Battery testing underway for Tiwi Islands solar and storage project

Development of the 1.1MW/3MWh Wurrumiyanga Solar Infill and Energy Storage Pilot Project on Bathurst Island in the Northern Territory has taken a crucial next step, with battery testing beginning this week in Berrimah.

Australian solar innovator 5B began construction of the project in late 2023, after the Northern Territory Labor government announced funding of $6.1 million towards the project – part of a larger goal of securing half of the Tiwi Islands’ electricity supply from renewable energy, cutting its reliance on expensive diesel.

The 1.1MW solar farm – located on Bathurst Island, part of the Tiwi Islands and home to the Wurrumiyanga  people – uses 5B’s flagship technology, the Maverick portable and prefabricated solar array, a pre-wired 48-50kW ground mount array that can be quickly deployed and expanded.

The next major step of the project announced this week is battery testing, which is taking place in Berrimah, Darwin.

The 1.75MVA battery energy storage system will be able to provide 3MWh of storage capacity. Once testing is completed, the battery will be transported to Wurrumiyanga where another round of testing will take place to ensure successful integration with the grid.

“The Northern Territory is in the process of transitioning to a future where renewable energy will play a greater role in our energy consumption,” said Kate Worden, the Northern Territory’s minister for renewables and energy.

“The Wurrumiyanga Solar Infill and Energy Storage Pilot Project will give the community cleaner power and reduce the need to rely on diesel generators.

“We are working towards our target of net zero emissions by 2050 and projects like this will play a significant role in achieving this.”

The Wurrumiyanga Solar Infill and Energy Storage Pilot Project is expected to be completed and operational by May. Once going, the project will help to reduce diesel fuel consumption on the Tiwi Islands by 519,000 litres in the first year of operation.