Projects

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Arctic and Antarctic
Year: Late 1990s to present day
Products: Various Morningstar charge controllers, SureSine inverter, Relay Driver, and meters
Partners include: Tracy Dahl, KiloVault, Sunwize Technologies, Polar Field Services

Tracy Dahl is passionate about developing sustainable solutions. When his mechanical expertise landed him a job as a snowmobile mechanic in the Antarctic in the mid-1990s, he saw an opportunity for renewable energy there as well.  

For the past two decades, Dahl has worked alongside researchers in the Arctic and Antarctic to lead the transition from diesel generation to renewable power from pole to pole. He’s done a variety of wind and solar projects including systems with a single solar panel, charge controller and battery; vehicles with DC and AC power; chalets at research stations; and complex projects like large autonomous power and communication systems with remote-control monitoring that run lidar, radar and other research equipment. 

No matter the application, Dahl says that Morningstar charge controllers are his go-to solution. In addition to their price point, they can withstand the difficult, condensing environments that often take out power electronics. He’s especially fond of the controllers’ maximum power point tracking (MPPT) capability.

“In a high-altitude, low-temperature environment with reflective snow cover, the MPPT  works incredibly well, providing about 20% to 25% more energy capture than PWM controllers,” he said. “The cold weather pushes the panel voltage way up, but that doesn’t mean anything unless you can turn it into amps through the MPPT. I have actually measured it out side by side and it’s astonishing how much better it works in these environments.”

Application: Oil & Gas
Location: South Texas
Year: 2014
Product: TriStar MPPT and SunSaver
System size: 800W array; 24 Volt Deka Solar gelled electrolyte lead acid batteries
Partner: Amereseco Solar

An off-grid application at the Eagle Ford Shale site in South Texas uses TriStar MPPT solar charge controllers to regulate battery charging to power SCADA equipment, RTU’s and cathodic protection.  For several decades, the Morningstar brand of products have been chosen by the world’s largest oil and gas companies in these applications, because of their reputation for reliability and strong customer support.

Application: Telecom
Location: Paterson Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar 600-Vdc charge controllers and ground-fault protectors
System size: 15.6 kW
Partners include: NorthwesTel, Howell-Mayhew Engineering, Action Electric, JA Solar

An off-grid telecom system at Paterson Lake in Canada’s Northwest Territories traditionally relied on a diesel generator for electricity. Despite uneven slabs of rock, Howell Mayhew Engineering and Action Electric developed a 15-kW solar PV system to reduce generator use by 60%. Workers dropped off equipment from a helicopter because of no road access for 80 km. The installation uses black 260-W JA Solar modules and batteries for clean, reliable cost-effective solar electricity. The project also incorporated Morningstar 600-Vdc ground-fault protectors and charge controllers. Now, the system only requires the generator during the winter.

Photo courtesy of Howell-Mayhew Engineering

Application: Telecom
Location: Wolverine Creek, Northwest Territories, Canada
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar 600-Vdc charge controllers and ground-fault protectors
System size: 15.6 kW of solar
Partners include: NorthwesTel, Howell-Mayhew Engineering, Action Electric, Conergy

 Canada’s vast Northwest Territories encompass large areas of forests, lakes and tundra. Howell Mayhew Engineering developed a telecom PV system on the top of a mountain at Wolverine Creek near Great Bear Lake. The system included 60 Conergy 260-W multicrystalline-silicon modules and six Morningstar 600-Vdc ground-fault protectors and charge controllers.

Photo courtesy of Howell-Mayhew Engineering,

Application: Telecom
Location: Weasel Lake, Yukon, Canada
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar 600-Vdc charge controllers and ground-fault protectors
System size: 10 kW of solar PV
Partners include: NorthwesTel, Howell-Mayhew Engineering, Action Electric

A solar-powered telecom system on a mountaintop at Weasel Lake reduces reliance on diesel. The goal is to eliminate the use of generators for six summer months of the year. Using a generator only half of the year significantly reduces fuel and helicopter-transportation costs. High-voltage TriStar 600-Vdc charge controllers and ground-fault protectors allow wiring sub-arrays straight into the charge controllers without any combiner boxes, which lowers costs by reducing installation time on site.

Photo courtesy of Howell-Mayhew Engineering

Application: Telecom
Location: Kenya
Year: 2019
Product: TriStar MPPTr
Partners include: Mawingu Networks, Microsoft

Half of the world doesn’t have access to the internet, let alone cell service. To address this issue, Microsoft partnered with start-up Mawingu Networks to use TV waves to deliver affordable internet virtually anywhere. Internet cafes and other public hotspots in Kenya help increase communication and opportunity, changing people’s lives. For example, doctors from various clinics are able to hold weekly online meetings with the main hospital rather than traveling for days to meet in person. Such virtual connections have become even more essential during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The internet hotspots are driven by solar-powered main access points, the largest of which can service up to 1,000 people. Morningstar TriStars keep the access points operating reliably to ensure critical systems remain available.

Application: Rural Development
Location: Bandung, Indonesia
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar MPPT, Relay Driver
System size: 3 kW of solar with 17.2 kW of battery storage
Partners include: Panasonic

Panasonic’s Power Supply Container is a self-contained solar power plant designed to supply reliable electricity to emerging regions and remote island communities. Each comes with 12 Panasonic HIT240 solar modules that generate approximately 3 kW of electricity. Also, 24 lead-acid batteries are capable of storing 17.2 kWh of energy.

