• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
One Step Off The Grid

One Step Off The Grid

Solar, storage and distributed energy news

  • Solar
  • Battery/Storage
  • Off-Grid
  • Efficiency
  • Software
  • Podcasts
  • Tariffs
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Electrification

Lord Howe Island enjoys five days and nights on solar and Tesla battery only

September 21, 2021 by Joshua S Hill Leave a Comment

Source: Lord Howe Island Board, credit: Jack C Shick

A solar plant and battery storage system operating on Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea has just hit its six month milestone, its developer says and will help the small island community slash its reliance on diesel power by two-thirds.

Lord Howe Island, located 700-kilometres north-east out to sea from Sydney, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, and is largely self-sufficient for its own energy needs.

Given its remote location, the ground-mounted solar PV and Tesla Powerpack system was designed specifically for the island and is integrated with the local microgrid and diesel generators which were previously the main source of power for the island community.

‘The announcement of this project is a fantastic result for the Lord Howe Island community and visitors alike,” said Mick Pettitt, acting CEO of the Lord Howe Island Board.

“We are reducing the environmental impact of our energy supply while also improving energy security. Achieving this without detracting from the World Heritage values of Lord Howe Island is a result that everyone should celebrate.”

Demonstrating the reliability of solar PV technology partnered with battery storage, the system successfully navigated stretches of up to five days and nights in August without any additional diesel-generated power.

The project had originally been designed with a wind turbine in mind, with the original proposal to include two wind turbines with a total capacity of 550kW. However, the wind turbines were ruled out when then environment and energy minister Josh Frydenberg stepped in to ban their use.

The eventual plant consists of 3,240 photovoltaic modules with a combined capacity of 1.3MW and a Tesla Powerpack battery energy storage system with a capacity of 3.7MWh, and the power system is managed by a Tesla Microgrid Controller.

Completed over a 14-month period after work began in February of 2020, the project received $4.5 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, while the Lord Howe Island Board secured a NSW Government loan of $5.9 million, providing the remaining balance of funds from its own capital.

‘We are very pleased with the success of this project for the Lord Howe Island community,” said Michael Gartner, CTO of Photon Energy Group and Managing Director of Photon Energy Australia.

“The experience we have gained through the delivery of the project demonstrates that solar power and energy storage not only reduce emissions and other environmental risks but are instrumental in ensuring energy security.”

The $11.1 million project was funded by the Lord Howe Island Board and the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and developed by Photon Energy Engineering Australia, a subsidiary of the Amsterdam-headquartered Photon Energy Group.

Filed Under: Battery/Storage, Off-Grid, Solar

Primary Sidebar

Sign up for our weekly newsletter

Emissions Counter

Renew Economy

RSS Energy News from Renew Economy

  • Arena gives $20m for key project designed to show Pilbara iron ore can be used for low carbon steel
  • NSW recruits 21 businesses to first VPPs designed to help keep lights on, and prices down
  • Super battery sets Australian grid output record as owner snaps up staff laid off by bankrupt supplier
  • “On a hamster wheel:” More state owned energy retailers jack up prices to “close gap” on DMO
  • European energy giant tips millions into Australian shared rooftop solar pioneer

RSS Electric Vehicle News from The Driven

  • Mitsubishi to trial battery swap technology for electric trucks and buses
  • Fortescue takes delivery of first battery electric locomotive as it races to “real zero”
  • Why V2G will not be limited to homes with parking: Car share EVs are also doing it
  • China EV brand Xpeng opens major new showroom at Sydney casino
  • Tesla to target big families with upcoming 6 and 7-seater Model Y variants

Press Releases

  • Huge luxury Saudi resort goes 100pct renewables with one of world’s biggest batteries
  • How solar + storage can be a game-changer for people with disabilities

Footer

Technologies

  • Solar
  • Battery/Storage
  • Electric Vehicles
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Software/Gadgets
  • Other Renewables
  • Policy
  • Tariffs
  • Contact
  • Advertise with us
  • About One Step Off The Grid
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 · OneStep Genesis on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in