The remote mining town of Menzies in Western Australia’s Goldfields region is to source 80% of its power needs from renewable energy with a new microgrid, including solar generation and battery energy storage, to be built in the small community.
Off-grid power specialist Pacific Energy has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with state-owned regional energy provider Horizon Power to deliver a renewables-based power system to Menzies in Western Australia’s northern Goldfields, aiming to deliver up to 80% of the town’s energy demand by 2027.
The new system, to be designed, built and operated by Perth-based Pacific Energy, will combine 409 kW of solar generation and 2.8 MWh of battery energy storage.
The solar array and battery system will be capable of delivering approximately 80% of the total power supply for the small northern Goldfields town, with diesel generation used as backup when required.
Construction of the new system, to be built about 280 metres south of the existing power station, is scheduled to begin later this year with first power from the new system expected to be delivered to the Menzies community in 2027.
