# China's first wind-solar-diesel-storage demonstration project China's first wind-solar-diesel-storage island demonstration project, completed by VGID POWER / VGID Microgrid in Shenzhen for the Donghai Maritime Safety Administration Case Study · Donghai Navigation Safety Administration China's first wind-solar-diesel-storage microgrid demonstration project: (has now operated safely and fault-free for 4 years!) Toward a low-carbon future! The Jigu Reef Lighthouse at the Yangtze River Estuary accelerates its "digital + low-carbon" transformation The Jigu Reef Lighthouse stands on a strategic point where the deep-water channel of the Yangtze River Estuary at Shanghai Port meets the north-south coastal trunk route. The outpost is built on a reef 62 m long and 42 m wide; the lighthouse is cast entirely of reinforced concrete and stands about seven stories tall. The island has not a single grain of soil and not one naturally growing plant; "Jigu Reef" (Chicken Bone Reef) takes its name from its resemblance to a chicken bone. On this reef, where no materials can be sourced locally and all resupply depends on sea conditions, the Shanghai Aids to Navigation Office of the Donghai Navigation Safety Administration retrofitted the lighthouse with an integrated "light, wind, diesel, storage" energy system, taking this lighthouse that guards the throat of the "first maritime gateway of the nation" from manned to unmanned operation. **30 kW**High-wind-resistant PV power system (resistant to Category 14 typhoons) **2×5 kW**High-wind-resistant wind turbines (resistant to Category 14 typhoons) **400 kWh**Lithium iron phosphate battery bank with battery BMS **Approx. 6,000 vessel trips**Daily vessel traffic in surrounding waters **8 → 0 people**Watchkeeping staff on 24-hour shifts → all withdrawn 1. A lighthouse with no soil The Jigu Reef Lighthouse is built entirely on a reef: it stands on a strategic point where the deep-water channel of the Yangtze River Estuary at Shanghai Port meets the north-south coastal trunk route. The outpost is built on a reef 62 m long and 42 m wide; the lighthouse is cast entirely of reinforced concrete and stands about seven stories tall. The island has not a single grain of soil and not one naturally growing plant; "Jigu Reef" takes its name from its resemblance to a chicken bone. **Jigu Reef Lighthouse**　On a reef 62 m long and 42 m wide, cast of reinforced concrete and about seven stories tall; the island has not a single grain of soil and not one naturally growing plant, and takes its name from its resemblance to a chicken bone. No soil means no local materials, no local vegetation, and it also means **everything on the island — equipment, building materials, vegetables, fresh water — depends entirely on vessel transport**. This single fact determines every aspect of operation and maintenance: the cost and risk of one island landing far exceed those of an ordinary inland site. 2. A strategic choke point, the first maritime gateway of the nation The Jigu Reef Lighthouse guards the throat of the "first maritime gateway of the nation" and carries numerous integrated navigation and aids-to-navigation facilities for the busy surrounding waters, including **visual aids to navigation, AIS, VTS, BeiDou CORS, marine meteorological collection, "ten-year fishing ban" monitoring, and CCTV video capture**. Daily vessel traffic is about 6,000 trips, giving it a highly important strategic position for maritime traffic. **Location of the Jigu Reef Lighthouse**　At the junction of the Yangtze River Estuary deep-water channel and the north-south coastal trunk route, guarding the throat of the "first maritime gateway of the nation"; surrounding waters see about 6,000 vessel trips per day. Precisely because the facilities must operate without interruption and the surrounding routes are dense, the lighthouse has extremely high power supply reliability requirements — it cannot "make do"; any power outage directly affects the normal operation of navigation, aids-to-navigation, and maritime regulatory facilities. 3. Before the retrofit: eight people at the mercy of the weather Hidden reefs surround Jigu Reef, so deep-draft supply vessels cannot safely berth at the pier; resupply can only rely on small tenders seizing a chance when the sea is calm, "watching the weather." Most of the island's fresh water comes from the sky — there is a 700-tonne cistern in a low-lying area that collects and settles rainwater for the watchkeeping staff. The tender comes once every ten days to half a month; vegetables are bought by the basketful and eaten over the same ten days to half a month. **Small tender resupplying when conditions allow**　Hidden reefs surround the island, so deep-draft supply vessels cannot safely berth; resupply can only rely on small tenders seizing a chance when the sea is calm, "watching the weather"; the tender comes once every ten days to half a month. Because of the treacherous terrain of Jigu Reef, when summer typhoons or winter cold waves arrive, strong winds drive sea waves violently against the reef, forming rip currents and throwing up hill-like waves; **in the worst sea conditions, wave crests about 40 m high can overtop the 36 m-high seven-story roof**. For eight people to stay on the island long-term in such an environment, watchkeeping itself constitutes a substantial safety risk. The island's power was supplied by 4 × 60 kVA diesel generators, and **8 watchkeeping staff on 24-hour shifts** had to be assigned to ensure the generators ran normally and stably. Before Diesel generation was the only "starting player" 4 × 60 kVA diesel generators supplied the whole island's power, and 8 watchkeeping staff worked 24-hour shifts to keep the generators running. As long as the generators could not stop, the people could not leave; and as long as the people could not leave, O&M costs and safety risks could not come down. After Green power as the mainstay, diesel as backup, unmanned operation The integrated "light, wind, diesel, storage" supply system was commissioned; diesel generation went from "starting player" to "substitute," all watchkeeping staff were withdrawn, and the diesel generators achieved unmanned operation with automatic start/stop testing. 