Off-Grid Power for remarkable luxury Lodge

In January 2020 the bushfires which swept through Kangaroo Island in Australia – scarring the landscape – completely destroyed the luxury hotel Southern Ocean Lodge. Perched on the cliffs, with dramatic sea views, it had built a reputation as one of Australia’s most iconic luxury retreats for its world-class design, extraordinary views and first-rate hospitality. Today, after one of Australia’s most significant tourism reconstruction projects, Southern Ocean Lodge has risen from the ashes. Its rebuild incorporates clever design with new resilience and an intelligent sustainable-energy system.

Twenty-three suites have been reoriented towards the southeast providing uninterrupted views of the Southern Ocean and coastal wilderness. Each suite has a private deck, an EcoSmart fireplace, and a sink-in bathtub.

The Remote Power Challenge

Kangaroo Island’s remote location and protected parkland status is part of its attraction – but also presents unique challenges for hospitality. The lodge operates entirely off-grid – yet every appliance and utility runs on electricity! Water is produced by the lodge’s own desalination plant; the kitchen uses induction hobs, commercial electric ovens and freezer rooms; there is air conditioning; there are heated pools, spas and saunas – and underfloor heating throughout. The power system was designed and installed by Ciaram Granger and his team at MyEnergy. Ciaram says; “The site – which includes a commercial laundry – operates across different duty cycles. Power to meet alternating demands from staff operations and residents makes it well-suited to a managed solar, battery, and generator integrated power system.“

From luxury suites, commercial kitchens, spas, water treatment and laundry facilities – reliable twenty-four hour power is a pre-requisite of the Lodge’s hospitality. The climate is rugged with strong winds, changeable weather and heavy power loads in peak seasons —so the system includes built-in redundancy to keep the Lodge running night-and-day, all year round.

Key components include:

12 × Quattro 48/15000 Inverter/Chargers — providing robust AC power management and seamless switching between battery and generator energy sources.
25 × SmartSolar MPPT RS 450/200 solar charger controllers
7 × Fronius ECO 25 Inverters supporting a 600 kW ground-mounted solar array — generating clean energy from the abundant sunshine.
An 800 kWh Pylontech US5000 battery bank, stores the renewable energy and provides reliable power through the night and during periods of low sunlight.
3 x CAT commercial generator sets add redundancy and are integrated via Victron’s generator interface – coordinated through a central Energy Management System (EMS).

This smart hybrid architecture means solar generation handles the daytime load while the battery bank supports evening and overnight demand. During extended periods of limited sunlight or peak seasonal load, backup generators are seamlessly brought online — ensuring that guests never experience a flicker of interruption.

Integration, Intelligence & Hospitality

What makes the Lodge’s power system remarkable isn’t just its components — it’s how they work together. Full integration with the automation and EMS platform allows centralized, coordinated control. Energy flows are constantly optimised for efficiency, cost-effectiveness and resilience.

For a remote luxury lodge where experience, comfort and operational continuity are paramount, it isn’t just about good engineering — without it the business couldn’t offer unforgettable no-compromise vacations, with reduced environmental impact and fossil fuel dependency.

Recognition – and the Future of Off-Grid Hospitality

In 2025, the Southern Ocean Lodge energy project was honoured as the National Clean Energy Project of the Year by Master Electricians Australia — a testament to what can be achieved when cutting-edge off-grid design meets reliable technology and thoughtful implementation.