Scene Apartments in Auckland CBD had annual power bills exceeding $35,000 for their common areas which included water pumps, lifts and lighting.
Installing solar here had it’s challenges. We navigated a difficult cable run through multiple stories of a populated residential building while meeting strict passive-fire requirements—all with minimal disruption to residents.
We took a consultative, engineering-first approach to this complex CBD retrofit. Our team designed a custom 75kW system that prioritised both performance and maintenance. By choosing salt-spray resistant hardware, we ensured the system would withstand the harsh Waitematā Harbour air, providing a long-term asset for the body corporate rather than a maintenance liability.
The Outcome for Scene Apartments
After installing solar panels, here’s the impact:
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Total Power Output: 96,500 kWh per year
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Total Panels: 162
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Estimated Savings over 20 years: $616,000
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Internal rate of return: 34%
The Hardware
Solar Panels: 162 x Jinko Tiger Neo 440W (JKM440N-54HL4R-B)
Solar Inverters: 1 x Solis S5-GC50K
Total Capacity: 71kW DC / 50kW AC
Mounting: Clenergy
