Installing one of the country’s most advanced renewable energy training facilities at Holmesglen Institute

In 2021, Holmesglen Institute selected RACV Solar to install a suite of clean energy solutions at two of their major campuses in metro Melbourne, including a renewable energy training facility for students. 

The project, made possible by Holmesglen securing Victorian Government funding, was awarded to RACV Solar as part of a competitive commercial tender process and included: 

818 kW of solar installed across two sites, including a 139 kW solar carpark installation 
57.9 kWh of commercial battery storage across two sites  
Rapid-charge electric vehicle chargers 
A training facility including switchboards and roofing structure for solar 
A power factor correction unit

The team executed the installation with minimal interruption to campus operations, despite coming up against a raft of challenges including COVID-19 restrictions and extreme weather events.

“Throughout the design and complex installation process, we were continually impressed by RACV Solar’s professionalism, adherence to strict safety and security requirements, and the minimal interruption to campus operations despite pedestrian and traffic management requirements at key stages of the project.” 

Dr Ross Digby, Associate Director: Centre for Energy & Infrastructure 

We’re especially proud of the training facility we installed for Holmesglen. Thanks to the partnership, Holmesglen Institute now has one of most advanced renewable energy training facilities in the country, which includes 12 different types of solar panels and 3 different brands of inverters to provide students with the full suite of products to train with. 

The facility not only enables learners to be trained and assessed in solar panel and battery installations, but it has been designed to enable Holmesglen’s electrical linesworker apprentices to understand how a commercial scale installation should connect back to the grid. 