greyhope Bay harbor since 1860. Today, it’s known for its spectacular panoramic views of the city and coast, as well as the largest bottlenose dolphins in the world. Conservationists wanted to renovate the Battery to create an educational marine center for the community with a zerofootprint, sustainable design. Based in the Aberdeen region, JCE Energy stepped in to provide a renewable solution to power the center plus a community space and cafe at the remote site. The system includes shipping containers equipped with rooftop solar arrays to charge batteries inside. Ultimate project goals include replacing the supplemental generator still in place with a wind turbine for a 100% green energy solution.