Franklin Home Power Solution
Challenge
Frequent power outages in rural Kilsyth threatened Bernie Lennox’s nursery business. Solar alone and a manual generator were not reliable.
Solution
Bernie installed a FranklinWH System with three aPower X batteries, integrating his existing solar system and generator for intelligent full-property backup.
Results
He now has uninterrupted power, lower energy bills, and a scalable setup ready for future growing energy demands.
The Limitations of Standalone Solar System
In the quiet, picturesque countryside of Kilsyth, Victoria, Greenscape Nurseries thrives under the care of Bernie Lennox, a veteran horticulturist with nearly 30 years of experience. Filled with lush green plants and trees, the nursery feels like a small tropical garden. However, its rural location has long posed a critical challenge to its maintenance. Frequent and prolonged power outages, sometimes lasting up to four days, threatened the survival of the nursery’s beautiful plants. Many of the tropical plants at the nursery cannot tolerate temperatures below 10° C. “While the heating systems run on gas, they rely on electricity to operate. When the power fails, the greenhouses cool rapidly, putting thousands of dollars worth of delicate stock at risk,” said Bernie.
To manage soaring electricity costs, Bernie had previously installed a 13 kW solar system on a shed located about 100 meters from the main house. However, he quickly realized that solar alone could not provide reliable power during storms or on overcast winter days. To protect his plants, he purchased a generator, but it had to be started manually, often in the middle of the night during bad weather. “Well, I don’t want to get up at two o’clock in the morning,” Bernie joked. It was obvious this was not a sustainable solution.
Seeking a More Flexible and Reliable Solution
Determined to find a better way, Bernie spent nearly a year researching energy systems that could offer reliable, automated backup, minimize dependence on the grid, and work with the infrastructure he already had in place. Many installers found his requirements too complex. He needed a system that could provide full backup for both his six-bedroom home and nursery operations, pair the existing solar panels located on the shed, and integrate with a generator. These demands made most providers feel difficult to take on the project.
Eventually, Bernie discovered the FranklinWH System, a home energy management and storage solution that easily met his needs for flexibility and reliability. To address the technical challenges of his property, he partnered with Shane Smillie and the team at Melbourne Energy Group, who designed a personalized approach. They ran additional cables from the house to the shed, enabling whole-home and nursery backup while preserving the existing solar installation and incorporating generator support.
An Unprecedentedly Feature-Rich System
The FranklinWH System proved ideal for Bernie’s situation. “The AC-coupled architecture allowed me to integrate easily with my existing solar setup, without the need for replacement or redesign,” Bernie noted. Additionally, it offered native generator support, which meant backup power could now be automated through the system. To meet his daily energy use of 40 to 50 kWh, Bernie installed three aPower batteries within the system. This is more than what an average household typically requires, but is well-suited to his dual residential and commercial load demand. The storage capacity is also expandable by adding battery units, future proofing his growing energy needs. Aesthetically, the sleek battery units fit well into his home environment, and the distinctive blue LED strip on each unit provides a clear visual indication of the charge level, eliminating the need to constantly check an app.
How the FranklinWH System Became a Difference Maker for Bernie's Property
“With the FranklinWH System in place, I can now enjoy automated, uninterrupted power,” said Bernie. During outages, the system instantly isolates from the grid to prevent power back feed, then powers the entire property using solar and stored power, and engages the generator if needed. When the grid electricity is restored, it seamlessly reconnects to the grid. This has significantly improved not only the reliability of his operations but also his quality of life.
The financial benefits have been just tremendous. “My electricity bills have dropped dramatically—sometimes to zero, thanks to optimized energy supply and use. On cloudy days, the system charges using off-peak or even free electricity from the grid, particularly during midday hours when demand is low and supply from solar across the region is high,” said Bernie. He also noted that “the system could work effectively even without solar by charging during low-cost periods and supplying energy during peak times, making it an ideal option even for homes without rooftop solar access.”
Looking ahead, Bernie has already expanded his shed to support additional solar panels and batteries, ensuring the system can adapt to future demands such as electric vehicles and appliance electrification. The setup not only secures his business against outages but positions it for long-term sustainability and growth.
The Inspirations for Australians
Bernie’s experience demonstrates that energy freedom is more accessible than many assume, even for rural or technically complex properties. His journey from patchwork solutions to a fully integrated energy management system offers a blueprint for others, whether they’re running a business, managing a household, looking for energy security in uncertain times, or even pursuing a complete off-grid lifestyle.
The Growing Necessity of Energy Storage Systems
From an industry perspective, installers such as Shane are seeing energy storage system shift from a smart upgrade to a practical necessity. “With solar feed-in tariffs significantly declining, storing excess energy is now far more valuable than feeding it back into the grid. Energy solutions that offer whole-home backup, such as the FranklinWH System, stand apart in the market where many alternatives only support partial loads,” said Shane. As FranklinWH expands in Australia, bringing proven products and solutions from the U.S. market and backing them with a local support team, it has become a highly sought-after brand in the country now.