Solar microgrid to power SA produce market

The South Australian Produce Market will install 1600 solar panels and a large lithium-ion battery on its facility at Pooraka.

The $10.5 million microgrid will comprise of a 4.2 MWh lithium-ion battery, 2.5 MW solar PV system and 2.5 MW on-site generator and at full capacity will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 4500 homes.

The microgrid, which will be constructed with the help of $2.5 million funding from the state government, is expected to help stallholders save $5.5m over the next 10 years compared to the current retail offers available in SA.

The system will supply all of the wholesale market’s energy needs and will also feed surplus power into the broader grid, relieving peak demand and putting downward pressure on power prices for all South Australians. The project is expected cut greenhouse gas emissions from the site by 2637 tonnes each year.

The control system for the site is being developed by local South Australian company AZZO. The microgrid is expected to be fully operational by late 2018 and will create about 40 jobs during construction.

Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said that pairing solar panels with batteries not only reduces power costs for businesses, it also reduces demand on the grid, putting downward pressure on power prices for all South Australians. “South Australia is at the forefront of advances in the deployment of this technology and projects like this one at the SA Produce Market demonstrate how much can be saved by investing in solar and batteries.”

SA Produce Market CEO Angelo Demasi said, “This project would not have been possible without the $2.5 million Energy Productivity Program grant and support of the South Australian Government.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Scanrail