5B begins work on solar and battery project to get Tiwi Islands to 50 pct renewables

Australian solar innovator 5B has begun construction a 1.1MW solar farm on the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory which, with a 3MWh battery storage project, will take the community to at least 50 per cent renewables.

The Northern Territory’ Labor government announced in February that it was investing $6.1 million towards the Wurrumiyanga Solar Infill and Energy Storage Pilot Project, part of a larger goal of securing half of the Islands’ electricity supply from renewable energy and cut its reliance on expensive diesel.

The project is being delivered by New South Wales based solar energy company 5B using its flagship technology, the Maverick portable and prefabricated solar array.

Construction of the Wurrumiyanga Solar Infill and Energy Storage Pilot Project is expected to be completed and the project operational by early 2024.

“This pilot program in Wurrumiyanga is an important step towards the Territory Labor government achieving our target of 50% renewables by 2030, which includes an average of 70% renewables in communities supplied by Indigenous Essential Services,” said Nicole Manison, Northern Territory’s minister for renewables.

“We will keep doing the hard work as we push towards our target of 50 per cent renewables by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050.

“A renewables future is now one step closer for the Wurrumiyanga community and we look forward to extending the lessons learnt from this project to other remote Territory communities.”