4. The retrofit: integrating light, wind, diesel, and storage To align with the national low-carbon and environmentally friendly development model, change the harsh environment for long-term island staff, reduce the safety hazards of personnel traveling to and from the island, lower Jigu Reef O&M costs, and achieve a triple win in environmental, safety, and economic benefits for routine O&M at Jigu Reef. After a year of deliberation, preparation, construction, and commissioning, **on the eve of the 2023 New Year**, the Shanghai Aids to Navigation Office of the Donghai Navigation Safety Administration completed the "digital + low-carbon" energy system retrofit of the Jigu Reef Lighthouse, giving it a new look in the new year. This retrofit focused on "digitalization" and "low-carbon" intelligent upgrading of the energy system, turning the diesel generation system from "starting player" into "substitute," giving full play to the core role of new energy systems such as solar, wind, and storage, **withdrawing all watchkeeping staff**, and creating an integrated green clean energy supply system of "light, wind, diesel, storage." The new system uses big data to scientifically analyze and compare the power consumption and performance of the original support equipment, and performs automatic energy-saving configuration through the digital system to achieve energy saving and emission reduction, while opening unlimited possibilities for expanding "navigation safety + services" at the Jigu Reef Lighthouse. 01PV system A total of 30 kW of high-wind-resistant PV power systems was added at three locations — **the generator room roof, the platform in front of the generator room, and the lighthouse platform** — with indoor PV MPPT grid-tie controllers. **Three locations · 30 kW total · High-wind-resistant models rated for Category 14 typhoons · Indoor MPPT grid-tie controllers** 02Wind power system **2 sets** of high-wind-resistant 5 kW wind turbines were added and connected to the energy storage battery bank. **2 sets × 5 kW · High-wind-resistant models rated for Category 14 typhoons · Directly connected to the energy storage battery bank** 03Diesel power system The existing diesel generators were retrofitted to achieve **unmanned operation**, with automatic start/stop and automatic testing functions. **Retrofit of existing units · 4 × 60 kVA · Unmanned operation · Automatic start/stop and automatic testing** 04Energy storage system A **400 kWh** lithium iron phosphate battery bank was installed, along with a battery BMS, achieving intelligent electrified energy storage. **400 kWh lithium iron phosphate · With BMS · Intelligent electrified energy storage** PV: installed at three locations — the generator room roof, the platform in front of the generator room, and the lighthouse platform — 30 kW total, resistant to Category 14 typhoons Wind: 2 sets of 5 kW high-wind-resistant wind turbines connected to the energy storage battery bank Diesel: existing units achieve unmanned operation, with automatic start/stop and automatic testing functions 5. The digital back-end monitoring "report card" The new system uses a digital back end to automatically configure energy savings for the power consumption and performance of various support equipment. After the retrofit: After automatic energy-saving configuration by the digital system — all indicators fell substantially **−50%**Reduction in average daily electricity consumption compared with before **−80%**Reduction in average annual diesel consumption compared with before **74%**Reduction in average annual carbon dioxide emissions compared with before **−80%**Reduction in total annual O&M costs compared with before This truly achieves green recyclability and successfully delivers a triple win in **environmental, economic, and safety benefits**. 