SolaX Fiji Resort Solar & Battery Storage Case Study

SolaX AELIO cuts expensive diesel dependency by 50% across three remote Fijian island resorts in year one – with no grid, no local supply chain and conditions that push energy systems to their limits.

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*Target by end 2027

THE PROJECT

When three remote island resorts in Fiji's Yasawa archipelago needed to break their dependence on expensive imported diesel, they needed a solution that could handle the most demanding conditions: no grid connection, no local supply chain, coastal heat, tropical rains, humidity and salt air.

SolaX Power Australia, as key technology partner to Future Energy NZ, delivered eight AELIO battery energy storage units across Paradise Cove, Blue Lagoon and Octopus Resort – 760kW of solar and 1.6MW of battery storage in total.The results: a 50% reduction in diesel costs, FJ$850,000 (AUD$538,000) in projected annual fuel savings, and a pre-tax payback of 2 to 3 years – before Fiji's 100% capital expenditure write-off is factored in.

THE CHALLENGE

The Yasawa Islands are accessible only by boat or light aircraft. Every panel, every battery unit, every cable had to be shipped by container.

There was no grid to fall back on, no local supply chain and no margin for error.

Danny Fang, Senior Field Application Engineer, SolaX Power Australia, travelled to Fiji to oversee commissioning across all three sites. 

Danny Fang said, "The Yasawa Islands presented conditions that push energy systems to their limits. With no grid infrastructure, no local supply chain and exposure to coastal heat, humidity and salt air, every component had to be shipped by container and engineered for long-term dependability."

THE SOLUTION

SolaX AELIO – engineered for the most demanding environments 

Each AELIO unit is a 50kW/60kW hybrid ESS cabinet, IP66-rated inverter and IP55 cabinet, built for coastal heat, humidity and salt air. Eight units were deployed across the three resorts, delivering 1.6MW of storage expandable to MWh-scale as demand grows.

Key specifications:

ESS AELIO

Nick Wood said, "If you look at the fuel we were using at Paradise Cove alone, and the 80% surge in diesel prices, the increase in our operating costs would have been massive. Solar takes that pressure off. Now we're at similar levels to what we were at before we energised the system."

Nick Wood, Owner, Yasawa Island Resorts

Diesel savings trajectory:

• 35% achieved across the first six months of operation

• 50% projected across full-year 2026

• 70 to 75% target by end of 2027

Beyond the fuel bill:

• Stable power to desalination plants supporting 200 live-in staff and tens of thousands of guests annually

• Elimination of mid-service generator shutdowns

• Planned transition from gas hot water to heat pump systems – saving a further FJ$95,000 to $110,000 per year

CARBON IMPACT

The project's carbon impact is estimated to have avoided 464.68 tonnes of CO₂ annually – the equivalent of planting 7,600+ trees (estimate is calculated based on Paradise Cove data from previous seven months).

LOCAL CAPABILITY

SolaX delivered end-to-end commissioning and hands-on training to eight Fijian technicians with no prior solar experience. They now operate and maintain the full 1.6MW system independently – reducing reliance on expensive external technical support and building long-term local energy capability.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR PROJECT

If it works here, it works anywhere.

The Yasawa Islands project is commercial proof that fully off-grid and remote solar and battery storage can deliver reliable energy in the most demanding conditions, with compelling payback opportunities.

Remote tourism operations, outback stations, rural hospitals, island communities, off-grid industrial sites: if your operation is still relying on expensive imported diesel, the economics have shifted.

GET IN TOUCH 

Exploring an off-grid or remote energy project? Talk to the local SolaX Power Australia team.