Introduction To The 5B Maverick Solar System

Ready to integrate as part of a hybrid power system, the Maverick is ideal for powering Australia’s off-grid construction, agricultural and mine sites with minimal carbon footprint. 

Here, we’ll look at what the 5B Maverick is, its various use cases across industries and how it compares to traditional solar arrays.  

The 5B Maverick is an Australian-made 48-50 kilowatt ground mount solar array. Each 5B Maverick consists of up to 90 solar modules, typically mounted on 9 hinged racks between 10 composite steel-concrete beams.  

Their prefabricated, plug and play design ensures rapid scalability, simple setup and operation and interfaces with a variety of DC reticulation solutions.  

The 5B Maverick’s dense, compact layout enables the same energy output from up to half the land. With no corridors and minimal gaps between structures, it generates up to 98% more power per hectare than traditional axis tracking or fixed tilt solar PV systems. 

Unlike single-axis trackers, the 5B Maverick has no moving parts. This eliminates the risk of faulty drive motors, control systems or batteries, in addition to their associated maintenance requirements. 

The 5B Maverick arrives on site ready to install. On-site mechanical installation is 10x faster and requires roughly 70% fewer labour hours than traditional fixed tilt or tracker solar arrays. This significantly reduces associated labour and machinery management costs. 

The 5B Maverick is also fast and cost-effective to decommission at the end of a project. It is simple to re-deploy to another site after a project is complete, maximising the lifecycle of the system.  

The 5B Maverick is built for a wide range of commercial, industrial and large-scale solar applications. It can withstand extreme temperatures and harsh conditions of remote Australia and still output a reliable source of power.  

Some practical examples of the 5B Maverick include: 

Working as part of a hybrid power system, 5B Maverick solar panels helped power up site offices during the construction of Whiteman Park Train Station. The installation included a 50kVA hybrid battery, 40kW 5B Maverick, 45kVA BESS and a 50kVA backup generator.  

The project replaced a 100kVA generator running 24/7 to a cost-effective, energy efficient hybrid solution with an almost 100% push through on renewable energy.  

A 5B Maverick solar farm was set up to power a hydrocarbon processing plant in the regional town of Albury, New South Wales. 44 Mavericks were set up on the site with a 1.5 MWp capacity. Better yet, the system took 3 people only 13 days to deploy.  

As a closed landfill site, the location was not suitable for most conventional solar structures that drive into the ground and may penetrate underlying landfill membranes.  

The 5B Maverick was a safe and stable solution for the Albury hydrocarbon processing plant. It is a ballasted system that requires minimal ground penetration, ideal for marginal sites like landfills that present various civil works limitations. Learn more about how the 5B Maverick powered Albury’s waste management centre.  

A 635 kWp 5B Maverick solar system was set up to provide a continuous supply of electricity for the remote town of Borroloola, Northern Territory in 2018. Working in conjunction with existing diesel generators, the solar farm supplies roughly 25% of the community’s power.  

Since installation, the Maverick’s ballasted system has survived 2 cyclones in Borroloola with wind gusts up to 39 m/s. Learn more about the Borroloola community solar farm.  

Blue Diamond Machinery has been powering the industries that power Australia’s economy for over a decade. Now, we’re helping them transition to an emission-free future. 

Whatever stage your business is at, we have the know-how and expertise to recommend the right solution.  

For advice on taking the first steps to reduce your onsite emissions without compromising productivity or efficiency, get in touch with the team today.