6. Product selection reference for similar operating conditions Scenarios such as remote island lighthouses, aids to navigation, and offshore platforms share highly consistent operating characteristics: **unmanned, modest power, extremely high reliability requirements, and very narrow maintenance windows**. The corresponding equipment requirements are equally clear — long-term maintenance-free, capable of grid-forming standalone operation, capable of hybrid operation with diesel generators, and strong environmental adaptability. The SP30H series is precisely an integrated model aimed at such operating conditions. [SP30HBG2 SP30H series PV-storage-diesel hybrid inverter all-in-one Rated power (grid-tied) 30 kVA Rated output (off-grid) 30 kVA (max. 33 kVA) Max. efficiency 97.8% Grid/off-grid transfer time The core features of this series are **isolated air duct, 150% overload, seamless transfer (built-in STS), diesel hybrid operation, multi-unit paralleling, and three-phase independent grid connection**, with protection rating IP20 (IP5X for the core control section), dimensions 440×560×183 mm, weight 35 kg, and standby power consumption below 15 W. Applicable scenarios include commercial and industrial energy storage + emergency backup power, small PV-storage-diesel microgrids, mobile energy storage, and PV-storage charging stations. The same product page also offers SP25HBG2 (25 kVA) and SP15HBG2 (15 kVA) options, allowing selection according to actual load. **Note:** The actual equipment configuration of the Jigu Reef Lighthouse described in this article is subject to the owner's published information; the models above serve only as a selection reference for similar remote island / unmanned operating conditions. 7. From one lighthouse to a model In line with the requirements of green and low-carbon transformation and development, the Shanghai Aids to Navigation Office of the Donghai Navigation Safety Administration actively leverages its innovative momentum and strengthens its capacity for green, low-carbon, and navigation safety innovation. Using the "digital + low-carbon" upgrade and retrofit of the Jigu Reef Lighthouse as a platform and opportunity, and through advanced technological innovation, it **created the first intelligent power distribution system in the sea area based on complementary "wind, solar, storage, and diesel"**, pioneering the transition of high-power remote island lighthouses in the sea area from manned to unmanned operation, and developing a virtuous-cycle green energy system through innovative means. **First in the sea area**Intelligent power distribution system with complementary wind, solar, storage, and diesel **Pioneering**Transition of high-power remote island lighthouses from manned to unmanned operation **Triple win**Environmental benefits · Economic benefits · Safety benefits **No island staffing**Reduces safety hazards of personnel traveling to and from the island The value of this model goes beyond the accounts of a single lighthouse. For a group of aging facilities — aids to navigation, lighthouses, offshore platforms, and islands — that "rely on diesel for power, people for maintenance, and the weather for resupply," it offers a path that has already been proven: **use solar, wind, and storage to bring energy consumption down, use digitalization to manage dispatch, use diesel hybrid operation to shore up reliability, and finally withdraw the people.** Frequently asked questions What powered the Jigu Reef Lighthouse before the retrofit? Before the retrofit, the whole island's power was supplied by **4 × 60 kVA diesel generators**, and **8 watchkeeping staff on 24-hour shifts** had to be assigned to ensure the generators ran normally and stably. Are island watchkeeping staff still needed after the retrofit? No. This retrofit **withdrew all watchkeeping staff**, and the diesel generator sets were simultaneously retrofitted for unmanned operation, with automatic start/stop and automatic testing functions. What exactly were the energy-saving results of this retrofit? After automatic energy-saving configuration by the digital system: **average daily electricity consumption fell by 50%, average annual diesel consumption fell by 80%, average annual carbon dioxide emissions fell by 74%, and total annual O&M costs fell by 80%** compared with before. What does "digital + low-carbon" specifically mean? "Low-carbon" means using solar, wind, and storage instead of diesel as the main energy source, downgrading the diesel generators to backup; "digital" means the new system uses big data to compare the power consumption and performance of the original support equipment, performs **automatic energy-saving configuration** through the digital system, and enables online monitoring and automatic dispatch. What if bad weather prevents resupply and power generation? The energy storage system provides a 400 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery as a buffer, and the diesel generators can start and stop automatically as backup. Under normal conditions, solar, wind, and storage are self-sufficient; the diesel generator sets are automatically brought in only when storage is insufficient or the load exceeds new energy output, so there is no longer reliance on small tenders seizing a chance when the sea is calm, "watching the weather." Can this model be replicated to other islands or offshore facilities? Yes. This project created the first intelligent power distribution system in the sea area based on complementary "wind, solar, storage, and diesel," and pioneered the transition of high-power remote island lighthouses from manned to unmanned operation. The same technical path applies to similar facilities such as aids to navigation, lighthouses, offshore platforms, and islands that "rely on diesel for power, people for maintenance, and the weather for resupply." Have a similar remote island, offshore platform, or unmanned scenario? Tell us your operating conditions — load power, available solar/wind resources, and the frequency of on-site maintenance — and we will provide a configuration plan and selection recommendations based on complementary "solar, wind, storage, and diesel." [Consult on a solution](/zh/contact)