Achieving energy resilience requires careful planning to ensure the success.  In this instance, resilience requires providing sufficient on-site generation and storage to:

• meet peak loads and therefore, avoid the need to turn off appliances and/or overload the main switchboard and cause loss of power to the campus e.g. trip the main circuit breaker
• enable seamless transition to self-generation during a grid outage

In practice, resilience planning requires assessment of a range of existing site constraints, infrastructure limitations, and future masterplan considerations to determine the capacity, function, and location of the solution.  Considerations include:

• Gaining school insight into historical energy use and limits that were causing the campus to become overloaded and lose power
• Exposing the misalignment between solar generation and high winter energy use
• Selecting suitable buildings across a dispersed campus of small and medium‑sized structures
• Understanding electrical infrastructure limitations and connections on preferred buildings back to Main Switchboard
• Assessing Master plan impacts on proposed installation areas to mitigate the risk of having to relocate infrastructure 
• Accounting for future development plans and expected growth in energy demand
• Incorporating additional safety requirements due to the school’s location in a bushfire zone, particularly for battery placement

1Circle partnered with School Procure to deliver a structured, end-to-end approach from planning, solution design, procurement to validate operational performance. 

Key activities include:

• Conducting a detailed analysis of campus energy consumption, including peak demand periods, site grid connection constraints, and electricity costs to inform solution design
• Educating stakeholders on renewable energy generation options (solar and Battery Enabled Storage Systems) and the extent they may defer or avoid expensive grid connection upgrades
• Designing a solar system concept that is tailored to the school’s seasonal energy usage, peak load, building availability, master plan, and financial objectives.
• Managing a competitive procurement process using a structured Request for Proposal brief
• Providing a supplier recommendation by thoroughly analysing competitive responses and presenting evaluation reports comparing financial, technical, experience criteria to support confident decision-making
• Pre‑qualifying specialist installers to ensure technical and ongoing asset management capability
• Supporting contracting of the preferred supplier – an experienced, technically qualified local installer to ensure reliable delivery, compliance, and long term‑ support
• Oversee system implementation and provide technical advice through to practical completion.