GH Commercial recently completed their largest ever solar installation at their north Geelong carpet tufting facility, Plant 5, where a new 500kW solar system is generating up to 1.97MWh of clean energy per day, offsetting over 60% of daytime electricity. 

GH Commercial’s efforts to advance their shared mission of a more sustainable future continue, with the company having already fitted 436 solar panels on their warehouses in Truganina and Laverton.

Plant 5’s solar installation covers 12,000m² of the facility’s roof, and consists of 1,088 460W panels. The generated electricity will help to power the production of over 16,000 lineal metres of carpet each day and reduce energy bills at the plant by an average of 28%.

Solar technology that shines

The Plant 5 installation features Tier 1 JA Solar 460W monocrystalline solar panels on the north-facing side of the facility, together with SolarEdge three-phase inverters and optimisers. Recognised amongst the best bankable solar technology globally, the optimisers increase system production by tracking the maximum power of each panel.

The smart meter technology from SolarEdge also provides load monitoring, allowing the facility to see how much solar power is being consumed onsite and exported. Plus, real-time monitoring of individual panels makes it easy to find and diagnose any faults.

A local solution to a global challenge

As a proud Australian and New Zealand manufacturer, it’s important to GH Commercial that they source and develop local solutions where possible.

By transforming the Plant 5 roof into an energy resource, the company is not only cutting operating costs locally, but also carbon emissions globally.

This is another Resource Stewardship initiative that supports GH Commercial’s Climate Active Carbon Neutral Organisation certification to cut greenhouse gas emissions across the entire business. At Plant 5, any surplus solar power not consumed by the plant will be exported to the grid, while the company offsets approximately 515 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.

GH Commercial’s vision for sustainability has always been ‘Believe in Better’, with a focus on innovating for a better tomorrow.