Western Australia

Two Western Australian mines will be powered by renewable energy hybrid microgrids echoing a global shift away from fossil fuels in the mining sector.

WA’s publicly owned grid operator will equip some of its staff with the skills required to install and maintain standalone power systems on the South West Interconnected Network (SWIN). The move reflects the move away from traditional poles-and-wires electricity supply, particularly to regional parts of the state’s Southwest. 

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (WA-EPA) has announced that it will open its greenhouse gas guidelines on June 10, 2019, for public and stakeholder consultation. Its earlier moves to incorporate greenhouse emissions into its evaluation process for resource-industry projects met with strong pushback from the state’s powerful mining lobby.

There’s nothing high tech about resistance heating in the form of an immersion hot water element. But when added to rooftop solar PV, it can be a powerful way to maximise self consumption – when coupled with a smart control system. 

Western Australia’s government says nearly a third of successful applicants in the latest round of the state-backed commodity exploration scheme hopes to discover battery materials. In other news, the state government has established the Energy Transformation Taskforce in response to the energy sector’s transition from coal to renewables and distributed energy resources. 

The Australian arm of German energy storage provider Senec has welcomed Mark Keogh as a shareholder and member of the board of directors. Keogh is the founder and CEO of UON, a WA-based provider of turnkey power, air and water solutions to the mining and resources industry.

The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority is seeking public submissions on the massive Asian Renewable Energy Hub proposed for the Pilbara region.

Six Aboriginal communities in WA’s Kimberley will see 400-600 kW solar arrays installed, supplanting diesel electricity generation. The program will be rolled out by Horizon Power, and ams to reduce the subsidy paid to the regional utility for the provision of power to remote sites. 

As part of its Future Mines and Jobs Plan, Labor has pledged to revive the Exploring for the Future funding and invest $75 million in developing the future mining of resources such as lithium. If elected in the upcoming federal election, the party will also make the south-west of Western Australia a renewable energy zone, meaning the region will be able to access funding through the party’s planned $5 billion Energy Security and Modernisation Fund.

A total of 238,000 advanced meters will be installed by Western Power on the South West Interconnected System over the next three years, unlocking the benefits of the technology that gives consumers more control over their energy use. In another rollout, Horizon Power has made paying for power easier for 11 Aboriginal communities across regional WA.