Panasonic chose to test the off-grid containers in Indonesia as part of the country’s Educational Environment Improvement Policy for Isolated Islands. Many of the country’s approximately 13,000 islands have little or no access to electricity because of power generation and development issues. Installations at elementary schools provide electricity for lighting, computers, televisions and running water. Morningstar products help control the units, enabling local electricity.

Application: Telecom
Location: Lake Havasu City, Arizona and Twentynine Palms, California
Product: TriStar MPPT 60
System size: 7.2 kW of solar
Partners include: Verizon Wireless, SunWize Technologies, PV Pros, East Penn Manufacturing

Solar power helps two Verizon Wireless generator-hybrid cell towers with microwave uplink systems save 70% on fuel consumption. Each system includes 7.2 kW of solar with several TriStar MPPT 60 controllers and East Penn AGM batteries.

Application: Telecom
Location: Uganda
Year: 2018
Product: TriStar 45
System size: 810W of solar with two 200-Ah batteries (six sites)
Partners include: All in Trade

Uganda hosts more than one million refugees. In camps, “Protection desks” help refugees register upon entry and provide vital assistance including first aid services, security, emergency food, safety, crime issues and counseling. These critical stations require a reliable power supply to support computers, printers, internet routers, phones and lighting.

Local contractor All in Trade installed solar for six desks in various areas. Each site includes several 270-W solar PV modules (for a total of 810W per site), two 200-Ah batteries connected at 24Vdc and a 2000-W, 24-Vdc inverter. Each site also contains a Morningstar TriStar 45 solar controller to maximize output and manage energy storage and battery health. Each system typically powers loads equivalent to a small to mid-sized office.

Read more about this project here.

Application: Telecom
Location: Oregon
Year: 2012
Product: TriStar MPPT
System size: Two 235-W solar panels
Partners include: Rural Technology Group, SolarWorld

A Morningstar TriStar MPPT controller helps distribute internet services to a rural community in Central Oregon where many residents live without a telephone or cell service. Morningstar partnered with Rural Technology Group for an experimental project to expand internet service in rural areas with rugged terrain. 

The team successfully installed a solar-powered microwave relay site on top of a mountain. A high-speed connection VOIP service now gives the community access to lifesaving emergency calls. 

So far, the project has survived hurricane-strength winds, periods of dark and snowy days and temperatures in excess of 105°F to -4°F (41°C to -20°C). This relay also cost less than $3,500 to construct and commission.

-Photos courtesy of Rural Technology Group

Application: All
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Year: 2013
Product: All
Partners include: TÜV Rheinland

When the people responsible for certifying compliance and safety for the industry want to profile your brand for a case study, you know you’re doing something right.  At Morningstar, we’re proud that TÜV Rheinland—an international organization at the forefront of testing, standards and certification for everything from consumer products to industrial and medical devices—selected us for its own case study in solar.

As the case study notes, “in the solar industry, standards and regulations change quickly, with new standards emerging at a rapid pace.” Morningstar’s advanced designs and proven reliability provided TÜV with an ideal partner to showcase in this category.

-Photo courtesy of TÜV Rheinland

Read more here. 

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.

Application: Telecom
Location: Nevada
Year: 1999
Product: SunSavers
System size: 50 and 60-W solar panels on 24 sites
Partners include: The Desert Research Institute

The Desert Research Institute (DRI) of the Nevada System of Higher Education administers the Community Environment Monitoring Program (CEMP) to watch the ambient environment for radiation from past nuclear testing, ensuring the safety of nearby communities. The program encompasses 24 publically accessible radiation and weather-monitoring stations.

Solar panels (50 and 60W) operate in conjunction with a deep-cell battery to power all CEMP station instrumentation. Morningstar solar charge controllers have kept these systems reliably running for more than two decades. 

Residents’ direct participation in collecting data and disseminating information from these stations provides a greater sense of security. All information collected from automated sensors at these stations is posted online and updated at least hourly. 

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Peru
Year: 2017
Product: Morningstar charge controller
System size: Residential DC Energy Box sized for individual home (50,000 units)
Partners: Tozzi Green

With explosive economic growth in population-dense urban areas, Peru’s economy has become one of the fastest-growing in the world. However, populations of small, remote villages struggle to survive in harsh climates, leaving one-third of the population without access to a power grid. To encourage development and improve the quality of life in these remote villages, the government of Peru launched the most ambitious rural electrification project ever attempted. The National Rural Electrification Plan will bring access to electricity to 96% of the country’s population.

Italian renewable project developer Tozzi Green is working with the Peruvian government to deliver three solar energy centers, including a high-volume residential DC Energy Box sized for individual homes. In 2017, Tozzi Green chose Morningstar Corporation charge controllers for the project because of their reliability and long life span. The success of this Peru project is a model for future solar rural electrification to bring power to more of the one billion people living without it today. 

Read more about the project here.

Application: Residential
Location: Isla Grande, Cartagena, Colombia
Product: Morningstar TriStar 45A
System size: 1.1 kW (two sites)
Partners: Sunbridge Solar, Trina Solar

Sunbridge Solar worked with Morningstar to power two elementary schools on the island of Isla Grande in Cartagena, Colombia. Each project included a 1.1-kW solar array with 275-W, 60-cell monocrystalline modules from Trina Solar. Alianzas para la Abundancia (Alliances for Abundance), which helps strengthen local communities and ecosystems, also helped lead the project. The installation’s electricity improves the education of local students. 

