Photon Energy Australia has been officially named as the company chosen to install a solar and battery storage microgrid on Lord Howe Island, just weeks after the project was rebooted with a new grant from ARENA.
Photon said on Tuesday that it had been selected to install a 1. 2MW solar array with 3.2MWh lithium-Ion battery storage and microgrid control on the remote New South Wales island. Construction is due to begin next year.
The project last month was awarded $4.5 million in grant funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency – the same amount extended by the Agency more than five years ago, at that time for a combination of 450kW of solar, 550kW of wind (two turbines), and battery storage.
But the hybrid renewables project hit a wall in 2017, when then federal energy minister Josh Frydneberg intervened to rule out the two wind turbines, sending the project back to the drawing board, and forcing the withdrawal of the first ARENA grant.
As we reported in September, Frydenberg’s call – controversial at the time in light of the federal Coalition’s well-aired anti-wind power views – was brought further into question when a recent Guardian Freedom of Information request revealed he had overruled his own department.
Two years and “further feasibility studies” later, a solar PV and battery storage microgrid was found to provide roughly the same benefits as the solar and wind solution – or more than two-thirds of the island’s electricity supply.
Photon said in a statement that the integrated solar and storage system had been purposely designed for a remote location, and would start the island’s transition away from diesel power generation.
“The technology applied on the island is highly applicable for commercial customers, mines, agriculture, islands and other remote locations to provide power, manage peak loads and reduce energy costs,” said Photon’s managing director, Michael Gartner.
“With a combination of solar and battery storage Photon Energy is securing the energy future of Lord Howe island and reducing diesel consumption by 67 per cent.
Gartner said the microrgid would cut island’s greenhouse gas emissions, greatly reduce the risks of transporting, storing and using diesel on the the UNESCO World Heritage listed island, and deliver significant cost savings by not having to purchase and transport as much diesel.
“Solar is the lowest long-term cost and safest energy production for this remote location,” he said.
“Solar with battery storage delivers cost effective renewable energy with added security via dispatchable battery power.”
Sophie is editor of One Step Off The Grid and deputy editor of its sister site, Renew Economy. Sophie has been writing about clean energy for more than a decade.
This post was published on November 19, 2019 12:52 pm
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I'll take a stab and say that when the current COALition government departs the scene the next federal government will be much more sympathetic to installing those wind turbines.
Actually there was a number objections from the Islanders themselves due to the visual amenity - as with all these things there are some for and some against. For me there is little difference between a white turbine and a field of PV, they are both better than a diesel generator......
Agreed, Simon,
Being a climate emergency tragic since 2000, it still surprised me that my initial reaction to this report's text that "September, Frydenberg. . . had overruled his own department" brought joy to my heart.
There *are some places where huge wirling blades are really a bridge too far.
Wind isn't appropriate in such a pristine place as Lord Howe, in spite of there being a lot of the force there. Maybe this old Democrat is now able to appreciate the opinions of those who object. Maybe to them *their place is/was pristine to the same degree?
Just hope there are enough free hectares on the island available for future growth , to tuck extra panels into.
Perhaps this is a place where the added cost of tracking panels is justified? There just isn't room (without clearing) for the 'it's cheaper to just add more panels' mode.
The winds can be very fierce on LHI and would have a big impact on their efficiency. I wonder why helix vertical wind turbines haven’t been developed on a larger scale, no sound issues, not a blot on the landscape and not a danger to birds. They would work well in the valley where the current diesel plant is located. If turbines are enclosed and air fed by venturi effect it would have even less visual impact. Adding wind power would be a perfect solution and could build them a totally renewable power source.
If the resorts had their own PV and batteries and the main system had a bit more storage, the island would hardly ever use diesel!