$11.6m for energy in remote Aboriginal communities

The state government announced it would spend $11.6 million on the installation of solar farms and energy storage in remote Aboriginal communities as part of this years’ State Budget.

State government-owned electricity supplier Horizon Power will deliver the remote communities centralised solar program which includes the installation of up to four megawatts of solar farms across six communities in the Kimberley.

In a statement, the government said the project would significantly reduce the cost of providing power to these towns which are 100 per cent diesel fuelled and would reduce the government subsidy paid to Horizon Power.

Aboriginal Affairs minister Ben Wyatt said the solar incentives scheme allowed Aboriginal communities to reduce their power bills for community buildings such as roadhouses, offices and men's sheds, while also improving the energy reliability during periods when it can be hard to access diesel fuel.

Energy minister Bill Johnston said this low cost and reliable renewable energy solution would foster community development through local jobs, training and investment opportunities.

The program is being rolled out alongside Horizon Power’s solar incentive project which encourages eligible remote communities to invest in their own roof-top solar on community buildings, with Horizon Power contributing 30 per cent of the cost.

Horizon Power intends to release a Request for Tender for the construction of the east Kimberley systems in May 2019.