Application:  Oil & Gas
Location: Kuwait
Year: 2018
Product: TriStar MPPT 60 Controllers, TriStar 45 (load control) and EIA-485 / RS-232 communication adaptor
System size: 1 kW with 24-V, 960-Ah NiCd battery bank (five sites)
Partners: EcoSol Energy Systems

Kuwait is a dry and arid country with extreme temperature shifts from desert summers to frigid winters. Kuwait’s economy is heavily dependent on fossil fuels; oil accounts for more than half of its GDP and 95% of the government’s income. Because oil is so vital, the government-owned Kuwait Petroleum Corporation oversees the production of crude oil through a network of subsidiaries. Kuwait Oil Company relies on a reliable, steady source of electricity to power the exploration, drilling and production of oil and gas.

With most oil and gas sites in remote areas with restricted access, Kuwait Oil requires backup battery solutions with high performance, total reliability and low maintenance to power essential equipment and systems. EcoSol Energy Systems developed a lighting system to keep the oil fields running safely and efficiently. It turned to Morningstar to keep systems running without interruption with a nickel-cadmium (NiCd) battery system with TriStar MPPT 60 controllers. This power system is fully reliable in extreme temperatures, can withstand rugged wear-and-tear, and supplies off-site communications to keep systems running.

Read more about the project here.

Application: Residential
Location: Alaska
Product: SunSaver 20L
System size: 12-V battery and small solar installation

It’s not uncommon for homeowners in some parts of Alaska to live in remote areas off of the grid. The Morningstar SunSaver is a small controller that works well with a solar installation to power essentials like LED lights or Bluetooth radio. With many positive online reviews, consumers enjoy staying connected with reliable and easy-to-use Morningstar products.

Application: Security and Instrumentation, Lighting, Industrial
Location:  Brazil, Chile, Peru, Angola, United States
Product: TriStar MPPT 60,  TriStar Meter 2, ProStar MPPT 40, SunSaver MPPT 15
System size: Mobile repeaters with deep cycle batteries from 110 Ah to 3,520 Ah (30+ sites)
Partners include: Trailers RD

Mining companies increasingly rely on solar energy to generate electricity at remote sites, which require reliable surveillance, communication and lighting for secure, continuous operation 24/7. 

Trailers RD-Minas specializes in renewable mining applications. It chose Morningstar products for more than 30 mining, construction, road and airport sites throughout North America, South America and Africa. These projects included mobile radio repeaters, surveillance cameras and light towers.

Minas’ engineering and Morningstar’s technology rapidly improves one of the world’s oldest industries to ensure that Brazil and other developing countries maintain their economic momentum.

Application: Security and Instrumentation  
Location: Western Province, Kafue National Park in Zambia, East Africa
Product: TriStar MPPT 45 and Ethernet MeterBus Converter 1
System size: 2,560W per site (four sites), with battery backup
Partners: World Wildlife Fund, Techlink Ltd, Rolls Battery, Suntech Power

Kafue National Park is the oldest and largest of Zambia’s national parks. Interest in the park’s Safari Camp and lodging is leading to more visitors and increased sustainable power needs. Morningstar worked with installer Techlink and the World Wildlife Fund to create four solar sites, each complete with two Rolls Battery maintenance-free AGM-VRLA S12-220AE batteries and two Suntech STP320-24/Vem solar panels. The sites also include Morningstar’s TriStar MPPT 45 and Ethernet MeterBus Converter 1. 

The national park has virgin bush and rocky islands. The equipment is rugged enough to withstand the park’s temperature variations (9°C to 40°C, or ~48°F to 104°F), humidity fluctuations between 20% and 95% and insects/wildlife.

Application: Residential
Location: Mexico
Product: TriStar MPPT 60, 600V
System size: 15-kW gas generator and 29.7 kW of solar with lead-acid 48-VDC, 3,500 Ah battery
Partners: OutBack Power

Morningstar and OutBack Power’s solar and storage installations electrified remote homes in Mexico. Because the solar array was so large, the team found it was easier and less expensive to install in 600V. The Morningstar equipment, along with two 8-kW OutBack Radian GS8048 inverters, worked with the solar to power water pumps, TVs, fans and lighting.

Application: Hydro
Year: 2017
Product: TriStar PWM
System size: 0.30-kW, 24-V turbine with 24-V battery

One way to make use of extra energy from solar, a turbine or other energy source is to divert it to a hot water system. The Morningstar TriStar PWM features diversion mode to easily accomplish this and make the most of excess power.

Application: Hydro
Location: Scotland
Year: 2017
Product: TriStar PWM and MPPT
System size: 2.70-kW, 24-V, 3 Turgos turbines with 24-V battery bank

Morningstar’s PWM solar charge controller features a diversion mode for managing battery charging by diverting energy from a hydro source the battery to a dedicated diversion load. Excess energy diverts from a primary battery to a secondary battery or alternate DC resistive load to protect against battery overcharge. The PWM reduces power into diversion load during overcurrent conditions.

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Fiji
Year: 2015 through 2021
Product: SunSaver SS20/12L and SureSine Inverter SI300-220V
System size: 280-W of solar with AGM deep-cycle, 12-V, 200-Ah battery per system (1,000 sites)
Partners include: CBS Power Solutions, Powerlite

The Fiji Electricity Authority’s (FEA) rural electrification project will bring power to every Fiji household by 2021. Partners CBS Power Solutions and Powerlite chose Morningstar’s SunSavers and SureSines because they can withstand harsh tropical conditions and come with a warranty that exceeds requirements. Morningstar’s superior quality, easy installation, backup support and after-sales service were also considerations for selection. Both the Fiji government and FEA have heavily invested to extend the national grid to access remote communities and settlements.

