Solar + Battery Storage Helps Light Up Auckland Bridge

Auckland Harbour Bridge – promo shot

A light and sound show on the weekend heralded the official launch of the first stage of Auckland Harbour Bridge’s solar + battery powered lighting project.

We first mentioned the Vector Lights project back in May last year, which will involve more than 600 solar panels.

At this point, 248 panels have been installed near the Auckland Harbour Bridge on North Wharf,  along with a Tesla Powerpack battery installation and associated control systems. The system “virtually” powers 90,000 colour-changing LEDs on the bridge, as well as 100 spotlights. Each of the 90,000 LEDs can be individually programmed.

By “virtually”, it means the solar panels and Powerpack system don’t power the bridge lights directly. Smart meters situated at the battery installation and on the bridge relay data between each other every 10 seconds, signalling to the battery system how much energy to release back into the grid.

“By using peer-to-peer technology, we’re able to virtualise the connection between the battery and the bridge and therefore balance the energy being used and discharged at any time,” says Vector.

When complete, street and signage lighting on the bridge will also be replaced with LEDs.

The project is a result of a collaboration between Vector, which is New Zealand’s largest electricity distributor, Auckland Council the NZ Transport Agency.

“Vector Lights will be an evolving showcase of new energy solutions that help illustrate what a more sustainable energy future can look like,” said Vector’s CEO Simon Mackenzie.

You can read more about the Vector Lights project here.

New Zealand Aiming For 100% Renewables

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was present at the light show event, has a goal of New Zealand generating 90% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and 100 per cent by 2035.

The PM’s renewables aspirations are certainly within reach, with 85 per cent of New Zealand’s electricity already coming from renewable sources including hydroelectric, geothermal power and wind energy. NZ Labour also intends restoring the country’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and  for the country to reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

NZ Solar Power Statistics

Solar power is still very much a bit player in New Zealand’s energy mix, but the popularity of panels is growing. The Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment’s Energy in New Zealand 2017 report states total generation from small scale solar in 2016 was estimated to be 51.7 GWh. While not a large amount, this represented a 52% increase over 2015. Installed solar PV capacity at the end of December 2016 was 47.0 MW.

In December last year, Sustainable Electricity Association New Zealand reported 16,499 grid-connected solar PV installations representing 64.14 MW capacity were in operation  by the end of October 2017 and the country was on track for its best year for installation of grid-connect solar power systems.