King's Canyon Solar Power Station

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King's Canyon Solar Power Station in the Northern Territory has a generating capacity of 225 kWp and produces 372,000 kWh of electricity per annum. Power generated from the project is fed into the King's Canyon grid. It is the largest single installation of its kind in Australia and began operation in December 2003.^[1]

King's Canyon is a high-profile tourist resort in Central Australia's Watarrka National Park in the arid zone. The remote resort previously relied on a diesel-fuelled power station. The solar power station reduces diesel fuel consumption by up to 105,000 litres per year and save 331 tonnes per annum of greenhouse gas emissions. The solar panels have an expected life of 25 years.^[2]

Peak power demand in the Northern Territory closely matches solar availability, with the peak occurring early afternoon. The PV system provides peak load and is run in tandem with a smaller diesel engine. Battery storage is not required since the diesel engines supplement the power output of the PV system, resulting in significant economic savings.^[3]

King's Canyon Solar Power Station is an accredited generator under the Australian Government's Mandatory Renewable Energy Target (MRET) Scheme. The Kings Canyon ($2.9 m) and Bulman ($0.9 m) PV Solar Power Stations received total funding of $1.76 million from the Australian Government through the Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program and the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP).^[4]