Regional and Remote Communities Reliability Fund Microgrids grant recipients 2020–21

IT Power (Australia) Pty Ltd

Fringe-of-Grid Futures South Australia Eyre Peninsula

The Eyre Peninsula is the western-most part of the national electricity grid. The Kimba and Koonibba communities play a significant role in Australia’s tourism and agriculture export sectors, however have been disproportionately impacted by electricity reliability, cost and security of supply issues. This project with the South Australia’s electricity distribution provider SA Power Networks involves the feasibility of islanded microgrids at three locations on the Eyre Peninsula, a microgrid screening study to identify the optimal mix of grid connection and islanded microgrids to 2030-35, and an impacts assessment of regional microgrids to examine the broader impacts of decommissioning power lines across specific remote areas of the state.

$1,080,945

SA

Ergon Energy Corporation Ltd

Hydrogen Hubs powering remote communities (H2H)

H2H is a feasibility study into developing two hydrogen hubs where local renewable energy generation creates hydrogen as a fuel for both energy generation and transportation (both road and sea). The two proposed hubs are Horn Island and Townsville to service the surrounding remote communities. This study will culminate in a report proposing an appropriate microgrid for supporting the remote communities. The study will investigate four main areas - Hydrogen Hubs: the technical solution of fuel substitution to hydrogen, the customer and community, the business models and the transformation plan. The solution will improve the microgrid and community’s reliability and resilience while reducing dependence on diesel generation and GHG emissions.

$546,720

QLD

Resources WA Pty Ltd

Coolgardie Microgrid Feasibility Assessment

The Shire of Coolgardie region is connected to the Western Australian network by a 33kV transmission feeder that is supplied from the West Kalgoorlie substation, 30km east of the Coolgardie township. This results in the township experiencing reliability and capacity constraints due to its location at the fringe of grid, which negatively impacts the economic activity of the region.

This Microgrid Feasibility Assessment will investigate options for the implementation of microgrid technology for the Coolgardie township and surrounding area by developing suitable operating models and establish a bankable microgrid to improve the reliability, increase localised generation and reduce cost impacts associated with network reliability.

$1,204,100

WA

Power Generation Corporation

Northern Territory microgrids– sustainable and resilient remote communities

Territory Generation will study opportunities to achieve a target of net zero emissions in both unregulated and regulated systems of Kings Canyon, Yulara and Tennant Creek, by utilising microgrid technologies to manage a transition to fossil fuel off during the day and investigating local availability of alternative renewable fuels such as bio fuels and hydrogen. The study will focus particularly on providing a more sustainable and resilient electricity supply future for Australia’s vital remote tourism industry, significantly impacted by the COVID 19 pandemic.

The scope of the feasibility study includes the detailed studies, microgrid testing and completion of standard designs to enable future deployment of the recommended technologies.

$2,884,588

NT

ITP Development Pty Ltd

Cobargo Microgrid Feasibility Study and Load Control Trial

The Cobargo community has prioritised building a community owned microgrid as a long-term power supply resilience measure, including the ability to manage individually owned energy systems. This will keep money in the town and provide affordable, low emission power to the fire-ravaged community.

This project will complete a microgrid feasibility study to establish costs, timelines and technology options, progress Council, environmental and grid connection approvals and prepare engineering, procurement and construction documentation. It will also study new customer load management technologies which could reduce the size and cost of the microgrid. Different devices will be tested to understand their control systems and customer preferences.

$1,363,355

NSW

Regional Power Corporation

Transitioning Mid West towns to 100% renewable energy

Horizon Power is looking to explore the feasibility of transitioning the power generation in six Mid West towns (Cue, Meekatharra, Mount Magnet, Sandstone, Wiluna and Yalgoo) to 100% renewable energy supply. These towns are supplied predominantly by high cost, high emission fossil fuels including diesel (5 towns) and natural gas (1 town). The potential for these communities to generate, store and use their own renewable energy could simultaneously reduce costs and reduce emissions without sacrificing the reliability of energy supply. The feasibility study will incorporate Horizon Power’s future battery storage and centralised solar PV deployments in Cue, Sandstone, Wiluna and Yalgoo as part of the WA Recovery Plan and Commonwealth Funding.

