Daly River is set to become the first remote Indigenous community in the Northern Territory to be powered by solar and battery thanks to the roll out of the $55 million Solar Energy Transformation Program.
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The Federal Government, through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), is providing $27.5 million to SETuP, a project jointly funded by NT Government and led by the Power and Water Corporation.
Once complete, SETuP aims to deliver 10MW of solar energy across 28 remote communities in the NT, reducing their reliance on diesel fuel by approximately 15 per cent – achieving savings of up to 94 million litres of fuel over the lifetime of the project.
So far, more than 10,500 solar panels have been installed, providing 5000 kwh/h of energy per day to more than 570 homes across 10 remote communities.
The Daly River site differs from other SETuP sites because it incorporates a lithium-ion battery, charged by 3200 solar panels.
The battery enables diesel engines to be turned off during the day, not only saving 400,000 litres of fuel per year, but also enabling a cleaner and quieter system.
The project is an important step towards transforming the way energy is supplied to remote communities in Australia and demonstrates how renewable energy can reduce the reliance on diesel.