Friday, October 23, 2026
Australian solar innovator 5B has landed a new order for 70 megawatts-worth of its pre-assembled, rapid-deploying solar units to supply the PV component of the shape-shifting Aurora Energy Precinct near Port Augusta in South Australia.
Adelaide-based 5B, whose “Maverick” technology was first to receive funding from federal Labor’s $800 million Solar Sunshot program, on Thursday announced the “initial” purchase order from 1414 Degrees, the owner of the Aurora project.
“5B will manufacture its prefabricated solar technology in North Adelaide and transport it to the site in the Upper Spencer Gulf Renewable Energy Zone,” the company said in a LinkedIn post.
In its own release, the ASX listed 1414 Degrees says 5B’s technology was selected for its compact layout, which promises to accommodate more PV generating capacity per hectare, supporting the Aurora project’s potential for up to 2 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity.
“The initial deployment covers 42 hectares within Aurora’s approved 200-hectare solar development footprint,” the statement says.
“The Company’s assessment indicates that the Maverick layout could accommodate more than 300 MW of solar PV capacity across that footprint, subject to detailed design and any required approval variations.
“The Maverick layout supports the indicative precinct-wide potential of approximately 2 GW of solar PV capacity outlined in the Company’s 8 September 2026 announcement.”
The 70 MW order is a significant one for 5B, although its biggest to date is a 140 MW order for the owners of the Kalgoorlie Super Pit gold mine in Western Australia.
1414 Degrees (14D) announced in September that it had secured full control of the Aurora Energy Precinct by acquiring Vast Solar Aurora, one of a handful of subsidiaries of Vast Renewables, a concentrating solar power (CSP) hopeful that entered administration late last year.
Aurora originally planned to host a 70 MW solar PV facility and a 150 MW solar tower with eight hours of molten salt storage, but its proponent, the US-based Solar Reserve, collapsed and the project moved under the ownership of SiliconAurora, a joint venture between concentrated solar power (CSP) developer Vast, and 14D.
By 2024, the plans had changed again to a 140 MW, two hour (280 MWh) big battery and a much smaller 30 MW CSP plant with 288 MWh of thermal storage, co-located with a planned solar methanol demonstration project led by Vast and German integrated energy giant Mabanaft.
14D has also proposed to use the site to pilot its silicon-based thermal energy storage system, or TESS-GRID technology, which it says can deliver electricity firming services to similar scale as a solar power tower project, offering up to eight hours of storage.
But with Vast entering adminstration, 1414 Degrees progressed the 275kV transmission connection, identified a 33 kV development pathway, and signed a heads of agreement for the proposed development of up to 1 GW of AI data centre infrastructure.
And this month the company completed acquisition of Vast Solar Aurora for $350,000, dissolving the previous JV structure and securing the ability to progress financing, commercial engagement, and staged development across the precinct.
14D says the initial 70 MW solar development, using 5B Mavericks, will form part of Aurora’s Stage 1 grid-scale project, alongside the approved 140 MW / 280 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
“Placing this order is a further step towards delivery of Aurora’s initial 70 MW solar development,” 14D executive chair Kevin Moriarty said in a statement on Thursday.
“The Maverick layout allows us to accommodate considerably more solar capacity within the available land, supporting staged expansion alongside storage, connection infrastructure and customer demand.
“We are progressing power purchase agreements, infrastructure partnerships and financing for project delivery.”
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Sophie is editor of Renew Economy and editor of its sister site, One Step Off The Grid . She is the co-host of the Solar Insiders Podcast. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
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