$650,000

WA

Sunrise Energy Group Pty Ltd

Mullewa Microgrid Feasibility Study Project

This Project will develop a feasibility study into a renewable energy microgrid in the town of Mullewa. Mullewa has some of the most unreliable energy supply on the South West Interconnected System (SWIS). The town sits at the end of a 100km radial feeder with high line losses and unreliable power supply, particularly in the summer peak. The study will allow the community and investors to make informed decisions on implementing improved reliability in Mullewa.

The feasibility study will include data capture and analysis, developing commercially viable technical solutions, establishing new commercial models, scenario modelling, testing proposed solutions, community and stakeholder engagement, development activities, and knowledge sharing.

$1,377,101

WA

Monash University

Active Energy Precincts: Building stronger regional communities

This project will assess the feasibility for microgrids for 6 communities across the Surf Coast, Yarra Ranges and Wodonga councils in regional Victoria. Drawing off Monash University’s and Birdwood’s microgrid, smart energy, storage and commercial expertise the project aims to improve resilience, reduce energy costs and develop investable business cases. A robust stakeholder engagement approach will identify the target communities, for detailed feasibility studies, with real data capture and analysis to help develop attractive and replicable investment opportunities. Each microgrid will aim to virtually connect flexible commercial and residential loads including local renewable generation and energy storage.

$1,934,337

VIC

Apex Energy Australia Pty Ltd

Sustainable Microgrid at Arkaroola and Outback Energy Technology Showcase

This project will design and test the feasibility of options for achieving sustainable energy and water for Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. The Sanctuary showcasing 2 billion years of geological history, excellent dark skies for astronomical observations and unique wilderness, is part of a World Heritage Bid. The best combination of generation, storage and loads will require technology that will withstand the harsh outback climate and water quality challenges. Many distributed energy options have not been tested in very remote areas where local skills and backup supplies are needed to endure the many challenges that can arise. This project is designed to manage the risks of transforming Arkaroola’s energy supplies from reliance on diesel.

$1,365,628

SA

Tasmanian Networks Pty Ltd

Transferrable Benefits from Feasibility Study of Derwent Bridge Microgrid

This project will develop a general-purpose model for evaluating the suitability of grid-edge communities in areas of low solar resource to transition to a microgrid. The town of Derwent Bridge in Tasmania, a small grid-edge community with existing power quality and reliability issues will be used as a foundational case. Community engagement and load monitoring will precede the development of a comprehensive model and digital twin for the community. A key objective of the project will be to develop tools that can assess the technical and economic viability of a microgrid at a site, in addition to an analysis of the impact on the local economy. A partial implementation of the microgrid will be used to validate the model.

$1,601,143

TAS

Indigo Power Ltd

Upper Murray Islandable Microgrid Project

The purpose of this project is to carry out a feasibility analysis on the delivery of 10 MWh of energy storage capacity for the Upper Murray, to act as the cornerstone of a series of micro-grids across the Upper Murray. In doing so, the project will be supporting the implementation of the Upper Murray Placed Based Power Plan, created to address the vulnerability of the Upper Murray power supply and provide a more resilient, reliable and low emissions electricity system.

$615,660

VIC

Volt Advisory Group Pty Ltd

Wujal Wujal Community Microgrid

The project is a detailed study into a renewable community microgrid that will (i) comprehensively assess the community’s energy needs whilst evaluating the generation potential and options; (ii) identify opportunities to improve power reliability; (iii) assess ownership options to enable the community to earn revenue from its own resources including hydro and solar for community self-consumption and support to Ergon’s grid & (iv) produce a plan supported by detailed and costed engineering design, business, funding and regulatory models to assist the community to achieve their power objectives.