Application: Residential
Location:  San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Year: 1997
Product: SunSaver 10
System size: Single solar panel with 100-Ah deep cycle battery 

Installers working on a rural solar and storage installation at the Ayllu de Quitor lodging facility in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile chose Morningstar’s SunSaver 10 controller for its reliability. Even after more than 20 years, the controller is still working and helping to power a system that powers lights, radio and television.

Application: Residential
Location: Uribia, La Uribe, Aguachica and Cartagena del Charia, Colombia
Product: ProStar MPPT 40, TriStar MPPT 30 and TriStar MPPT 45
System size: Between 765 and 4,590 W of solar per site with 205 Ah in 24V to 900 Ah in 48V batteries (1,086 homes and 10 schools)

Morningstar helped power 1,086 homes and 10 schools in Columbia. The project included 133 home installations in desert or marine environments, 773 homes in the mountains and 180 homes and 10 schools in the jungle.

Solar (765W) and batteries (205 Ah in 24V) powered homes. Schools varied by type: Type 1 schools had 1,530 W with 300 Ah in 48-V batteries; Type 2 schools had 3,060 W with 600 Ah in 48-V batteries; Type 3 schools had 4,590 W with 900 Ah in 48-V batteries.

Morningstar products offered a good MPPT algorithm with a robust design and dissipation without needing cooling fans. Morningstar’s five-year warranty and excellent after-sales attention also helped make this project a success.

Application: Telecom
Location: United States
Product: TriStar MPPT 60
System size: Solar panel and diesel generator (four sites)
Partners include: Motive Energy, EnerSys, Emerson

Motive Energy installed solar, a diesel generator, two 1,500-Ah EnerSys deep-cycle battery strings, eight Emerson NetSure 502 power plant 30-A inverter chargers and TriStar MPPT 60 controllers for four outdoor remote locations without access to commercial power.

Application: Grid-tied battery backup
Location: Newton, Pennsylvania
Year: 2016
Product: TriStar MPPT 600V with DC transfer switch
System size: 6.24-kW solar input with 6-kW grid-tied inverter and 5.5-kW backup inverter charger and 200-Ah, 48-V battery
Partners: Exact Solar

Exact Solar used Morningstar’s charge controller for a DC transfer grid-tied battery backup application in Pennsylvania. The installer chose Morningstar for its low cost, easy installation and compatibility with the small battery and inverter/charger. The TriStar MPPT 600V with DC transfer switch was also a good option in light of concerns with low-voltage shutdown issues associated with AC coupling.

Application: Lighting, Security
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar MPPT 45
System size: Solar-powered streetlight kit with three modules, four 240-Ah, 12-V batteries and a 150-W LED lamp (4,300 units)
Partners: Soter, Kyocera Solar

The Arco Metropolitano is a 145-km arch of highway in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The arch skirts the booming metropolis of Rio de Janeiro city, providing a vital connection to the five major highways that crisscross the state. But hazardous weather conditions and high crime made driving on the highway at night difficult and dangerous. To keep the highway open, the government needed a reliable lighting solution to provide around-the-clock illumination on the most trafficked and dangerous stretches. 

Japanese electronics firm Kyocera Solar partnered with Brazilian engineering company Soter to develop and install a street lighting system capable of producing 2.8 GWh of solar energy per year without burdening the already fragile local energy grid. The Kyocera streetlight kit depends on a lead battery system connected to a charge controller, capable of storing up to three days worth of energy. The Morningstar TriStar MPPT 45 serves as a critical component for this single-source energy solution.

Read more about the project here.

Application: Microwave broadband ethernet links
Location: United States
Year: 2011
Product: SunSaver MPPT
System size: 135-W solar panel with 105-Ah, 12-V battery (more than 20 sites)
Partners: Kyocera Solar

Kyocera Solar and Morningstar partnered to bring microwave broadband ethernet to regions of the Northwest, Heartland and Southeast United States. Morningstar SunSavers’ high efficiency, easy installation and versatile battery load input combinations were factors in their selection.

Application: Grid-tied battery backup
Location: Barbados, Caribbean
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar MPPT 600V with DC transfer switch
System size: 1.5 kW of solar with 275-Ah, 24-V battery

Morningstar provided its TriStar MPPT 600V controller with DC transfer switch for a grid-tied retrofit battery backup application at a business office in the Caribbean islands. The Morningstar controller easily installs and works with virtually any inverter charger. It also accommodates scaling if backup needs increase over time.

Application: Residential
Location: Pennsylvania
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar MPPT 600-V with disconnect box, ground fault protection devices
System size: Several solar sub-arrays for 16.5 kW and a 48-V nominal battery system with 2-V cells in series

A rural home in Pennsylvania used Morningstar’s five TriStar MPPT 600-V charge controllers with several ground fault protection devices. The controllers’ synchronized charging in parallel configurations and support of requirements for battery backup, in addition to quality and reliability, were considerations for the project. 

