Australian distributed energy provider Pacific Energy has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Horizon Power to supply renewable electricity to the town of Exmouth in Western Australia's Gascoyne region.
The project will see Pacific Energy develop a hybrid system to meet up to 80% of the town's annual energy needs.
The system will include a 9.6-MW solar park, a 49.6-MWh battery energy storage system (BESS), and a 7-MW gas power station.
Pacific Energy acquired the existing gas-fired power station in Exmouth in mid-September and plans to begin integrating renewable components early next year, with full operations expected by the end of 2026.
Given the region's cyclonic conditions, photovoltaic (PV) technology was chosen over wind turbines for the solar installation.
The combined system is projected to offset nearly 14,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually over the contract's 20-year duration. This will be Pacific Energy's first off-grid project designed to meet a remote town's yearly power requirements.
