Alinta Energy presents plan for 90-MW solar project in W Australia

Australian power and gas company Alinta Energy has filed a proposal to put a 90-MW (AC) solar farm near its gas-fired power plant in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

According to documents submitted to the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia, Alinta would locate the project some 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) south of the town of Port Hedland and could build the solar farm in stages. The Port Hedland solar farm would be connected via a 2-kilometre transmission line to the existing switchyard at the gas-fired power plant.

Alinta Energy’s customers in Port Hedland area have adopted significant decarbonisation targets, motivating the company to consider renewables as an alternative to existing thermal power generation, Alinta said in its proposal. It went on to explain how the Port Hedland solar project and the choice of site were the only feasible solution, since the area is not suitable for a wind farm due to cyclonic winds and the lack of transmission infrastructure. Also, the company does not have access to large patches of land other than the proposed site to develop large-scale solar, Alinta added.

The Port Hedland solar farm proposal is currently in the public comment stage.

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