Application: Telecom
Location: Canada
Year: 2014
Product: TriStar MPPT 600V with disconnect box
System size: 7.2 kW of solar, 15-kW generator, 3,000-Ah, 48-V battery (two sites)
Partners: Sunwize, Howell-Mayhew Engineering, East Penn Manufacturing, OutBack Power

Sunwize chose the Morningstar TriStar MPPT 600-V controller for a Verizon facility in Canada because the device could withstand arctic regions with temperatures of -67°F to +86°F (-55°C to +30°C). The controller’s long wire-runs, reliability and ease of installation to produce a low angle of incidence were also considerations for its selection. In addition to solar, the project included a generator that used four, 3.6-kW OutBack Power inverters on a custom control panel. This generator hybrid project saved 70% on fuel consumption for off-grid cell towers with a microwave uplink.

Application: Other
Location: United Arab Emirates
Year: 2015
Product: TriStar MPPT 45A, TriStar PWM 45A
System size: 2.4 kW of solar and 16 200-Ah, 12-V batteries (6 sites)
Partners: SWME

Morningstar TriStar controllers work well in hot temperatures, such as in this application in the Sahara Desert.

Application: Telecom
Location: Mali, West Africa
Year: 2014
Product: TriStar MPPT 600V with disconnect box
System size: 8, 280-W solar modules and 8, 150-Ah, 12-V batteries
Partners include: AECOM International Development (now DT-Global)

Vandals completely destroyed the Gourma-Rharous community radio station during the occupation of armed insurgent groups in Northern Mali from 2012 to 2013. Local authorities and the UN Mission (MINUSMA) needed to restore local radio in the area because the town also hosts an important administrative center. 

The United States Agency for International Development’s Mali Transition Initiative funded the project led by AECOM International Development (now DT-Global). A solar installation helped restore power using the TriStar MPPT 600-V controller, which could withstand the Sahara Desert environment. The radio restoration continues to provide critical communication such as media coverage of the reconciliation forums and peace activities undertaken by local authorities and civil society organizations in the region.

Application: Residential
Location: California
Year: 2014
Product: TriStar MPPT 600V controller
System size: 2.4 kW of solar with 1,080-Ah, 48-V flooded lead-acid battery

The TriStar MPPT 600V controller can handle high-voltage PV input while maintaining reliability and performance in California’s desert environment, which sees temperatures of ~19°F to +115°F (-7°C to +46°C).

Application: Telecom
Location: Middle East
System size: Solar array 1,600W

Morningstar equipment and solar helped power the only electrical supply for telecommunications in the Middle Eastern desert.

Application: Other
Location: Nevia, Colombia, South America
Product: TriStar MPPT 600V
System: Solar array and 50-kW generator
Partners: Smart Hydro Power 

Designers chose Morningstar’s TriStar MPPT 600V for a renewable hybrid system in Nevia, Colombia, South America. The modular SMART Hybrid System includes a hydrokinetic turbine, photovoltaic panels and a 50-kW backup diesel generator. Smart Hydro Power GmbH developed the system, which will replace diesel irrigation pumps in a rice farm.

Application: Lighting
Location: Nauru, Micronesia
Year: 2008
Product: Morningstar ProStar 15

Nauru is a tiny island country in Micronesia, northeast of Australia. Morningstar’s ProStar solar controller has reliably operated in the island environment since the early 2000s to power a 1,300 LED lighting system.

Application: Other/Mining
Location: Australia
Product: TriStar MPPT 60

Nearly 70 trailers at a Western Australia mining site used TriStar MPPT 60 solar controllers. The trailers provide WiFi coverage throughout the mine to support operations. SNMP traps are configured into each unit.

Application: Residential, Rural Development
Location: Brazil
Year: 2003
Product: SureSine inverters
System size: 160W of solar for each installation
Partners include: Light for All, Kyocera Solar

Nearly 10 million people in Brazil’s rural areas live without access to electricity and approximately 90% live below the poverty line without basic amenities such as electronic devices, refrigeration and lighting. Brazil’s federal government launched the “Light for All” program in 2003 to deliver electricity to these families. The program covered equipment and installation costs to provide citizens with necessary materials and training to operate and maintain renewable energy installations in their communities.

Morningstar shipped 20,000 SureSine inverters for the program to convert the solar-generated electricity into usable AC power. The SureSine’s sealed design requires no cooling fans, eliminating the risk of failure that could shorten internal component life. The inverter is also rugged and encapsulated to withstand harsh conditions. It’s also “fault-tolerant” with built-in circuitry protection to resist damage from installer or user error. 

By May 2016, 15.6 million Brazilians benefited from the program, which also created 485,000 jobs. With this success, the government extended the program to 2018 to bring another million citizens out of the dark.

Read more about the project here. 

Application: Caravan and Boating
Location: New Zealand
Year: 2012
System size: 420W of solar and 12-V lead-acid battery

Reasons for selecting the Morningstar controllers were a good fit for this caravan application in rural New Zealand because they can extend battery life, feature a meter interface and come with good technical support. 

In the villlage of Wawan-Rafi, this family uses solar electricity that provides energy for several compact fluorescent lights in the house.  Photo Courtesy of Jeff Lahl

Application: Telecom
Location: Brazil
Year: 2000
Product: ProStar 15 and ProStar 30
System size: 320W or 180W of solar with batteries (2,500+ sites)
Partners include: Kyocera Solar, Embratel

Morningstar deployed nearly 2,000 ProStar 15 and ProStar 30 systems to small villages through Brazilian’s Telecom Universalization Program. Phone company Embratel installed more than 2,500 solar-powered systems for public telephones. Each site includes VSAT equipment from Hughes Network Systems or Gilat Satellite Networks. The Hughes stations include four 80-W Kyocera Solar modules and four 150-Ah batteries. The Gilat stations have three 60-W Kyocera Solar modules and two batteries.  

