When Single O decided to overhaul their old solar system, they weren't just looking for cheaper electricity. As a B Corp accredited specialty coffee roaster with sustainability built into their DNA, they needed a system that could power an ambitious future, one that includes electrification, reduced carbon emissions and a long-term energy partner they could trust.
Green.com.au delivered exactly that: a high-performance solar upgrade paired with a modular battery system designed around Single O’s current energy needs, with the flexibility to grow alongside the business into the future.
About Single O
Founded in 2003, Single O is one of Australia's most respected specialty coffee roasters. The business sources exceptional coffee beans from 26 countries around the world, importing and roasting them at their Botany roastery before delivering to wholesale café partners across Australia. They also operate a second roastery in Tokyo, supporting their Japanese network.
The Botany roastery is the beating heart of the operation, kicking the day off early at 5am, roasting daily across two industrial roasters, and distributing to customers every single day. It's an energy-intensive, high-output facility operating from early morning through to the afternoon.
Single O holds B Corp certification and has been tracking its carbon emissions across the full supply chain for over five years. For them, the case for solar was never just financial.
The challenge
Single O had been running on solar since 2013, but over a decade later, that original system was doing far less than the business needed.
The panels had degraded and production had dropped, while Single O's energy needs had grown significantly. The business was drawing heavy loads from early morning through to mid-afternoon. With electricity costs rising around 24% in recent years, an ageing system covering less than 40% of their consumption was no longer good enough.
"We had an existing solar system installed in 2013. It was producing about 37 to 39% of our power needs. I think it was high time for a bit of an upgrade."
- Mike Brabant, CEO, Single O
There was also the question of changing incentives. Feed-in tariffs have steadily declined, making self-consumption far more valuable than exporting energy back to the grid. As a result, Single O needed a system designed around how the business actually uses power, maximising on-site solar consumption throughout the day.
The solution
The Green.com.au commercial team began with a thorough assessment of Single O's energy profile, existing infrastructure, and site constraints before designing the upgraded system from the ground up.
The result was an expanded solar array of 105 new panels delivering far greater output from the same roof space. Advances in solar technology over the past decade mean that today's panels produce considerably more power per square metre, allowing us to dramatically increase Single O's generation capacity without needing extra roof space.
Alongside the solar upgrade, we added a Sungrow SBH 50kWh battery, a critical addition given Single O's energy profile. Commercial businesses like Single O are often charged not just for how much electricity they consume, but for how much they draw at any one moment, known as a demand charge. By pairing solar with battery storage, we were able to give Single O more control over when they draw from the grid, reducing those peak demand spikes and cutting a layer of cost that solar panels alone wouldn't address.
The 50kWh capacity also made Single O eligible for the Cheaper Home Batteries Program rebate available, improving the financial return of the project.
The process
The Green.com.au commercial process is built around taking complexity off the client's plate entirely.
Once Single O signed their proposal, they were assigned a dedicated project manager who handled everything from grid applications and council approvals through to installation scheduling. Before a single panel went up, the Green Team conducted a detailed site assessment, reviewing Single O's energy interval data, existing infrastructure, and site logistics to ensure the design was exactly right.
On installation, the install crew first removed the old 2013 system before beginning the new install: starting with rails, cabling, and compliance checks before the panels went onto the roof. Once the solar was complete, the battery and inverter station were commissioned, tested, and brought online.
Single O's old panels didn't go to landfill. Through LifeCycle, the retired panels were repurposed for continued use in South East Asia, extending their lifespan and continuing to generate clean energy.
Following handover, the Green Team walked Single O through the Sungrow monitoring platform, battery optimisation settings, and system performance tracking to ensure everything was running exactly as intended.
Post-install, Green.com.au continues to support the system with ongoing monitoring, optimisation, and customer support, ensuring the system keeps performing as the business evolves.
The outcome
The numbers speak for themselves.
Green.com.au is projecting an annual electricity bill reduction of 57% for Single O, with an 85% self-consumption rate, meaning the vast majority of the solar energy generated is used directly by the business rather than exported. A full return on investment is expected within 3-4 years.
Beyond the financial return, the new system is estimated to offset approximately 50 tonnes of CO₂ per year, which is a meaningful contribution to Single O's B Corp commitments and their ongoing carbon reporting across Scope 1 emissions.
From day one of operation, Single O are generating their own clean power, reducing their grid dependence, and actively progressing their sustainability targets, not waiting years to see the benefit.
What's next
This installation was designed with Single O's future firmly in mind.
Single O has plans to transition their fleet of 20 vehicles to electric, and the new solar and battery system puts them in the perfect position to do exactly that. A dedicated EV charging bay is already being scoped at the Botany roastery, where vehicles will charge directly from the building's own clean energy supply.
The Sungrow SBH battery is modular by design, meaning capacity can be expanded over time as Single O's energy storage needs grow, whether that's supporting EV charging loads or future expansion of the roastery operation. Plus, with Sungrow's EV charging hardware integrating directly into the same monitoring platform, everything will sit under one app.
For Single O, the renewable energy journey doesn't stop at Botany either. With cafés and additional sites in their network, there's significant scope for Green.com.au to continue as their energy partner as the business grows.
"Couldn't recommend Green.com.au enough. Seamless experience, trust, good equipment, fit for your business, and they make it easy. Which is what you want as a business owner to get up and running fast, reducing your costs, and improving your environmental impact. So, that's what you're looking for."
- Mike Brabant, CEO, Single O
Ready to upgrade your commercial energy?
Whether you're running an ageing system or starting from scratch, Green.com.au designs commercial solar and battery solutions tailored to how your business operates and the goals you're working towards. Get started with a free commercial solar & battery feasibility assessment.
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