With 400 solar panels and a fully functional solar power generation system, Mildura Airport is a shining testament to what solar power can do on a commercial and industrial scale.  

Mildura Airport is one of the many buildings and facilities supplied by Trina Solar in Australia. Before solar energy was introduced to the airport, electricity was supplied by a coal-fired power station in Victoria’s Latrobe region, about 700 km away. Besides the higher prices, drawing power at distances caused efficiency issues as well  “Because it was at the end of the transmission line, about 11 percent of the electricity was lost in the process,” said Govind Kant, Trina Solar’s country sales manager for Australia and New Zealand.“Solar power has proven to be a very reliable alternative, and also cheap as well. It’s been very important to the airport.”

Many Australian corporations are facing similar issues with generating power reliably, especially for industries or commercial zones that are not connected to the grid or far away from a power source. In light of this, Trina Solar is helping to solve Australia’s energy efficiency problem through solutions such as TrinaPro, a smart PV solution designed for utility scale ground mount, floating solar projects and commercial applications. It can significantly reduce the system LCOE through premium components combination, optimized system integration and smart O&M interconnection.

The energy solution is an attractive investment to clients, especially since Trina Solar guarantees power generation that is 3-4 percent higher than competitors. It is currently featured at Adelaide airport which  houses the largest airport solar installation as well as Sunshine Coast Council’s Solar Farm, where enough energy is generated to power 5000 homes annually.

In addition to growing its market share in Australia, Trina Solar is simultaneously working with local tertiary institutions such as the Australian National University, Monash University in Melbourne and the University of NSW to better the technology it offers to clients. An example of this is the development of a new cell in 2014 that was found to deliver an efficiency of 24.4%, the highest level confirmed for a conventional solar cell. 

The company is dedicated continue creating more efficient and cost-efficient solutions for Australia and the world, holding fast to its motto of delivering energy for all.

This article was adapted from The Sydney Morning Herald. Read the full story here.