Move Over Priscilla, There’s a NEW Queen of this Desert!

By Shane Arnold, Delta Australia

Just like the movie "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" we are heading out into the Australian Outback, the Western Australian Outback to be exact. Kalgoorlie is placed 600kms east of the world’s most isolated capital city Perth.

It’s at the end of the 600km long pipe delivering the town its water supply and just before the MASSIVE Superpit gold mine. The epicenter of the West Australian Goldfields I am driving to Kalgoorlie and meeting with a long time partner of Delta and personal friends, Outback Energy.

Jim Thomson and Tracey Barnett are a dynamic team that have clearly been working together for a long time and when questioning just how long they have worked together Tracey is quick to say just on 16 years. But something tells me Tracey knew to the day just how long she had been working at Outback, perhaps to the hour. I say this in jest as one thing is very clear, Tracey loves what she does and wouldn't change a thing.

Our distributors had been mentioning some impressive statements about the team of Outback Energy and the progress they had been making as Kalgoorlie's premier LOCAL solar retailer and installer. It's no secret that with its location, Kalgoorlie gets HOT! It's known for summer temperatures climbing above 45 degrees during the day and remaining over 35 degrees during the night, air-conditioning and cold "refreshments" are a valued necessity that should those refreshments go warm could start Armageddon.

So it stands to reason that to keep things cool in one of the hottest parts of the country it’s going to take a lot of energy, reliable energy, OUTBACK ENERGY!

Being that the service area of Outback Energy is larger than a lot of countries, it’s fair and reasonable that they choose their equipment wisely. Delta has always proven itself in these harsh climates due to our global reach, this includes India where we have benefited from that regions strict temperature performance requirements being embedded into our Australian certified inverter technology.

Delta's two most popular inverters are the same two that Outback Energy have brought to the buildings of the Goldfields. This is the H5A-222 and E5 Hybrid. Both 5kw inverters, both with their unique features.

E5 inverter mounted on the typical Kalgoorlie home experiencing full sunlight. Maximum generation being achieved without grid energy.

For those wanting a solar power generator that is high yielding, silent (no fans), has the advantage of delivering solar power during a blackout without needing a battery as well as not fussed by bells and whistles then this is the inverter for you. Having the knowledge that the solar will be generating during the day should the grid fail is invaluable in this region. Want to add the Delta BX6.0 battery?

Of course if you want one or two batteries you will need to discuss exactly what you want from a battery with Tracey, Outback Energy has strongly adhered to the policy of making sure solar delivers an advantage. Knowing exactly how a battery will benefit you or may not benefit you is what the decades of experience Jim brings to the team and this experience will make sure you receive the right advice.

Tracey Commissioning the H5A-222 with consumption monitoring using her smart device.

The second option is the H5A-222, (video available HERE) this new product was launched in 2020 with more functional technology to ensure you are getting the most out of your solar array. Built in consumption monitoring as standard, silent (no fans needed) operation, compatible with Delta's BX6.3 battery, low start-up/shutdown voltage and 5 second updated monitoring direct to your local smart device (no internet needed) will allow you to see exactly what you are generating/consuming/exporting/importing.

Where the H5A-222 system wins hands down is by not only showing how much energy you are generating (which is important) but how much you are using. A lot of solar owners use energy during the day without knowing if they are using more than they are generating as this is all they can see and as a result end up buying even more energy.

Outback Energy proudly advised that they are connecting this helpful feature with all installations of the H5A-222 to make sure that their clients have all the tools to better reduce their energy bills. During our visit we were delighted to hear the H5A-222 has been so popular with Goldfields residents that it has been crowned "The NEW Queen of this Desert"

The greatest experience of my visit to Kalgoorlie was Outback Energy inviting me along to meet Delta owners. This is rare and something I really enjoy, to hear the benefit that solar has delivered to the owners is humbling and reminds me of why I am in this industry.

It was after the installer meetings, site visits and the end user visits I made the call to our HQ. It was time for Outback Energy to receive Delta Synergy Partner Status. It was unanimously approved by management and I had the pleasure of taking Jim and Tracey to dinner to present their certificate of status to what is only issued to 5 companies in each state. If you are within the Outback Energy serviceable area I recommend you discuss with Jim and Tracey what exactly this partnership status means as there are many advantages they have access to over others.

Some fast facts about Kalgoorlie:

1. Gold was officially discovered in 1893 when Paddy Hannan cashed in 3.1kg of gold. This discovery later became known as "The Golden Mile" which for a long time was the richest goldfield in the world.
2. The town is supplied water pumped 600km via The Golden Pipeline from Perth and was built by C.Y O'Connor who also engineered and built the Fremantle Port. Until the pipelines arrival crude water processing plants were used.
3. The 18th hole of the Nullarbor Links Golf Course is located in Kalgoorlie, The first Tee for hole one is 1,365kms away in Ceduna South Australia
4. The Super-Pit was Australia's largest open cut gold mine until another Western Australian gold mine overtook it in 2016. It is 26,000 Hectares and 600metres deep and manages to extract 1.6grams of gold for every tonne of ore processed. At the lookout you can see the mining trucks up close and then look across to see them in the pit where they are dwarfed.

About the Author (Guest Contributor)

Shane Arnold

Originally from Perth, I had moved to Melbourne with my family in 2017 and joined Delta Australia as Regional Manager for PVI. Still miss the beaches in Perth but loving the vibrancy in Melbourne. Ask me anything about Straya and Australian solar power industry. It’s not what you think it is. Connect with me on @shanefromdelta on IG.

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