$1,995,000

QLD

Original Power Ltd

Borroloola Township and Outstations Microgrid Project: Feasibility Study

A study is required to assess the viability of microgrids for Borroloola and nearby outstations in the Roper Gulf region of the Northern Territory. Electricity is currently supplied by diesel generation sets with some limited solar generation. These systems are expensive to run, unreliable & deliver poor quality electricity. This affects the costs and performance of electrical equipment; household appliances; and essential services delivery such as sewerage and water supply.

The study will perform technical, social and commercial feasibility, and undertake knowledge dissemination to remove barriers to microgrid investment in remote Aboriginal communities and to provide reliable clean energy source.

$832,400

NT

Regional Power Corporation

Feasibility of Renewable Hydrogen to decarbonise the Esperance Region in WA

There is approximately 5.6 MW of wind assets owned by Synergy that will be unutilised beyond 2022 as the new Esperance Power Station becomes operational. The new power station will incorporate a high percentage of renewable energy, a portion of which will inevitably be curtailed during certain periods of generation and demand.

Horizon Power is looking to explore the feasibility of a ‘hub and spoke’ hydrogen model, whereby green hydrogen is generated in a centralised location in Esperance by using existing wind assets or new renewable energy assets, to then transport and be used to (1) decarbonise diesel-reliant towns of Hopetoun and Norseman; and (2) supply future 3rd generation ‘zero diesel’ Standalone Power Systems in the region.

$700,000

WA

Australian National University

Southcoast u-grids Reliability Feasibility (SuRF) project

The project will engage NSW South Coast residents, businesses, and Essential Energy in planning the transition from a bushfire exposed grid to a resilient grid of islandable microgrids. The project will build the techno-economic feasibility and social license of microgrids through community-led design of future energy systems and quantifying the value of reliability; modelling the operation of eight microgrids across the region using a full electricity network model, high-resolution monitoring data and a holistic assessment of implementation costs; business models and regulatory innovations will be developed to improve feasibility. Outputs include business cases and implementation plans for each site and learnings for regional communities.

$3,125,913

NSW

Ener-G Management Group Pty Ltd

Napranum & Muralug Microgrids Feasibility Study

A feasibility study to investigate microgrid technologies for the Muralug (Prince of Wales) Island and Napranum Indigenous Communities. Muralug is an island community in Torres Strait that has no community electricity service. Napranum seeks to transition from current reliance upon mining operations for its energy supply to self-generation.

Project will entail:

• community engagement to identify options
• assess load and demand profiles
• design and assess options for Distributed Energy Resources
• e-mobility assessment
• identify sustainable employment and funding options

The intention is to include Muralug and Napranum in knowledge sharing showcase of self-reliant, sustainable micro-grids for other communities

$1,732,940

QLD

Indigo Power Ltd

Aggregated Community-scale Battery Storage in North East Victoria

This project will analyse the use of community-scale batteries within vulnerable sections of the distribution network as the basis for a working micro-grid. A technical analysis will determine the potential host-sites for community-scale batteries, their integration with the distribution system, and their aggregation and deployment.

Financial analysis will identify capital and operational costs, as well as all possible revenue streams for batteries deployed individually or when aggregated, and the quantification of these revenue streams under different scenarios. Commercial and regulatory analysis will identify challenges and opportunities within the current regulatory framework and future possible regulatory settings.

$539,786

VIC

Generators & Off Grid Energy Pty Ltd

Providing reliable energy solutions to WA Indigenous outstations

Generators and Off-Grid Energy will build on their existing maintenance contract to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the 32 legacy Bushlight microgrids at Indigenous outstations in the Kimberley of Western Australia. Many of these systems are near the end of their life and key components of the system are failing and regularly causing power disruptions with no clear pathway or options to future reliable power.

The analysis will enable design and costings to update the systems whilst retaining and utilising existing serviceable infrastructure and also trial rapid deployable microgrids at three communities to provide future options for sustainable power for the 32 communities and the Bushlight sites nationally.

$286,074

WA