• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
One Step Off The Grid

One Step Off The Grid

Solar, storage and distributed energy news

  • Solar
  • Battery/Storage
  • Off-Grid
  • Efficiency
  • Software
  • Podcasts
  • Tariffs
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Electrification

Risen Energy joins bid to deliver solar and storage for bushfire victims

May 19, 2020 by Sophie Vorrath Leave a Comment

Image: Resilient Energy Collective
Image: Resilient Energy Collective

The Resilient Energy Collective bid to power Australia’s bushfire affected communities with stand-alone solar and battery storage has gained a new high-profile team member, with Risen Energy signing up to supply solar panels to the cause.

The Collective, an initiative of Australian software billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes in partnership with Tesla and Australian solar company 5B, was unveiled in February as a quick and easy way to re-power communities cut off by the summer’s bushfires and storms.

With Cannon-Brookes supplying the initial capital for the project ($12 million), Tesla has contributed battery storage, and 5B has provided its pre-fabricated, easily deployed Maverick solar technology.

US-based Enphase Energy also joined the effort last month, putting forward its IQ 7+ microinverters to assist with the rapid rollout of the Maverick solar and storage systems.

Risen Energy said this week it would supply solar panels to the Collective, off the back of Risen’s earlier collaboration with 5B, when it supplied its 400W Jaegar Plus series panels for an initial display and test site of the Maverick systems.

China-based Risen said the “noble cause” of the Collective was well aligned with its own goals – as a major solar project developer – to become more involved in local Australian communities while increasing awareness of the benefits of green energy systems in Australia.

And as RenewEconomy editor Giles Parkinson reported in February, the capabilities and ready availability of the solar and storage technology have indeed been a surprise to some.

According to Cannon-Brookes, some people in the communities had thought such technologies were 10 years away.

“They said, ‘does this run at night?’ Yes! They said, ‘Man, this is technology from the future!’ No it’s not, it’s stuff that you find on the shelves. The only new bits we added were nuts and bolts from Bunnings.”

Risen Australia’s general manager Eric Lee said that his company had also – at first – been “intrigued” by 5B’s pre-built, re-deployable solar system. But they soon saw it as a good fit with their 400W high efficiency panels.

“5B’s mission of delivering world-class technology to ensure clean energy is affordable and accessible, ties in with Risen Energy’s vision of a green future’,” Lee said.

5B’s chief technology officer, Rhett Evans, said Risen had been a great partner on the bushfire relief project.

“They were able to respond rapidly and decisively with local stock and local support. Risen’s product range and build quality is a great match to our prefabricated array systems and they have a committed and growing presence in the Australian market.”

Risen’s Jaeger plus series were launched in Australia in 2019, featuring 9 bus bars, 158.75 mm wafers and half cut cells. Risen has since announced it will be releasing two new panels in the market in 2020, including 500W modules made with large, 210 mm M12 wafers.

On the development front, Risen is behind the 100MW Merredin solar farm in Western Australia – the state’s biggest yet, and the 100MW Yarranlea solar farm in Queensland.

Sophie Vorrath
Sophie Vorrath

Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.

Filed Under: News

Primary Sidebar

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Emissions Counter

Renew Economy

RSS Energy News from Renew Economy

  • “Cakes of coal, volumes of gas:” Australia accused of being climate wrecker as it seeks to host COP31
  • Energy giant abandons plans to build new transmission links to renewable energy zones
  • A government owned retailer has just jacked up our electricity tariffs by 25 pct – because it can
  • Aussie remote and off-grid power specialist snapped up by US giant in $2 billion deal
  • World’s most isolated grid wants big batteries to last longer to fill gaps as last coal shuts down

RSS Electric Vehicle News from The Driven

  • The Model 3 refresh rebound was short-lived – how long will Model Y rebound last?
  • Why can’t we make it here? The birth of one of world’s first EV industry gatherings
  • Australian uptake of EV and plug in hyrbids could stall without tax breaks
  • The best EVs we don’t get – where are the small electric cars in Australia?
  • Astonishing: Xiaomi’s SU7 Ultra EV sets fastest production car lap, besting Porsche

Press Releases

  • Huge luxury Saudi resort goes 100pct renewables with one of world’s biggest batteries
  • How solar + storage can be a game-changer for people with disabilities

Footer

Technologies

  • Solar
  • Battery/Storage
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Software/Gadgets
  • Other Renewables
  • Policy
  • Tariffs
  • Contact
  • Advertise with us
  • About One Step Off The Grid
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · OneStep Genesis on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in