The Apollo Bay Community is striving to be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2030.
Another goal, driven by an unreliable power network, is energy autonomy by way of a local grid that can operate independently of the main grid at critical times.
To see how we might realise these goals, community-driven not-for-profit group, Southern Otways Sustainable (S.O.S), engaged energy consultant Enhar in 2022 to come up with a detailed roadmap.
That roadmap provides a path to energy autonomy by way of a virtual and local power plant. The power plant consists of residential solar and batteries; neighbourhood batteries; network upgrades; electric vehicles; a solar farm and savings through energy efficiency.
In this article, we focus on the solar farm component because to be powered by 100% renewable energy, Enhar determined we need to generate additional electricity locally.
As part of the study, Enhar explored two sites - farmland behind Chocolate Gannets and the Marengo Closed Landfill site - as potential homes for a solar farm and battery.
Preliminary modelling indicates a 2.5MW solar system (Powercor says the network could not currently handle anything larger) located at the Marengo Closed Landfill site could generate 3.7GWh a year and with a battery for storage, would likely cost around $7.6 million.
For us to achieve 100% renewable energy as well as cater for future demand, Enhar says the solar generation capacity required will likely be between 5 - 10 MW. Given the network constraints, this means we would need a solar farm at both of the suggested sites and possibly a third option.
So, what does the virtual power plant achieve?
1) Between two to four hours of energy autonomy for our community in the event of an emergency power outage and;
2) the bulk of our energy being derived from local renewable sources.
It’s going to take local, state, and federal government cooperation as well as collaboration with Powercor and other stakeholders, but if S.O.S’s recent experiences with government and Powercor are anything to go by, then those partners are willing to come to the table.
Enhar recommends the solar farm as a mid-term objective because of the complexities with technology, partnerships and cooperation. The Marengo site is also an old landfill site - Enhar says that will make an installation there even more challenging.
Separate from the Enhar investigation, S.O.S has received a preliminary inquiry from a renewable generator/retailer, experienced in building solar farms for two like minded communities. Their message was clear, high coal and gas prices have made renewables even more attractive.
So, if we do want to move ahead on this proposal, what are the next steps? Further
investigations at the Marengo site and the development of a strategic plan.
Want to learn more? Become a S.O.S member or get in touch.
And stay tuned for the next article!
