Solar power project for off-grid NT communities

The Australian and Northern Territory governments have announced Solar SETuP - a $55 million project to bring solar power to remote communities in the Northern Territory. The project was launched on Sunday by Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane, NT Chief Minister Adam Giles and Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) CEO Ivor Frischknecht.

The program will see solar photovoltaic (PV) panels integrated via a control system into existing diesel power stations to create solar/diesel hybrid power stations in off-grid Indigenous communities. Jointly funded by ARENA and the NT Government, it is being managed by the NT Power and Water Corporation (PWC).

“ARENA is very pleased to be partnering with Indigenous Essential Services - a subsidiary of PWC - to deliver this exciting project, which will see a total of 10 MW of solar PV constructed at more than 30 remote communities in the NT,” Frischknecht said.

Frischknecht noted that the communities’ diesel generators are currently expensive to run and subject to volatile fuel prices. He said, “By integrating solar PV into existing diesel power stations, this project will reduce each community’s reliance on costly diesel for electricity generation.”

The majority of the new installations will achieve 15% diesel fuel displacement from an aggregate 9 MW solar PV system; and one high-penetration system at Nauiyu (Daly River) will achieve approximately 50% diesel fuel displacement through a 1 MW solar PV facility using advanced technologies such as cloud forecasting and energy storage.

Frischknecht said ARENA’s investments are geared to advance renewable energy technologies and hasten commercialisation by helping to drive down cost.

“One of our goals with this project is to show it makes good economic sense to utilise existing infrastructure in off-grid communities and to roll out robust solar PV that is suited to the environment and conditions in remote Australia,” he said.

“Not only does this project have the potential to catalyse further renewable energy investment in other isolated communities, it also sets up each of the participating communities to plug in more renewables as costs continue to decline.”

Frischknecht added that the project will create local jobs and boost skills during construction and operation.