-Photo courtesy of Kyocera Solar Do Brasil LTDA

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Burkina Faso, West Africa
Product: TriStar MPPT

Two TriStar MPPT solar controllers helped power a 230-V system at a Burkina Faso medical center.

Application: Security and Instrumentation 
Location: Mexico
Year: 2012 (bus), 2014 (police)
Product: SunSaver controller and SureSine inverter
System size: Two 65-W solar panels and a 105-Ah,12-V battery (bus), four 65-W solar panels with four 136Ah,12-V batteries (police)
Partners include: Energía Fotovoltaica Cuantum

Morningstar SunSaver controllers and SureSine inverters power a small off-grid police building and University bus station in Mexico. Solar powers radio and telecom equipment at the police station, as well as lights to illuminate the bus station. 

-Photos courtesy of Energía Fotovoltaica Cuantum 

Application: Telecom
Location: Egypt
Product: TriStar MPPT 60 
System size: 4,950W of solar and 1,200 Ah of of battery backup
Partners include: Independent Energy

Morningstar products thrive in extreme desert environments. The TriStar’s superior thermal management capabilities and fanless design made it the first choice for this project in Egypt. Four TriStar MPPT 60 controllers, an RD-1 Relay Driver, a HUB-1 MeterHub and a TS-RM-2 TriStar Remote Digital Meter drive this solar installation which powers remote telecommunications. Three TriStar MPPT 60 help charge while one regulates loads. The RD-1 and HUB-1 signal alarms for aspects such as low voltage. The system has ground-fault monitoring and 1,200 Ah of battery backup.

-Photos courtesy of Independent Energy

Application: Telecom
Location: United States
Product: TriStar MPPT 45
System size: 3,360W of solar
Partners include: Ameresco, EMI

TriStars help control solar-powered railroad wayside signaling applications, such as this intermediate signal. Three 20-foot towers make up the system and each retractable tower holds 1,120W with two TriStar MPPT 45 units (each regulating 580W).

EMI exclusively manufactures each tower for Ameresco Solar. The systems are shipped complete and assembled in the field. On-site training and audits ensure proper operation. Currently, Ameresco Solar has several hundred of these systems installed in North America on all Class I railroads.

-Photos courtesy of AMERESCO Solar

Application: Telecom
Location: Zimbabwe
Product: TriStar solar controller
System size: 1 kW of solar
Partners include: Samansco

Wildlife management usually takes place in challenging, remote locations so many times these systems are powered by solar. A TriStar unit controls this solar installation at the Matusadona National Park in Zimbabwe. The 1-kW PV system powers lights and a satellite system while charging communication equipment. This installation power systems used to protect local wildlife.

-Photo courtesy of Samansco

TriStar application in home system in Uganda. Courtesy of G-teK.

Application: Agricultural/Rural Development
Location: Labastida, Spain
Year: 2011
System size: 98 kW of solar
Partners include: Mitsubishi, Studer Innotec

This Labastida winery, part of the Familia Torres group, is in a beautiful location that was once scrubland. Familia Torres co-founded International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA), a collaborative working group of environmentally committed wineries focused on reducing carbon emissions across the wine industry. In line with the Torres philosophy, the new winery operates in complete harmony with the environment. For example, the winery collects and treats rainwater to use for cleaning. Also, a solar panel installation on the roof, backed by reliable Morningstar products, powers the winery’s operations.

-Photo courtesy of Studer Innotec

Application: Telecom
Location:  Peru
Year: 2013
Product: TriStar 60, TriStar 60 MPPT, MeterHub, Relay Driver
System size: Standalone battery-based, solar-powered solutions for the VSAT network
Partners: CIME, Peru Ministry of Transportation

Many Peruvians living in rural areas do not have access to cell service; they can walk to a pay phone if they are lucky. The lack of quick communication and the time and money spent on travel negatively affects communities throughout Peru.

The Peruvian government introduced the Fitel Centro Norte y Fitel Centro Sur initiative to reduce the gap in access to telecommunication services in rural areas. It hired CIME Comercial S.A. to design and install a standalone battery-based, solar-powered solution for the VSAT network, a two-way satellite ground station with a dish antenna. Morningstar provided a TriStar 60 and three TriStar 60 MPPT solar controllers, two Relay Drivers, one Remote Meter and one MeterHub for each of eight installations. Enclosed in a shelter along with batteries and solar modules, this system brings communication to places where the electric grid is unable to reach.

The completion of Peru’s telecommunications systems has increased the satisfaction and well-being of the rural communities, giving farmers access to market trends and agricultural information, and saving lives with healthcare connections.

-Photo courtesy of CIME

Application: Small Wind
Location: Russian Federation
Year:
Product: TriStar MPPT 60
System size:
Partners include:

Two TriStar MPPT 60 solar controllers help power a monastery in the Tomsk region of Siberia using electricity from wind and solar.

Application: Telecom
Location: Multiple Countries
Product: TriStar MPPT 60, TriStar 60
System size: 4 kW of solar (29 sites)

Satellites provide important communication for many areas around the globe. Morningstar equipment helps power these projects. For example, two TriStar MPPT 60 controllers and one TriStar 60 for load control work with 4-kW solar systems at 29 sites, such as this one depicted.

