In 2025, CEP.Energy engaged Winki Energy to engineer, procure, and constructs 759 kWp rooftop solar PV system at the former Ford Factory in Geelong. The site operates as an active embedded network with multiple commercial tenants, and the system needed to be delivered without disrupting daily operations.
Winki Energy was selected through a competitive tender process and managed the full EPC scope from design through to commissioning.
The Project
The 759 kWp installation spans multiple roof sections across the heritage-listed building. Given the constrained installation locations on site, standard distribution boards and metering chambers were not suitable, so Winki designed and procured a custom Generator Monitoring Meter (GMM) CT chamber and a purpose-built modular Photovoltaic Distribution Board (PVDB) to suit the physical site constraints.
The site had persistent silver gull activity, so bird netting was included across the full array as part of the scope. Real-time performance monitoring was integrated to give CEP.Energy and site managers visibility over generation output and string performance.
The Challenge
The former Ford Factory is heritage-listed, which added constraints to every cabling route and racking fixation point. Difficult roof access required scaffold towers and weekend crane lifts to avoid disrupting tenants during the working week. Multiple stakeholders, including tenants, maintenance staff, and the network operator, needed to be kept informed throughout the build.
The Approach
Crane work was scheduled for weekends to keep weekday site operations unaffected. Scaffold towers provided safe access to sections of the roof where standard methods weren’t suitable. Multiple specialist subcontractors were coordinated across the build, including electricians, structural riggers, crane operators, and bird netting installers.
What the Client Said
“During construction, Winki were extremely professional. Stakeholders on site were always kept informed of the status of the project, crane lifts went off without a hitch, and I have received multiple comments from tenants and maintenance staff complimenting Winki staff for their professionalism and attitude while on site. Something I find very important as a PM is honest communication and transparency and to Winki’s credit any issues that inevitably arose during construction were always immediately communicated. This allowed a collaborative construction process where solutions could be found and implemented quickly and the project kept on track. Their in-house installation crews clearly take great pride in their work and as an ex installer myself I can vouch for their high quality of work. I would recommend Winki Energy to anyone seeking an EPC to deliver commercial PV projects.”
– Brendan Laidlaw, Project Implementation Manager at CEP.Energy
Key Numbers
| System capacity | 759 kWp |
| Installation type | Multi-rooftop |
| Site | Former Ford Factory, Geelong, Victoria |
| Custom components and delivery challenges | GMM CT Chamber, Modular PVDB, full array bird netting, weekend crane lifts, scaffold towers |
| Monitoring | Real-time performance tracking |
Thinking About Solar for Your Site?
If you manage a large commercial or industrial property in Victoria, we’re happy to have a practical conversation about what’s achievable on your site. Learn more at winkienergy.com.au/commercial or get in touch at winkienergy.com.au/contact-us.
