Lands Minister Ben Wyatt, Mandurah MLA David Templeman, Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke, Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan, Enwave general manager Rob Breden and Landcorp chief executive officer Frank Marra.
Camera IconLands Minister Ben Wyatt, Mandurah MLA David Templeman, Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke, Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan, Enwave general manager Rob Breden and Landcorp chief executive officer Frank Marra. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Solar farm and microgrid announced for Peel Business Park

Prestige PublishingMandurah Coastal Times

AUSTRALIA’S first industrial renewable energy microgrid will be developed at Peel Business Park in Nambeelup.

The ground-breaking microgrid will use a solar farm and battery storage with electricity supplemented from the Western Power grid when required, to power the 120-hectare lot within the park.

The microgrid is an innovative solution to the high costs of extending the mains grid into the estate, and will speed up the development of industrial land and development opportunities for the business park, delivering much needed jobs to the region.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Businesses in the park will enjoy cost saving of about 30 per cent off their energy bills.

To meet the increasing power needs of Peel Business Park as it grows, the operator can lease roof space from businesses to install a network of solar panels that will feed additional energy into the microgrid.

The microgrid will make it possible for 1862 jobs to be created in the first 120ha lot, with a further 2000 local jobs once the park is fully built out.

Peel Business Park has the potential to inject around $1 billion into the State’s economy each year.

Lands Minister Ben Wyatt and Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan announced a consortium led by Enwave Australia will develop the consortium.

The microgrid can be increased in size and is expected to extend beyond LandCorp’s current landholding within the Peel Business Park with potential uptake from interested neighbouring landowners.

Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan said Peel Business Park is being created for forward-thinking businesses.

“The microgrid offers clear incentives for businesses to relocate to the Peel Business Park, helping to drive job creation in the Peel region,” she said.

“The Peel Business Park and Transform Peel are part of the McGowan Government’s commitment to driving industry diversification, investment and job opportunities in our regional centres.”

Lands Minister Ben Wyatt said the vision for the Peel Business Park is a place where business, industry, training, research and development come together, invigorating the Peel region and creating jobs that cannot be achieved without providing a secure and affordable power supply.

“In planning the microgrid project, it has been estimated that the renewable energy mix will help reduce power usage costs to business by around 30 per cent off regulated bundled energy tariffs,” he said.

“This is a smart, sustainable solution for a broader project that will be built on innovation.”