Application: Telecom
Location: Guinea Bissau, West Africa
Year: 2012
Product: TriStar MPPT 60
System size: 6 kW of solar and 12, 100-Ah, 12-V batteries
Partners: MD Electrical Installations

Nuns at the Catholic mission of Nossa Senora Apparecida benefit from a solar installation that powers their essential needs including communication. Several TriStar MPPT 60 controllers help drive the installation. The system consists of 32, 190-W solar panels formed in three strings for a maximum power of 6.08 kW. The system also includes 12, 12-V, 100-Ah batteries for backup power.  

-Photo courtesy of Mr. Moreno Mazzi, MD Electrical Installations

Power station tower utilizing Morningstar’s TriStar MPPT controller.  Photo courtesy of Surveillance Security Intelligence Group and SunWize Technologies

Application: Mobile Hydro
Location: Transylvanian Alps, Romania
Product: TriStar MPPT 60
System size: 3 kW with battery bank

This system in the heart of Transylvanian Alps in Romania supplies energy to a small  hotel and fishery.  A 3-kW micro hydro turbine generates power delivered directly to a battery bank (600 Ah at 48). The installation requires a highly-accurate three-step charging process, only accomplished with a TriStar MPPT 60 and a resistive dump load.

-Photo courtesy of EcoVolt

Application: Telecom
Location: United States
Product: TriStar
System size: 10 kW of solar
Partners include: S.U.R. Energy Systems, Uni-Solar

Like many other mission-critical and sensitive solar power installations, This homeland security communications system backs up power for a repeater using Morningstar TriStar controllers. The 10-kW project included 588 Uni-Solar shingles and as well as 24 batteries.

Application: Telecom
Location: Italy
Product: TriStar 45
System size: 30 PV systems
Partners include: Solara AG

Over the last 2,000 years, more than 400 destructive earthquakes have been documented in Italy—15 major earthquakes since 1905. Therefore, early detection is critical to save lives. Solar power more than 30 Electtronica measurement systems in Italy. Each station is equipped with two Solara AG solar modules, two Morningstar TriStar 45 controllers and two GEL batteries. The systems power two seismic detection sensors for earthquakes, one radio bridge for remote data transmission and one GSM modem for alarms transmission. -Photo courtesy of Solara AG

Application: Telecom
Location: Colorado
Product: ProStar 30 and TriStar 45
Partners include: Nunatak Alternative Energy Solutions, Ameresco

 Morningstar’s ProStar 30 and TriStar 45 control this data monitoring system at a Colorado mine cleanup site where temperatures can drop to -40°F (-40°C). Morningstar controllers have built-in cold weather protection features and circuitry designed to protect batteries from damage when charging in extremely cold conditions.

-Photo Courtesy of Nunatak Alternative Energy Solutions

Application: Telecom
Location: Spain
Year:
Product: TriStar MPPT 60, Relay Driver
System size: six, 135-W solar modules
Partners include: Bureau Baterias

This telecommunications system in Spain includes six 130-W solar modules and a 12-V battery bank with six units of 2-V, OPzS cells. Five paralleled TriStar MPPT 60s and a Relay Driver help control the system.  

-Photo courtesy of Bureau Baterias

Application: Telecom
Location: Indonesia 
Product: TriStar MPPT 60, TriStar 45, RS-232 Adapter (RSC)

Morningstar’s TriStar MPPT 60, TriStar 45 and RS-232 Adapter (RSC) control this telecom system in Indonesia.

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Venezuela
Product: SureSine, SHS

The SureSine is a 300-W pure sine wave inverter designed specifically for remote off-grid photovoltaic systems, a perfect fit for use with a SHS controller in solar home systems like this one in Venezuela.

SureSine inverter security application in a small off-grid police building powering radio and telecom equipment in Mexico.  Photo courtesy of Energía Fotovoltaica Cuantum.

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Nepal
Product: SunSaver 10, 20

SunSaver controllers were used at camp during a record breaking climb to Mt. Annapurna in Nepal.

Solar application utilizing a Morningstar SunSaver-6 to illuminate art sculptures.  Photo courtesy of Mark Fiore.

Solar street lighting in South Africa utilizing the Morningstar SunSaver MPPT.  Photo courtesy of Solar Gateway Africa (Pty) Ltd.

Application: Transportation and Traffic
Location: Croatia
Product: SunSaver 10

Morningstar’s SunSaver 10 professional series solar charge controller is rated for Hazardous Locations – Class 1, Division 2 Groups A-D, making it perfect for this signal lighting application in Croatia.

Western Australia, Minim Cove, Fremantle, Town of Peppermint Grove.  Safety lighting for boats on the Swan River on Minim Cover jetty.  Solar powered area lighting 22w from dusk to dawn utilizing a Morningstar SunLight 12V 10 amp controller.  Photo courtesy of Solar Sales, Australia.

Application: Rural Electrification
Product: ProStar 15
Partners include: We Care Solar

Morningstar’s ProStar 15 solar controller is a component of the award-winning We Care Solar Suitcase, a portable power unit that provides health workers in remote locations with highly-efficient medical lighting and power for mobile communication, computers and medical devices.

