Feb 23, 2018 - Leading global battery and solar energy company sonnen will move its Australian headquarters from Sydney to Adelaide where it will also establish a manufacturing hub.
The announcement further cements South Australia as a world leader in renewable energy and storage.
The German company, the world’s largest producer of household battery and solar energy storage solutions, will use Adelaide as its central shipping facility for Australia and the Asia and South Pacific region.
It will also establish a technical training facility in the South Australian capital, which will cover Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific markets.
Sonnen is the world’s largest producer of household battery and solar energy storage solutions. It currently manufactures in Germany and the United States.
Sonnen Australia Australia/New Zealand Managing Director Chris Parratt said the company’s partnership highlighted South Australia’s reputation as a powerhouse in the clean technology sector globally.
“We are very excited by the prospect of manufacturing in South Australia for the Australian export markets, and realising our expectation that Australia will become the world’s number one market for energy storage systems,” he said.
Today’s announcement is the latest in a string of clean energy projects underway in South Australia, which is driving investment through its $150 million Renewable Technology Fund.
In November, Tesla commissioned the world’s largest lithium-ion battery (100MW/129MWh) at Neoen’s Hornsdale Wind Farm in South Australia’s Mid-North.
SolarReserve has also announced it will build a 150MW/1100MWh solar thermal power plant near Port Augusta.
South Australia leads the nation in the uptake of wind energy and rooftop solar with renewable sources accounting for almost 50 per cent of the electricity generated in the state.
Sonnen will manufacture 50,000 energy storage systems in Adelaide over five years to create a ‘virtual power plant’ under a five-year deal with the South Australian Government.
The move will create more than 430 jobs across Sonnen’s battery factory operations and installation division within six months of the centre opening.
Sonnen claims its battery system, combiuned with rooftop solar, will save up to 80 per cent off a household’s electricity bill.
The company also plans to offer household energy packages such as sonnenFlat, which charges customers a flat monthly fee of AU$40-$60 to allow them to better manage bills.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said the German manufacturer would bring added value to the state’s energy market and reduce power costs for customers.
“By also establishing itself as a retailer, Sonnen will bring further competition to the market, providing more choice for consumers and helping drive down energy prices,” he said.
| A manufacturers'Monthly release || February 23, 2018 |||
