Remote Australian town to get solar-plus-storage power supply

The town of Broome, in the north west of the state of WA, is set to switch from gas and diesel to a clean energy generation system which will include a battery energy storage system (BESS).

An application made by state-government-owned utility Horizon Power to the federal Environment Protection Authority (EPA) proposes up to 90 MW of solar generation capacity plus a BESS with up to 42 MW of rated power. The plans also include up to 16 km of electricity transmission cabling for the town, which is in the Kimberley region.

A Horizon representative told ESS News the utility has yet to decide what type of battery will be used in the project.

Horizon specified the new set-up for Broome must be at least 80% based on clean energy when it issued a call for expressions of interest to set up the power system, in May last year.

The project is part of Horizon’s Future Energy System project to supply cleaner energy to the towns of Broome, Halls Creek, Fitzroy Crossing, Derby, and Looma-Camballin.

The state utility application to the EPA for Broome specifies the use of a 271-hectare site 10 km north of the town which would connect to a substation on Fredrick Street via underground or overhead cables.

Horizon’s tender documents indicated the selected developer would receive a 20-year power purchase agreement with two options for a further five years each, at the utility’s discretion.

pv magazine Australia reported the new energy system should be in place by late 2027, with Horizon to secure the site required.

Brisbane-based power company EDL Energy currently supplies Broome via 17 liquefied natural gas generators and seven diesel generators. That set-up, installed under EDL’s West Kimberley Power Program, has been operational since 2008.