Western Australia’s Energy Minister Peter Collier announced on Tuesday two new solar farms to be constructed in regional WA.
Minister Collier said the solar farms would be built at Marble Bar and Nullagine at a total cost of $27.7 million. The bulk of the funding will come from Horizon Power along with $4.9 million from the Commonwealth’s Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP).
Once available Australia-wide to fund small and large off grid solar power installations, the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program rebate was severely limited in June last year and since that time has been closed to new applications except in Western Australia. Off grid solar power for residential and commercial purposes elsewhere now receives support under the Solar Credits Scheme.
The Western Australian projects will include 2,250 solar panels set on trackers, totalling 500 kilowatts capacity. Each will operate in conjunction with diesel power stations, which Mr Collier says will be a world first.
Combined, the solar power systems are expected to generate enough electricity for 200 homes, save 405,000 litres of diesel each year and reduce greenhouse emissions by 1,100 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
In other solar power related news in Western Australia, the long awaited net feed-in tariff scheme for residential solar power appears to still be scheduled to roll out in Western Australia from 1 July 2010. The net tariff will be paid on all surplus electricity exported to the grid from small-scale household solar electric systems. Rates and conditions are yet to be announced.
