Jacana Energy brings more solar to the Territory’s energy mix

Jacana Energy is working towards bringing more renewable energy to the Territory’s energy mix.

Contracts have recently been restated with Plenitude (a company controlled by Eni) for the purchase of energy from solar farms at Katherine, Batchelor and Manton Dam.

The contracts total 45 MW of solar power, providing a significant and consistent renewable energy source that can be provided to Jacana Energy customers for more than 10 years.

Jacana Energy CEO, Rod Hayes, said the contracts provide a greater share of renewables to the energy mix at a larger scale than previously seen in the Territory.

“At Jacana Energy, we’re about leading smart energy solutions for the Territory,” Mr Hayes said. “New sources of energy including renewables must be brought into the mix where it makes sense.”

“We’re focused on lowering the total costs of the energy system.”

“We’re grateful to Plenitude for their patience under challenging circumstances, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”

Jacana Energy can make considerable savings in wholesale energy costs through these renewable energy contracts, including the costs of services required to ensure grid stability.

Mr Hayes said it’s important to consider the system as a whole when bringing on new solar. “We’re being proactive in this space. The Plenitude contracts are the first large scale step of using solar farms to reduce system costs in the Territory.”

Eni Plenitude Renewables Australia Managing Director, Simone Rizzi, said: “Over the past five years, our teams have worked hard to satisfy the stringent conditions requested by the System Controller and are working towards finalising the remaining steps to achieve full export from our three solar farms. In the meantime, we are proud to now supply a considerable quota of renewable energy to Territorians.”

Each of the solar farms at Katherine and Batchelor are now exporting substantial amounts of electricity to the grid as Plenitude works through the remaining challenges to achieve full export levels and also bring Manton Dam to export.

Electricity prices for residential customers, and businesses consuming less than 750 megawatt-hours annually, are regulated and subsidised by the Northern Territory Government.

While customers will not see a direct change to their bill, reducing system costs puts downward pressure on the community service obligation, so this money can be reinvested to other government priorities.