UNSW, JT Solar Technology and LONGi Launch Community Power Plant (CPP) at The Gibraltar Bowral

Bowral, NSW, Australia - October 2026

A new Community Power Plant (CPP) project at The Gibraltar Bowral is demonstrating how renewable energy, battery storage and artificial intelligence can work together to improve energy resilience for businesses while creating opportunities to share clean energy with the wider community.

Supported through the Australian Government's Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) Lab to Market Fund, the project brings together researchers from UNSW, JT Solar Technology Pty Ltd, trading as Aussie Hybrid Solar (AHS), technology partners LONGi and Sungrow, and The Gibraltar Bowral to explore a new model for community energy generation, storage and management.

The Gibraltar Bowral project represents an important demonstration of how community energy systems could operate in regional Australia. By combining solar generation, battery storage and AI-driven energy management in a commercial setting, the project aims to maximise the value of locally generated renewable energy while supporting energy resilience.

At the centre of the project is The Gibraltar Bowral's newly installed 290 kW rooftop solar system comprising 612 LONGi solar panels and a 200 kWh Sungrow battery system, funded by JT Solar Technology. The project also includes further solar expansion and a planned 500 kWh community battery to support future community energy-sharing initiatives.

LONGi's high-efficiency solar technology provides the foundation for the project's renewable energy generation. The installation also highlights the ongoing collaboration between LONGi and JT Solar Technology through Aussie Hybrid Solar, with the organisations having worked together across residential, commercial and community energy projects over many years.

Unlike traditional Virtual Power Plants, which primarily respond to electricity market signals, the Community Power Plant model seeks to balance the needs of energy users, battery owners and the electricity network. Surplus renewable energy can be stored and managed as a shared resource, helping improve energy resilience while making better use of local clean-energy generation.

Coordinating the system is an advanced Large Language Model (LLM)-based Energy Management System developed by researchers at UNSW, led by Associate Professor Huadong Mo and Dr Ripon Chakrabortty. The platform continuously analyses electricity demand, energy prices, battery state of charge, battery health and grid requirements to optimise how energy is generated, stored and used.

The project demonstrates how collaboration between universities, industry and government-supported innovation programs can accelerate the deployment of emerging clean-energy technologies. Researchers from UNSW worked alongside JT Solar Technology, through its installation service brand Aussie Hybrid Solar (AHS), and partners VOLTVAL, LONGi, Sungrow and The Gibraltar Bowral to bring together expertise in renewable energy, battery storage, artificial intelligence and commercial project delivery.

The Gibraltar Bowral project builds on earlier TRaCE-supported collaboration between UNSW researchers, JT Solar Technology and VOLTVAL, a technology company also founded by Jason Xiao. The earlier work focused on AI-enabled solar and battery systems for apartment buildings and helped establish the foundation for broader community energy applications.

Jason (Jiangang) Xiao, Founder and Director of JT Solar Technology and VOLTVAL, said the project demonstrates the potential of combining proven renewable energy technologies with advanced energy intelligence.

"Projects like this demonstrate how renewable energy can be managed more intelligently, creating greater value for businesses, communities and the energy network. Through collaboration with our industry and research partners, we're helping build the foundations for the next generation of community energy solutions."

Following its launch in September 2026, the project will continue to be evaluated through real-world operation. If successful, the Community Power Plant model could be replicated across regional communities, hotels, commercial properties and other multi-user energy sites seeking to improve energy resilience and maximise the value of renewable energy.

JT Solar Technology Pty Ltd
Trading as Aussie Hybrid Solar

Address: Unit B2/161 Arthur St
Homebush West NSW 2140
Australia

Media contact: Jason Xiao
Telephone: 1300 544 131
Email: info@aussiehybridsolar.com.au
Website: https://aussiehybridsolar.com.au/

About JT Solar Technology and Aussie Hybrid Solar

Established in 2009, JT Solar Technology Pty Ltd is a Sydney-based company specialising in solar, battery storage, energy management and community energy solutions across residential, commercial and industrial sectors. Aussie Hybrid Solar (AHS) is its customer-facing solar and battery installation service brand.

About the Project Partners

VOLTVAL is an Australian energy technology company developing intelligent energy-sharing and energy-management solutions for multi-user energy environments.

The Gibraltar Bowral is a hotel and event destination in the Southern Highlands, committed to sustainability and innovation.

TRaCE is a partnership between UNSW and the University of Newcastle, supported by the Australian Government's Trailblazer Universities Program, helping accelerate clean-energy innovations from research to commercial deployment.

This release was published on openPR.