Two local renewable energy companies have been awarded the lion's share of Western Power's $8.8 million Stand-alone Power System (SPS) contracts.
Perth-based companies, Hybrid Systems and BayWA r.e. Solar Systems will be responsible for supplying the majority of the SPS units for Round 1 of the program.
The companies will utilise local engineering and construction expertise to deliver what is believed to be the largest single rollout of SPS units in Australia.
The units are modular and scalable and range from less than 5kwh, to supply electric fences and dam pumps, to 50kwh for large-scale agricultural businesses.
Once installed and commissioned, the ongoing servicing and operation of the SPS units, which combine solar and battery technology with a backup generator, will be provided by the vendors for a two-year period.
Servicing the 57 SPS units for their entire working life will save Western Power almost $6 million, compared to traditional network refurbishment.
The project builds on the successful trial of the technology on six properties in the Great Southern in 2016 - customers were saved from over 90 hours of outages in their second year.
For more information, visit http://westernpower.com.au
As stated by Energy Minister Bill Johnston:
"The McGowan Government is committed to supporting WA companies involved in the renewable and battery technologies sector.
"Increasing regional reliability is a key focus for the Government, and I support the innovative solutions like SPS that Western Power is deploying for regional homes and businesses.
"This announcement builds on the WA Future Battery Industry strategy, which shows the renewable energy industry is a massive opportunity for jobs in our State."
