GE unveils containerised hybrid mini-grid

2 November 2017



Aremote mine training centre owned by indigenous peoples in North East Arnhem Land, Australia, and operated by the Gumatj Corporation, will feature the first commercial application of an innovative, off-grid hybrid energy solution developed by GE.


Aremote mine training centre owned by indigenous peoples in North East Arnhem Land, Australia, and operated by the Gumatj Corporation, will feature the first commercial application of an innovative, off-grid hybrid energy solution developed by GE.

The hybrid unit will be monitored remotely using machine data collected and analysed from GE’s Predix-based software applications. Performance data including solar generation, battery state of charge and timestamps of when the diesel generation switches on and off, will be sent to the cloud and monitored in real time using a web portal and data visualisation. The software will monitor energy production and automatically switch among technologies to achieve optimum efficiency. This first installation of the hybrid solution will be a single module, with the option to add further units and greater generation capacity if needed.

North Arnhem Land is one of the remotest areas of Australia, making it difficult to access reliable and affordable electricity. GE’s solution will provide a 30 kW mini-grid using a combination of renewable and diesel power generation technologies to deliver a reliable supply of electricity with up to 40 % lower operating costs than diesel-only alternatives. The unit, which is enclosed in a 20 foot shipping container, will provide the training centre with 24/7 power for basic needs including air conditioning and lighting.

The GE designed system is considered by its maker to be ideally suited for remote commercial and industrial operations. It can be connected to GE’s Predix-based asset performance management software which allows for remote monitoring and diagnostics to aid efficiency and reliability aspects.

The training centre

The Gulkula Regional Training Centre, which was established to drive higher levels of employment for the Yolngu peoples, will take its first students in August. They will experience on-the-job training at the Gulkula mining operation. With a core focus on mining, construction and environmental studies, the centre’s ultimate goal is for its students eventually to manage and operate a 955 hectare lease extracting bauxite, which sits within Yolngu land.

Chief minister Michael Gunner welcomed the launch of GE’s hybrid energy solution in the Northern Territory, which came about following a US Embassy led business delegation to Darwin in November last year. 

GE Northern Territory chief minister and Klaus Helms


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