Pacific Energy has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Horizon Power to deliver clean energy to the town of Exmouth in Western Australia’s Gascoyne region.
The deal, which was jointly announced in Exmouth by Western Australia’s Premier Roger Cook (second left), and Minister for Energy Reece Whitby (second right), is the first step in the Exmouth Power Project, which is set to power the town with up to 80% renewable energy annually.
Exmouth’s new hybrid system will comprise a 9.6MW solar farm, 49.6MWh of battery energy storage (BESS) and a 7MW gas power station.
It will be Pacific Energy’s first off-grid power project to supply such a significant portion of a remote town’s annual power requirements using solar energy and battery energy storage.
Pacific Energy chief operating officer Mike Hall (far right), joined the Premier and Minister at the announcement, and said the company had worked hard to ensure it could deliver a clean and reliable solution for the people of Exmouth.
“This outcome really has been driven by the Exmouth community’s desire for a clean energy solution that will help them protect their UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Horizon Power’s commitment to delivering cleaner energy solutions to WA’s regional areas,” Hall said.
He added: “It was incumbent on us to demonstrate exactly what an 80%-renewable solution would look like, and how we could integrate various technologies into the existing infrastructure to give the town the reliable, decarbonised power system it needs.
“There was a strong community desire to see gas transport movements through town reduced, which we’ll achieve by offsetting gas reliance with solar generation and energy shifting storage.”
Pacific Energy’s solution includes an energy shifting BESS that will power the town with renewable energy even when the sun goes down.
Exmouth is located in a cyclonic wind region, which means wind power was not an option for this project. Instead, Pacific Energy has incorporated an industrial battery designed to get the most out of the solar energy penetration.
The BESS also meets Horizon Power’s fault current contribution requirements, which means the system will be able to operate hydrocarbons-off (or gas-free) for prolonged periods.
Together, the solar and BESS are expected to offset nearly 14,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually over the life of the 20-year power purchase agreement.
“This is another important project for Australia’s energy transition, because it demonstrates what can be achieved when we set ambitious targets that align with community expectations,” said Hall.
“We’re really proud to build on the work we’ve already delivered for Horizon Power and the people of WA to transition them to a clean energy future without affecting the safe, reliable and essential delivery of power,” he added
Pacific Energy took ownership of Exmouth’s existing gas-fired power station in mid-September. Work is due to start on the renewables integration in early 2025, with the new system expected to be fully operational by the end of 2026.
Also pictured are Horizon Power acting chief executive Jennie Milne (far left) and the copmany’s executive general manager business development & strategy Vi Garood (centre).