Great news for Kalbarri: First steps to Western Australia's biggest Micro Grid

Minster for Energy, Hon Mike Nahan has today announced a $300,000 contribution by Western Power into a feasibility study which will investigate how it can develop what could be Australia’s biggest edge of grid energy project, in Kalbarri.

Mid West Development Commission Chairman Murray Criddle, said “the Kalbarri community has often experienced more than its fair share of power outages” and he welcomed the announcement by the minister.

Being at the end of a very long power line, Kalbarri would be an excellent location to develop a micro grid and if successful, would contribute to substantial improvements in the reliability of power supplies in the town and would help enhance the long term sustainability of the community.

The inclusion of further renewable energy sources in addition to the existing Kalbarri wind farm would help build the profile of Kalbarri as an eco-tourism destination and enhance the $20M investment already being made in the region by the state through Royalties for Regions under the Development Commission’s Mid West Investment Plan, with the development of the Kalbarri National Park Skywalk project.

Following on from our work with Western Power and community over recent months, this is a very positive step forward and we look forward to continuing to work all the parties to help bring this project to life.