11 December 2022 (?)
Hydro Tasmania has launched a new era of clean energy on King Island, with a $4.5M solar farm that promises to replace 300,000 litres of diesel on the island every year.
In gaining development approval for the 1.5MW solar installation on the site of King Island’s Huxley Hill Wind Farm, Hydro Tasmania aims to offset an additional 800 tonnes of CO2 per annum.
Adding more solar to the King Island system allows Hydro Tasmania to diversify its renewable generation portfolio on the Bass Strait islands.
The project is intended to increase the amount of renewable energy produced on King Island, while decreasing reliance on diesel-generated electricity.
Construction on the King Island solar farm is expected to begin early next year and completed by the end of May.
“It’s part of our ongoing commitment to reduce our emissions on King Island, this allows us to leverage off the work done in developing our high-penetration renewable system,” Simon van der Aa, Hydro Tasmania Specialist Electrical Engineer, said.
The solar project will be located on Hydro Tasmania land and will form part of the existing King Island Renewable Integration Project (KIREIP), a world-leading, hybrid, off-grid power system. It is expected to remain in operation for at least twenty years.
To find out more around the King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project and to see the island’s real-time energy demand and contribution, download the free app on apple and android (search hydro-kireip).
For media enquiries please contact: media@hydro.com.au