Designed to maxmise the environmental and economic benefits of solar power at GemLife Highfields, Engenuity’s innovative solar solution is reducing power-grid energy consumption and power costs at the over-50s lifestyle resort and for its residents.

Engenuity Solutions, an engineering solutions company based in Robina, has a new power protection and control solution that is particularly suited to distributed embedded solar or hybrid generation systems.

The system, called Energy Maestro, has been installed and is in operation at GemLife Highfields, an over-50s lifestyle resort in rural Highfields in the Toowoomba region.

General Manager Tom Lawson said the project began in the second half of 2019.

“We were working on the site design for the client and it needed this type of solution,” Mr Lawson said.

“From there, we started converting it from an idea and into a product we could sell into many locations, as there was a clear need for it.”

The Energy Maestro control system dynamically manages the power production and continuously ensures the maximum solar power possible is produced each minute and power is consumed from the lowest cost source.

Mr Lawson said by maximizing the power system, it minimises the peak charge as well as overall consumption from the grid.

“The addition of centralised battery storage will store extra power produced from solar and keep it available for the evening when the peak conditions typically occur,” Mr Lawson said.

“Overall the Maestro solution ensures code compliance and maximises production to lower bills.

“With a battery solution added, residents should see a potential 35% reduction in their price for power depending on how they use the system with the Maestro in control.”

Energy Maestro also provides a highly visible web-based platform for the residents to be able to see their solar on the site.

GemLife Director & CEO Adrian Puljich said that GemLife was committed to adopting best practices to ensure environmental responsibility, with the special, customised solar solution being created to optimise solar’s clean, renewable power source.

“Just as importantly, we recognise that many GemLife homeowners live on fixed incomes, making it critical to limit electricity costs,” Mr Puljich said.

GemLife Highfields Resort Manager Cheryl Cook said that residents were pleased with the performance of the system and improving costs.

So far, Engenuity Solutions has installed the communication modules to houses as they are added in stages. The installation to date accounts for 35% of what is intended to be the complete development

“Going by the tariff of what we had last month, the prices are a lot less than they were,” Ms Cook said.

“It is really good. There will be a lot of happy faces.”

The whole site at Highfields will eventually have more than 2700 panels or 900kW of solar power generation capacity all managed by a single Engenuity Maestro system.

GemLife Highfields resident, Mr Alex Hofmann, said he is looking forward to the installation of the system in his home.

“Engenuity is doing a good job. Hopefully next month the system will be finished and ready to use,” Mr Hofmann said.

He said the system will help control rising power bill costs, bringing stability to bills.

Engenuity Engineer Mr Stefan Bulea has been a vital part of the entire process.

Mr Bulea has helped with the commissioning of the system, regularly visiting the site and making sure everything comes online smoothly.

“Engenuity has a control system which monitors the total output from the inverters to the grid,” Mr Bulea said.

“Installing the control system ensures the system runs smoothly and safely.”

Installing the Energy Maestro at Highfields is one of many projects Engenuity Solutions are undertaking.

Engenuity has extensive experience in the solar generation industry but has also developed innovative solutions across a broad range of industries including mineral processing, surf parks, amusement park, power and water infrastructure.

For more information visit engenuitysolutions.com or call (07) 5559 2892.