–Photo courtesy of Dr. Laura Stachel, We Care Solar

Inverter: SureSine

The attached photo is of a Tucker “Sno-Cat” panel which was modified to support computers and communications.  This vehicle recently completed the GRIT (Greenland Inland Traverse), covering over 1,400 miles on the Greenland ice cap. There is 170 watts of PV mounted to the roof of the Tucker which runs through a Morningstar charge controller to the vehicles heavy duty batteries.  Many of the loads were run off of straight DC to prevent any conversion losses.  The Morningstar inverter took care of the small AC loads (computers, etc.).  Since this vehicle towed the living module for the crew, more batteries were mounted along with the Morningstar inverter in the coach, so they could also have AC/DC power. Those batteries were in parallel to the vehicle batteries so all shared the loads and charging inputs.  This system bounced across the ice cap for a couple of months, getting cold soaked every night and heated up every day.  Never a problem developed, and the crew loved the system.  Photo Courtesy of Polar Field Services

Warning beacon utilizing SunLight-10 in fish farming application.  Photo courtesy of Wireless Energy Chile.

Application: Small solar
Location: United States
Product: SunKeeper

Morningstar’s SunKeeper solar controller provides a low-cost, regulated output directly from the solar module to maximize battery life in small solar power applications. Here is the SunKeeper pictured in a solar suitcase, a portable power unit.

Morningstar’s SunGuard controller is a one module solar controller for professional and leisure markets.

The SunSaver MPPT is behind a service door at the base of the pole. “Photo courtesy of Inovus Solar, Inc. 2010”.

Solar power street lighting in Nigeria utilizing 36 wattt LPS powered by 200 watt 24 volt panel using SunLight 10 amp 24 volt controller.

Solar lighting application in Mexico using SunLight controllers.

Gahar area lighting, telecomm relay posts and home systems utlizing Morningstar SL10, SS-10, SS20L and PS-30 controllers. Gahar is only accessbile by horseback. It took three weeks to move equipment to this site. Customer is Iranian Environmental Protection Organization. Photo Courtesy of Gulf Solar Technologies

Application: Residential
Location: Colombia
Product: SHS 10
Partners include: Solar Plus, Super Fox

This off-grid solar home system in Colombia uses a Morningstar SHS 10 controller. The SHS is ideal for rural solar home systems in developing countries.

-Photo courtesy of Super Fox/Solar Plus

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Kunkup, Ecuador
Product: SHS controllers
Partners include: Green Empowerment

Morningstar’s SHS controller was specifically designed to meet the needs of rural solar home systems in developing countries. This one helps bring power to villagers in Kunkup, Ecuador.

-Photo courtesy of Green Empowerment

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Nigeria

Morningstar’s ProStar solar controller helps electrify several schools in Benin City, Nigeria.

Application: Residential
Location: Italy
Product: ProStar 30
Partners include: Ottowatt Impianti di Fabio Ottavi, Heliant Srl

This home solar application in Italy powers lighting and a refrigerator using a Morningstar ProStar 30 controller.

-Photo courtesy of Heliant Srl

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Iraq
Product: ProStar 30
Partners include: Sustainable Industries

Morningstar’s ProStar 30 helps control this solar-powered water filtration system in Iraq.

-Photo courtesy of Sustainable Industries

Application: Not specified
Location: Switzerland
Product: ProStar 15
System size: 255W
Partners include: SunPower

At 4,478 meters, the Matterhorn is one of the tallest mountains in the Alps and Europe. The high altitude and cold, wet conditions make it a challenging environment for solar, but Morningstar products are up for the task. A Prostar 15 controller works alongside two SunPower 95-W and one BP 65-W solar modules at 3,500m.

Skid mounted 520W solar power systems power satellite terminals used for pipeline monitoring and control in North Texas.

Morningstar’s SunKeeper controller is used in monitoring and control for oil and gas applications.  Photo courtesy of SunWize® Power Ready System. Copyright 2010 SunWize Technologies.

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Ecuador
Product: ProStar 15, TriStar 45

A Morningstar ProStar 15 and two TriStar 45 solar controllers operate a wind and solar application at a community center in Ecuador.

Application: Telecom
Location: China
Year: 2008
Product: TriStar
System size: 9.6 kW of solar
Partners include: China Mobile

This China Mobile project for a remote telecom site consists of a 3G relay station powered by solar.

Controllers: Over 1,000 TriStar MPPT 45A and SunLight 10A/24V controllers
Input type: PV array
Battery: Lead acid
Number of sites: 1
Environment: Highway
Year of installation: 2014

Reasons for selecting the Morningstar controllers:

• Reliability
• maximum energy harvesting via TrakStar™ MPPT Technology
• Lighting control capabilities

Morningstar’s SunSaver controllers are used in video surveillance systems.  Photo Courtesy of Surveillance Security Intelligence Group and SunWize Technologies.

Thirty SunLight controllers used for solar street lighting at the newly constructed harbor city of Jinhae.  Lighting control was set to turn lights on at dusk and off at dawn.  Morningstar’s SunLight controllers were deployed because of their high quality reputation in harsh environments, and their easily adjustable PV-based lighting control settings. Sunlight controllers are available in 4 different models with 10 or 20 amp charge ratings that support 12 or 24 Volt battery systems.  Photo courtesy of Lightron Lighting & Advancement

Solar rural street lighting in Malinau – East Borneo, Indonesia.  The only transportation to this village is by air.  Seventy (70) Morningstar SunLight 10L-12V, 20 watt DC PL lamps installed.  Photo courtesy of PT AZET

Morningstar’s SunLight solar controller used in lighting application for the American flag.   Submitted by The Energy Store – Paul Farren

Application: Rural Electrification
Location: Marshall Islands
Product: ProStar 30

The Marshall Islands are a chain of volcanic islands and coral atolls in the central Pacific Ocean, between Hawaii and the Philippines. Built to withstand the moisture of a tropical environment, Morningstar’s ProStar 30 operates reliably in this solar home system on the islands.