Image: Doug Scouller – Normanton Solar Farm
Houses and businesses in the Normanton area of Queensland’s Gulf Savannah region will soon be primarily powered by electricity produced by the Normanton Solar Farm.
Situated approximately 5 kilometres south of Normanton township at Lilyvale, a degraded ex-grazing property, the 5MW facility features 16,800 solar panels supplied by Canadian Solar and has been sized to meet the daytime needs of the community.
The North Queensland Register reports the facility is currently contributing approximately 60 per cent of the Normanton sub-station’s load capabilities, with the remaining 40 per cent to be switched on within a fortnight.
The first operating large scale solar PV facility at “fringe of grid” in North West Queensland, the solar farm is expected to generate more than 8,680 MWh of clean electricity per year. With plenty of space at the site, there’s room for expansion as the community grows and a battery system will be integrated in the future.
Normanton Solar Farm while under construction
All of the Normanton region’s power was previously supplied from Townsville, approximately 700 kilometres away. The length of transmission line between Townsville and the region resulted in significant electrical losses, voltage fluctuations and blackouts. Given the limit on loads and quality of supply, the situation also discouraged further commercial and industrial investment in the area..
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) provided $8.4 million funding support towards the $13.97 million project. Knowledge gained from Normanton Solar Farm will be shared and it’s hoped the project will further encourage the rollout of renewable power generation across regional Australia, particularly in fringe of grid environments.
“The Centre will have a philosophy of an ‘open door’ policy for researchers, providing opportunities for industry, academic institutions or other researchers to engage in on-site data collection, analysis and research,” states the project’s community information pack.
The driving force behind the clean power station has been Doug Scouller, an electrician by trade who moved to the region nearly 15 years ago with view to retiring. Instead, he built a motel and was motivated to start Scouller Energy after his electricity bills increased by 500% over a ten year period. Scouller Energy now aims to develop a portfolio of solar farms in fringe of grid locations throughout North West Queensland.
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I am very much in favour of solar power but I notice that the key word in the article is “daytime needs”.
Where does the needed energy supply come from after 5pm?
Those who constantly demonise fossil fuel energy do not explain how they envisage the practical transition to renewables and how to ensure dispatch-able energy supply.
Offhand comments about battery storage being a solution is not credible and generally the matter is side-stepped.
The more solar energy production the better, but there is a noticeable lack of solutions from renewable energy ideologues about the 24 hour energy requirement in out society
Hello Tony.
Google “100% renewable energy Australia”. The first link will answer your questions and you’ll find there is plenty more information out there.
If you need any help finding it, just let me know.
Ronald,
Thanks for the links.
Given that there is substantial research that shows that renewables can provide most of Australia’s energy needs in the near future, why don’t the Canberra mob develop programs to achieve this instead of posturing in Paris or leaving it to the money men who really do not give a rats about the common people?
Next time I shall vote for Tonto – if he wins this will provide you a feed trough, add horse sense to Parliament and make no change to the standard of energy debate or technical information currently provided to the electorate.
Keep up the good technical work.