❓ Question addresses the Cook Labor government's standalone power system initiative in regional WA, focusing on its benefits for communities and the use of local manufacturing. The Minister's answer highlights the reliability, decarbonisation efforts, and economic benefits of the program.
AnsweredQoN 290Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ENERGY NETWORK — STANDALONE POWER
290. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Energy:
I will just get my question back! I
refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to building resilience
and security across Western Australia's energy network.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what this government delivered for standalone
power systems means for communities in regional Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government is harnessing Western Australia's
local manufacturing capabilities to deliver more standalone power systems?
290. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Energy:
I will just get my question back! I
refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to building resilience
and security across Western Australia's energy network.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house what this government delivered for standalone
power systems means for communities in regional Western Australia?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house how this government is harnessing Western Australia's
local manufacturing capabilities to deliver more standalone power systems?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Pilbara. It is a relief to get an intelligent question
about energy. Thank you for that. This government, as we know, is the true
government of the regions. It is a government that really looks after the
people on the land, the people in remote communities —
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : We support
the people who rely on energy supplies. We are investing millions of dollars to
ensure power to the people in remote, end-of-line situations, on farms—it
is usually a farm property where there can be one or two customers at the end
of a very long, skinny, vulnerable powerline. At the moment, they are at risk
of losing that energy, that electricity, by fire, farm machinery colliding with
a power pole in the middle of a paddock, storms, or tree branches falling down.
It is a very vulnerable situation. We appreciate that and we want to change
that. We want to ensure that right across Western Australia, people in the
regions have reliable power, whether it is Horizon or Western Power network
areas. We also believe in decarbonisation. We also believe in reducing our
emissions from producing electricity. The standalone power systems are the way
to go. Farmers who were given standalone power systems—I think this
started in the Esperance region after the fires down there back in 2015—had
some trepidation at first because of that sense of not being connected by a long
line back into the grid. They thought: how
is this going to work? The member for Roe would know that those who received
standalone power systems love them.
They swear by them. More and more farmers are putting up their hands saying, ''We
want one too.'' Standalone power systems offer 90 per cent or
more renewable energy from the sun. The grid energy never gets to that
proportion of renewable power. Standalone power systems have solar power backed
by battery, which is backed by generator if it is needed. I am told often that
the only time someone starts the generator is to make sure it still works for
maintenance reasons. They are very reliable and successful. Horizon Power has
rolled out 56 of these units since 2021. The Premier and I were at a local
manufacturer the other day and we announced that this state budget will deliver
$18.4 million to roll out a further 50 standalone power systems for the regions—most
of them in the Esperance region. I am sure the member for Roe will be
celebrating with us tomorrow for the budget announcement on that. Most of these
standalone power systems will be in the Esperance region, and some will be in
the midwest. They allow us to remove overhead powerlines, which reduces costs
for consumers, creates a pipeline of work for local manufacturers and reduces
maintenance costs for operators as well.
Of course, this comes on top of our
decarbonisation efforts, in which we are exiting state-owned coal-fired energy
in Collie in a responsible way by 2030. We are not going to rush there and rip
the cord out. We are doing it responsibly. We are investing $3 billion in wind
power and battery storage. There are enormous things happening to our network
in Western Australia. We are investing in huge batteries that are some of the
biggest on the planet. We are removing those old power poles that have stood in
paddocks for generations that are risky and unreliable. We are doing things for
the network both in Perth and the south west and right across Western Australia
to make sure we have decarbonised our network to reduce emissions but also to
bring reliable power to people in the regions. We are overwhelmingly —
Mr P.J. Rundle : I'll
tell the people of Bremer Bay you're coming down to see them.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : —
the party that represents the people of the regions and their interests.
thank the member for Pilbara. It is a relief to get an intelligent question
about energy. Thank you for that. This government, as we know, is the true
government of the regions. It is a government that really looks after the
people on the land, the people in remote communities —
Mr P.J. Rundle interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : We support
the people who rely on energy supplies. We are investing millions of dollars to
ensure power to the people in remote, end-of-line situations, on farms—it
is usually a farm property where there can be one or two customers at the end
of a very long, skinny, vulnerable powerline. At the moment, they are at risk
of losing that energy, that electricity, by fire, farm machinery colliding with
a power pole in the middle of a paddock, storms, or tree branches falling down.
It is a very vulnerable situation. We appreciate that and we want to change
that. We want to ensure that right across Western Australia, people in the
regions have reliable power, whether it is Horizon or Western Power network
areas. We also believe in decarbonisation. We also believe in reducing our
emissions from producing electricity. The standalone power systems are the way
to go. Farmers who were given standalone power systems—I think this
started in the Esperance region after the fires down there back in 2015—had
some trepidation at first because of that sense of not being connected by a long
line back into the grid. They thought: how
is this going to work? The member for Roe would know that those who received
standalone power systems love them.
They swear by them. More and more farmers are putting up their hands saying, ''We
want one too.'' Standalone power systems offer 90 per cent or
more renewable energy from the sun. The grid energy never gets to that
proportion of renewable power. Standalone power systems have solar power backed
by battery, which is backed by generator if it is needed. I am told often that
the only time someone starts the generator is to make sure it still works for
maintenance reasons. They are very reliable and successful. Horizon Power has
rolled out 56 of these units since 2021. The Premier and I were at a local
manufacturer the other day and we announced that this state budget will deliver
$18.4 million to roll out a further 50 standalone power systems for the regions—most
of them in the Esperance region. I am sure the member for Roe will be
celebrating with us tomorrow for the budget announcement on that. Most of these
standalone power systems will be in the Esperance region, and some will be in
the midwest. They allow us to remove overhead powerlines, which reduces costs
for consumers, creates a pipeline of work for local manufacturers and reduces
maintenance costs for operators as well.
Of course, this comes on top of our
decarbonisation efforts, in which we are exiting state-owned coal-fired energy
in Collie in a responsible way by 2030. We are not going to rush there and rip
the cord out. We are doing it responsibly. We are investing $3 billion in wind
power and battery storage. There are enormous things happening to our network
in Western Australia. We are investing in huge batteries that are some of the
biggest on the planet. We are removing those old power poles that have stood in
paddocks for generations that are risky and unreliable. We are doing things for
the network both in Perth and the south west and right across Western Australia
to make sure we have decarbonised our network to reduce emissions but also to
bring reliable power to people in the regions. We are overwhelmingly —
Mr P.J. Rundle : I'll
tell the people of Bremer Bay you're coming down to see them.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
Mr R.R. WHITBY : —
the party that represents the people of the regions and their interests.
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