Senvion, a global manufacturer of both onshore and offshore wind turbines, says it has signed a contract with power generation firm EDL to supply wind energy to a hybrid microgrid in Coober Pedy, a remote town in south Australia.
In addition to two Senvion MM92 turbines from the company’s 2 MW portfolio, the project will also use a combination of solar and battery storage to reduce the town’s reliance on diesel fuel.
Construction of the project will start in September, with commercial operations expected to commence in the second half of 2017. Senvion adds that the nacelle and rotor blades will be manufactured at its factories in Portugal.
“Wind energy can play a very important role in helping remote communities and industries reduce their reliance on expensive fuels,” says Chris Judd, managing director of Senvion Australia. “This pioneering microgrid project will demonstrate what can be achieved in remote applications – not just in Australia, but also the rest of the world.”
According to the company, Senvion is building a reputation for community-scale wind projects through its involvement in projects such as Hepburn Wind, Australia’s first-ever community-owned wind farm – however, this will be the first time that Senvion has delivered an off-grid project.
The project has secured $18.4 million funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
“This is a next-generation off-grid project, taking advantage of advanced renewable and enabling technologies that have already been successfully trialed at off-grid locations, such as King Island,” says ARENA’s CEO Ivor Frishknecht.
