Energy Minister Bill Johnston today launched the $15 million Kalbarri microgrid - the largest of its kind in Australia.
Using entirely renewable wind and solar energy, the microgrid will provide greater power reliability for local tourism and retail operations, and for the broader community.
The microgrid will be able to supply five megawatts (MW) at peak capacity with a 2MW battery that will be able to provide at least 3.5MW of energy storage. This will provide the town with more power reliability and will significantly reduce the number of outages caused by the town's location at the end of the long Geraldton feeder line.
Microgrids are increasingly being used as a more resilient method to deliver electricity to rural communities as the design is less likely to be interrupted by environmental factors.
Western Power developed the Kalbarri microgrid in partnership with Synergy, the Shire of Northampton and the local community.
As stated by Energy Minister Bill Johnston:
"Improving how energy is delivered in regional areas and delivering better power reliability for Western Australians is an important part of the McGowan Government's Distributed Energy Resources Roadmap.
"The Kalbarri microgrid is an important step towards improving power reliability for the local community.
"It also paves the way in delivering greater renewable energy solutions across WA, particularly in regional areas, as we move forward in achieving net zero emissions by 2050."
As stated by Mining and Pastoral Region MLC Peter Foster:
"Kalbarri is a tourism drawcard with more than 100,000 visitors flocking to the beachside town each year.
"The new microgrid is one of Australia's most sophisticated, and will be used as a blueprint for other regional areas to support the provision of stable, secure and clean energy into the future."
