Perth-headquartered remote renewables developer Pacific Energy has completed a sixth solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) for Western Australian regional energy provider, Horizon Power.
Horizon’s $15.1 million (USD 9.8 million) program, which was supported with $13.5 million in Commonwealth funding, with the rest coming from the state government, was established to deliver clean energy solutions to remote communities located in the state’s 600,000 square kilometre Midwest region, an area 50,000 square kilometres larger than France.
All projects have now been commissioned in Cue, Meekatharra, Sandstone, Wiluna, Yalgoo and Norseman and will significantly reduce diesel usage, offsetting around 2,100 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
Owned by Horizon Power, the assets will be operated and maintained by Pacific Energy for ten years, and include a 163 kW solar and 759 kWh BESS at Sandstone, and a 259 kW solar and 336 kWh BESS at Cue, with some of the six systems firmed with existing diesel generator systems.
The Norseman 758 kW solar farm and 336 kWh BESS is the last of the set to begin supplying renewable energy and combined, the six projects achieve over 2,000 kW of solar and 4,300 kWh of BESS capacity.
Pacific Energy Chief Executive Officer Jamie Cullen said the systems were designed to help decarbonise the towns’ power supplies and enhance power quality for Horizon Power’s customers.
“The six solar systems have a combined capacity of over 2,000 kW, and have generated and exported more than 1.8 million kWh of solar energy between January and November this year,” Cullen said.
“That’s equivalent to powering around 280 average Australian family homes for the same period using 100% renewable energy, but better still, the 4,300 kWh of BESS across the six sites will store excess solar energy generated during the day to improve grid stability and power quality to ensure the towns benefit from renewable energy even when the sun isn’t shining.”
Horizon Power’s Chief Executive Officer Stephanie Unwin said the Midwest solar program’s solar and battery systems provide a cleaner, greener alternative for remote towns that are currently relying solely on diesel generation for their energy needs.
“As well as helping to reduce carbon emissions, the solar and battery systems will deliver a lower cost solution for these communities.”
