Modular solar specialist 5B has executed a purchase order with 1414 Degrees to deliver 70 MW of its prefabricated Maverick solar units for the initial stage of the Aurora Energy Precinct project being developed in South Australia’s Upper Spencer Gulf region.
The Aurora project, planned for a 16 km² site near Port Augusta, combines large-scale solar generation potential with battery energy storage and proposed grid connections to supply firmed renewable power to the National Electricity Market (NEM) and behind the meter to data centres and other major energy users.
The initial 70 MW solar PV development forms part of Aurora’s Stage 1 project, alongside an approved 140 MW / 280 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS).
Adelaide-based 1414 Degrees, which was originally founded as a long-duration thermal energy storage (TES) company, said 5B’s technology was selected for its compact layout, which promises to accommodate more solar capacity per hectare, supporting the Aurora project’s potential for about 2 GW of PV capacity.
“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,” 1414 Degrees Executive Chairman Kevin Moriarty said.
The Maverick system is a ground-mounted solar array of up to 90 pre-wired PV panels that are fitted to frames that can be unfolded accordion style. The frames come preassembled on concrete blocks that replace conventional mounting structures, allowing for rapid installation on site. 5B said the solar panels, cabling and connections are factory-assembled and tested before transport to site, which reduces on-site assembly work.
The initial 70 MW deployment will cover 42 hectares within Aurora’s approved 200-hectare solar development footprint. 1414 Degrees said its assessment indicates the Maverick layout could accommodate more than 300 MW of solar PV capacity across that footprint and “supports the indicative precinct-wide potential of approximately 2 GW of solar PV capacity.”
5B said the Maverick units for the Aurora project will be manufactured at the company’s production facility in Adelaide and transported to the precinct for installation.
Moriarty said the execution of the purchase order is a major milestone for the Aurora project.
“Placing this order is a further step towards delivery of Aurora’s initial 70 MW solar development,” he said, adding that the company is now “progressing power purchase agreements, infrastructure partnerships and financing for project delivery.”
1414 Degrees, which assumed full ownership of the Aurora project earlier this year, said it has already secured approval from the Australian Energy Market Operator for connection of the 140 MW / 280 MWh BESS and commercial transmission access negotiations for the proposed 275 kV connection are advancing.
The company is also progressing a proposed 33 kV connection pathway to support earlier data centre development and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
In July, 1414 Degrees entered into a heads of agreement with an unidentified Australian data centre operator for the proposed development of up to 1 GW of AI data centre infrastructure at Aurora.
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