Accessibility of rooftop solar will be increased for over 1000 households and 500 businesses thanks to the completion of Horizon Power’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Exmouth, Western Australia.
The Exmouth BESS was installed by Horizon Power as a part of its Energy Storage in Regional Towns project, supported by the State Government. The BESS will store excess solar energy and free up more than 2,000kW of solar hosting capacity, which is expected to be made available to customers in May 2023.
State Minister of Energy, Bill Johnston, said, “The State Government is committed to working towards a cleaner and greener energy future for regional and remote Western Australians, with the implementation of innovative projects like BESS.
“We are proud to be investing in battery storage solutions to help reduce the barriers of installing solar so more customers across our regions in towns, including Exmouth, can enjoy the benefits of rooftop solar.
“As well as providing benefits to home and business owners, the project supports our commitment of stimulating local communities, by providing opportunities for local installers.”
State Member for Mining and Pastoral Region, Peter Foster, said he is thrilled that more households and businesses in Exmouth will be able to install rooftop solar because of the new BESS.
“Besides reducing the town’s emissions footprint, the BESS will also help cut power bills for residents and business people alike,” Mr Foster said
The energy transition is important for the Exmouth community, which is situated in a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Exmouth is one of nine towns across regional Western Australia receiving a battery storage system, enabling more residents and business owners to install, connect and benefit from rooftop solar and reduced energy bills.
Storage systems have already been commissioned in Wiluna, Yalgoo, Carnarvon and Marble Bar. Broome will be the next town to receive a BESS, with commissioning expected to start mid-2023.
The nine systems combined will allow more than 1000 households and 500 businesses to connect to a standard rooftop solar system. This could reduce household power bills by an average $1,275 per year.
The Energy Storage in Regional Towns project is providing more than 10MW of extra rooftop solar for regional towns and is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 13,000t per year.
