Austins Department Stores | Newton Abbot, Devon | Commercial Solar and Victron Battery Backup

375kWp Documented Solar | Potential 403kWp Total | SolarEdge Optimisation | 90kVA Victron Battery Inverter System | 120kWh Battery Storage

When a business has been trading for more than 100 years, protecting its future is every bit as important as celebrating its past.

For Austins Department Stores in Newton Abbot, investing in renewable energy has become a central part of its strategy to reduce electricity costs, improve energy independence and protect the business against power cuts.

Working with Callidus, Austins has developed an extensive solar programme across its department stores, specialist retail premises and warehouse, with approximately 375kWp of documented solar capacity and a further 28kW recorded as an additional installation.

The next major development is a 90kVA Victron battery inverter system with 120kWh of battery storage, designed to provide backup power and operational resilience.

A Century of Retailing – Investing in the Next 100 Years

Established in 1924, Austins has grown into one of Devon's best-known independent family-owned department store businesses.

Operating multiple retail premises creates substantial electricity demands, from lighting and air conditioning to escalators, tills, office equipment, catering facilities and warehousing.

Rather than accepting rising electricity costs, Austins invested in producing its own electricity.

The Solar Solution – SolarEdge Technology and Individual Panel Optimisation

The rooftop solar installations incorporate SolarEdge inverter technology with individual power optimisers fitted beneath each solar panel.

This allows each panel to be managed individually, reducing the impact that shading, soiling or differences in panel performance can have on the wider installation.

SolarEdge technology also provides detailed monitoring and important safety functionality, including its SafeDC system, which reduces DC voltage to safer levels under specified shutdown conditions.

For commercial buildings with complex roof layouts, this provides significant advantages in performance monitoring, fault identification and system management.

The documented solar programme includes:

The Next Stage – 90kVA Victron Power with 120kWh Battery Storage

Generating electricity is one thing. Maintaining power when the grid fails is another.

For Austins, a power cut can mean interrupted trading, failed tills, lighting outages, disconnected computer systems and disruption to everyday operations.

To address this, the battery backup solution incorporates:

• 90kVA Victron inverter capacity, providing substantial three-phase power capability.
• 120kWh of battery storage, providing stored energy for backup and energy management.
• Integration with the existing solar installation, allowing compatible solar generation to support the system when operating conditions permit.
• Backup power capability, designed to keep designated store operations running during electricity outages.
• Intelligent monitoring and power management, allowing the system to manage stored energy and monitor operating conditions.

Victron inverter technology offers exceptionally fast transfer to backup operation, with suitable configurations capable of transferring in less than 20 milliseconds.

When correctly engineered, this can allow many critical electrical systems to continue operating without staff noticing an interruption.

Actual backup duration will depend on the connected loads, available battery capacity and solar generation.

Complete Energy Security in an Uncertain World

The combination of SolarEdge rooftop generation and Victron battery backup provides two important advantages.

During normal operation, the solar installation reduces the amount of electricity purchased from the National Grid, helping lower the business's ongoing energy expenditure.

During a power cut, the Victron battery system is designed to maintain electricity to designated essential circuits, protecting business operations against interruptions to the incoming supply.

This means Austins can look beyond energy savings towards greater operational security.

A Personal Endorsement of Renewable Energy

The owner's confidence in renewable technology extends beyond the company's commercial buildings.

Having invested in solar across the Austins business, he has also installed solar PV and battery storage at his own home.

This commitment demonstrates confidence in renewable energy as both a commercial investment and a practical way to improve energy independence.

Recognised During Austins' Centenary

During the company's 100-year celebrations, Callidus was acknowledged for its contribution to Austins' renewable energy programme and the importance of these investments to the company's future.

The owner has also described the new department as his best-performing department, reflecting the continued development and investment within the business.

For Callidus, the relationship is about much more than supplying individual solar installations. It is about helping a successful independent retailer reduce operating costs and protect itself against future energy uncertainty.

System Specifications

• Client: Austins Department Stores
• Location: Newton Abbot, Devon
• Documented solar capacity: 375.06kWp
• Potential total including provisional addition: 403.06kWp
• Solar inverter technology: SolarEdge
• Solar panel optimisation: Individual module-level power optimisers
• Battery inverter system: Victron 90kVA
• Battery storage: 120kWh
• Electrical configuration: Three-phase
• Backup capability: Protection of designated electrical loads during grid outages
• Monitoring: SolarEdge and Victron system monitoring
• Applications: Department stores, lighting, air conditioning, tills, offices, warehousing and essential electrical infrastructure
• Primary objectives: Reduce electricity costs, increase energy independence and improve business continuity

Protecting the Next 100 Years of Austins

The Austins project demonstrates how commercial solar and battery storage can work together to deliver both financial savings and greater energy resilience.

With hundreds of kilowatts of solar generation, individually optimised SolarEdge panels and a substantial Victron backup system, the business is investing in technology designed to support its future.

Over 100 years of retail history. More than 375kW of documented solar. 90kVA of Victron inverter power. 120kWh of battery storage. One objective – keeping the business operating, whatever happens to the electricity grid.

Callidus Trade – Engineered Energy Solutions for a More Secure Future.