Atlantis Beach school’s off grid solution

For a new college in WA with no connection to the grid and dependent on diesel generators, going solar was the right option.

Atlantis Beach Baptist College is a coeducational private Baptist College which commenced its first day with students on February 1st, 2017.

Newly constructed and situated an hour north of Perth, the College is rapidly expanding to meet the needs of the growing community in Two Rocks, Yanchep and surrounds.

Faced with unfeasible grid connection costs, ABBC had been operating solely on diesel generators since the start of 2017.

Upstream was engaged to provide a nil capital solution for ABBC – one which would cease their reliance on diesel generators forever. Upstream’s design includes:

• 20kWp rooftop PV solar – to generate the required power
• 30kWh battery storage – to store and deliver the power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• self-sufficient carpark lighting – to separate the lighting loads from the campus
• solar heat pumps – to replace diesel based hot water systems.

Upstream provided all capital funds for the project to allow ABBC to best manage their internal costs. ABBC purchases the solar power from Upstream each month – just like a normal electricity retailer.

The system will grow in line with the campus; as more students enrol and more buildings are constructed - so too will the solar generation and storage capacity expand to meet their requirements.

Upgrades are implemented for ABBC at nil capital cost. Upstream’s solution for ABBC is cash flow neutral – meaning they were able to switch to 100% sustainability with no change in their energy costs. Atlantis Beach Baptist College is the first school in Australia to become 100% carbon free, self-sufficient and disconnected from the grid.