Energy Solutions
Our project team has acquired a vast amount of experience working with multiple machines in the energy industry.
Our project team has acquired a vast amount of experience working with multiple machines in the energy industry.
When obsolete hardware was putting one of our clients at risk, our team at Automation Republic took on the challenge—and turned it into an opportunity for smarter, safer, and more resilient solar tracking.
Over the past few months, we’ve successfully completed a comprehensive controller upgrade across multiple arrays, replacing aging systems that had become unreliable due to lightning damage and component obsolescence. Today, the new Automation Republic control platform has been running flawlessly for more than six months, keeping every tracker in sync—and every kilowatt right where it should be.
The original tracker system used a custom RS-485 protocol to communicate between a master controller and six sub-trackers within each array.
To ensure a seamless upgrade, our engineers reverse-engineered the proprietary protocol—allowing our controller to speak the same “language” as the legacy sub-controllers while introducing new layers of intelligence and protection.
Each tracker now operates under a single Automation Republic controller, managing:
Positioning and alignment of up to six arrays per tracker
Real-time data exchange for inclinometers, pressure sensors, and operational modes
Fail-safe command structure that maintains communication integrity across the RS-485 network
In total, 23 trackers at one plant and 44 trackers at another are now running under this new control architecture.
Our new software algorithm and HMI interface are future-proof, designed to keep pace with technological advancements and evolving operational needs.
The upgraded controllers were fully integrated into the plant’s SCADA network via Modbus TCP, replacing the older OPC DA interface.
This shift not only simplified the data exchange layer but also improved reliability and diagnostic transparency for the site’s engineering team.
To make operations safer and more adaptable, we introduced a custom wind-stow angle adjustment feature, giving on-site personnel the ability to fine-tune stow angles directly through the SCADA interface.
The feature was built with strict adherence to the existing safety framework—ensuring all interlocks and protection logic remain intact.
Energy Capacitor Management SystemWe developed a bespoke solution for a unique customer, on a revolutionary battery system that promises to change the way batteries are developed in the future.
Due to the lack of lithium resources available and the need for a new solution, our customer developed a new battery solution that utilises specially designed capacitive cells, which drastically increase the power density for a given size unit.
The challenge he faced was using a standard BMS system that would work with conventional lithium batteries. These units do not work with Capacitive Cells.
We were tasked with developing a CMS (Capacitor management system) that will communicate with an SMA inverter (Sunny Island 6.0) that is widely used in industry via CANBUS.
Our system was able to successfully communicate with the required protocols from the inverter and is now the 1st of many capacitive battery systems developed fully in South Africa. The system is online and supplying power to his factory, which is built to create more of these special batteries. The Automation Republic team used a combination of communication platforms, web server integration, microcontrollers, GPS tracking and IoT platforms to achieve all the requirements.