Image: Google Street View
Victoria’s Latrobe City Council has announced it is financially supporting a solar and battery storage project at Traralgon Neighbourhood Learning House.
The project involves the installation of 32 kW of solar panels on the roof of the Kath Teychenne Centre (part of the facility) and 22kWh of battery storage, which will occur early next year.
As well as generating and storing electricity for the benefit of the facility, the system will also be used as an educational tool to teach those using the centre about energy management and financial incentives available – such as Australia’s “solar rebate” and the Victorian solar panel rebate.
The project is one of a number supported under round 5 of the Victorian Government’s New Energy Jobs Fund, which will result in hundreds of kilowatts of new PV and hundreds of kilowatt-hours of energy storage capacity additions.
The State Government is contributing $52,900 to the Learning House project, Latrobe City Council is providing $9,000, and $2,000 is coming from Gippsland Climate Change Network and the Energy Innovation Co-operative.
Reflecting A Time Of Transition In Latrobe Valley
Electricity generated in the Latrobe Valley from burning brown coal has been a significant contributor to Latrobe City LGA’s and Victoria’s economic prosperity for close to a century. But times are changing.
Among the region’s brown coal-fired clunkers, Hazelwood Power Station – considered the filthiest in Australia in terms of emissions intensity – was shut down for good in March 2017. Yallourn Power Station has been plagued by issues and could be shuttered before the announced 2032 timeframe. Another problematic brown coal burner both in terms of emissions and reliability – Loy Yang A – is expected to keep operating until its scheduled closure date of 2048, but this could also change. On a related note, Loy Yang owner AGL recently announced a 200 MW battery will be installed at the site as part of its response to the energy transition.
Latrobe City’s decision to support the Learning House project – while tiny by comparison – is another signal.
“Latrobe City is the hub of electricity production in Victoria and this project reflects the City’s transition towards using the latest technology to meet our power needs,” said Latrobe City Council Mayor, Cr Sharon Gibson.
As coal moves out, renewables large and small will move in.
On the large-scale front, South Energy’s Frasers Solar Farm was given the green light by Victoria’s Minister for Planning in September this year after facing some community opposition that had the support of Council. Should the project proceed, the 75MW facility will be located about 2 kilometres south of the township of Toongabbie.
Another proposed major renewable energy facility in the pipeline is the 180 – 200MW Delburn Wind Farm that is to be situated in the Strzelecki Ranges to the south of the Latrobe Valley, overlooking the Hazelwood Power Station site.
Given the infrastructure in place in the Latrobe Valley region, no doubt there will be more big projects to come.
On the small-scale side of things, the Australian Photovoltaic Institute notes approximately 21.3% of dwellings in the Latrobe City LGA have had solar installed.
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