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

• Australian power and gas business Alinta Energy has actually filed a proposal to place a 90-MW (AC) solar farm near its gas-fired nuclear power plant in the Pilbara area of Western Australia.

According to papers submitted to the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia, Alinta would situate the project some 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) southern of the community of Port Hedland as well as can develop the solar farm in stages. The Port Hedland solar farm would be attached through a 2-kilometre transmission line to the existing switchyard at the gas-fired nuclear power plant.

Alinta Energy's consumers in Port Hedland area have embraced substantial decarbonisation targets, encouraging the business to consider renewables as a choice to existing thermal power generation, Alinta claimed in its proposal. It went on to explain how the Port Hedland solar project as well as the option of website were the only viable solution, since the location is not ideal for a wind farm because of cyclonic winds as well as the lack of transmission framework. Likewise, the firm does not have accessibility to huge patches of land besides the proposed website to establish large-scale solar, Alinta included.

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