Remote goldfields town goes green, with deal to build solar and battery microgrid

The remote mining town of Leonora in the Goldfields region of Western Australia is to source 60 per cent of its power needs from solar and a battery after a long term power purchase deal was signed this week.

Perth based off-grid power specialists Pacific Energy has signed the new 20-year PPA with Horizon Power to deliver a new hybrid renewables power system that will comprise a 2.4 megawatt (MW) solar farm, a 9.9 megawatt-hour (MWh) energy shifting battery energy storage system (BESS), and 2.7 MW of diesel generation.

The hybrid system will be capable of delivering approximately 60 per cent of the town’s forecast energy demand from solar, some of it stored in the battery. Pacific Energy says that is a big deal.

“Achieving 60% renewable energy penetration in a remote town like Leonora demonstrates what’s possible when smart technology meets a strong commitment to decarbonisation,” said Mike Hall, Pacific Energy CEO.

“Leonora plays an important role in supporting the broader gold mining region, and this new power solution strengthens our footprint in the Northeastern Goldfields.

“It’s a smart, scalable system that reflects our long-term commitment to powering the communities and industries that drive Western Australia’s economy.”

The new hybrid system, which is expected to begin construction in April 2026 and be completed by the first quarter of 2027, will be co-located at a dedicated site near Leonora’s airport and will supply the town’s total power supply from 2027.

The system will be owned and operated by Pacific Energy for Horizon Power, similar to 10 other hybrid systems the company is operating for Horizon Power across regional Western Australia.  

“Horizon Power is committed to delivering renewable projects across regional and remote Western Australia, which are playing an important role in the WA Government’s plan for a clean energy future,” said Krystal Skinner, Horizon Power acting CEO.

The Leonora hybrid system will be the second such project that Pacific Energy is developing for Horizon Power, after a similar 20-year PPA was announced in September 2024 to build a hybrid power system for the coastal town of Exmouth.

The Exmouth hybrid power system will include a 9.6 MW solar farm, 10 MW/49m6 MWh BESS, and 7 MW gas power station.

Pacific Energy announced in August that it had begun installing the first of the 16,700 solar panels for the Exmouth solar farm.

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