Te Rau Aroha

type

Grid-Connected + Battery Storage

specs

114kWp Solar - 3x 40 kWh BESS

year

2019

location

Waitangi

the challenge

The Te Rau Aroha Museum is located on the Waitangi Treaty Grounds in the Bay of Islands and tells the story of the commitment and sacrifice of Māori in New Zealand’s armed forces from 1840 to the present day. The museum was funded by the Provincial Growth Fund and opened on 5 February 2020. The challenges faced by the museum included minimising ongoing operational costs as well as ensuring the new building is sustainable. Electricity savings were a priority due to the high relative cost of electricity in the Bay of Islands.

the solution

Vector Powersmart designed a multi-roof layout to maximise solar production. Our hybrid system design included three Tesla Powerwall energy storage systems (BESS) to store excess electricity for overnight use, so as to maximise savings.

the outcome

Te Rau Aroha Museum now has a 114 kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system and a lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS). Over 90% of the electricity produced by the solar panels is used within the building. This minimises electricity exported to the grid and maximises the savings to the museum, which ultimately reduces operational costs.

"Waitangi Treaty Grounds is on a pathway to be carbon neutral by 2025. The new solar electricity technology used for Te Rau Aroha Museum is a fantastic step in the right direction."

Nineke Metz – Marketing Manager – Waitangi Treaty Grounds

Museum saving on electricity bills