QANTAC, a leader in fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) accommodation solutions, is committed to making its operations more sustainable and cost effective. With over 2,400 accommodation rooms across Queensland and New South Wales, primarily servicing the mining and construction sectors, the company sought a solution to reduce its reliance on grid power and lower its environmental impact.

To achieve this, QANTAC partnered with Yurika to design, install, operate and maintain a solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) at two of its FIFO camps in Blackwater, Queensland. This initiative helps offset energy use, reduce costs, and improve energy security in the remote region.

QANTAC aimed to:

• reduce reliance on grid electricity and diesel generators
• lower operational costs by offsetting energy consumption with renewable power
• enhance sustainability and environmental responsibility in their FIFO camps
• improve energy resilience for their remote accommodation facilities.

We were engaged to deliver a fully functional solar and battery storage solution, including:

• solar generation: Installation of 2,500 solar panels on the roofs of individual accommodation units (dongas), common area facilities and administration rooftops, maximising space efficiency
• battery storage: Deployment of five 110kVA AC-coupled battery energy storage units, providing 1,150 kWh of energy storage capacity
• electrical infrastructure upgrades
• supply and installation of PV inverters
• engineered foundation pads for the BESS units
• installation of three primary and six secondary photovoltaic distribution boards
• associated cabling, wiring, terminations, and support systems.

Delivering the project in Blackwater posed several challenges, including extreme heat and logistical complexities associated with working in a remote location. Working at heights safely also posed a significant challenge during the planning phase, with Yurika health and safety, and project teams working closely to customise an innovative solution to ensure the safety of our people when working on small donga rooves.  Despite these hurdles, our team completed the installation on time in early 2025, ensuring a seamless integration with QANTAC’s existing infrastructure.

The new system is expected to generate approximately 4 MWh of renewable energy annually, significantly offsetting the camp’s energy usage and reducing maximum demand.

The combination of solar and battery storage reduces electricity expenses by minimising peak demand charges and utilising stored energy during high-cost periods or at night. By reducing reliance on traditional energy sources, QANTAC has taken a major step toward achieving its sustainability goals.

This project serves as a model for future installations, with the potential for QANTAC to roll out similar solutions across other FIFO camps.

By investing in renewable energy, QANTAC is not only reducing operational costs but also demonstrating leadership in sustainable FIFO accommodation solutions. This project is a testament to how solar and battery storage can transform remote workforce housing, making it cleaner, more efficient, and future ready.