Enabled by Horizon Power’s Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS), Smart Connect Solar has been completed ahead of schedule, enabling the regional energy provider to achieve its strategic goal of ensuring there are zero customer refusals when connecting rooftop solar by 2025.

Related article: Smart Connect Solar technology expands to Broome

The program has now been expanded to all towns in Horizon Power’s service area. The technology is providing thousands more households and businesses, in Horizon Power’s service area, with the opportunity to install rooftop solar and access the benefits of renewable energy.

Smart Connect Solar has delivered critical technical capabilities enabling Horizon Power to remove solar hosting capacity constraints. Previously, the number of solar installations had to be limited to ensure the security and reliability of power supply.

DERMS technology analyses weather patterns, power system conditions and renewable energy resources and uses this data to coordinate power flows to ensure the electricity network can operate safely and reliably at all times—maximising renewable energy output and benefits for Horizon Power’s customers.

In addition to rooftop solar, DERMS will enable Horizon Power to safely and reliably integrate and balance energy across customer energy resources like batteries and electric vehicles.

Horizon Power CEO Stephanie Unwin said, “Horizon Power established the strategic goal of zero customer refusals when connecting rooftop solar by 2025, to solve the technical challenges preventing customer access to rooftop solar.

Related article: Horizon Power’s Smart Connect Solar expands to NWIS

“Achieving this goal creates more customer choice to participate in renewable energy and ways to reduce energy bills. The advanced DERMS technology underpinning Smart Connect Solar will also improve the safety and stability of our systems as they evolve to incorporate greater levels of clean energy.

“We are proud to have completed the roll-out of Smart Connect Solar ahead of schedule, so that thousands of additional customers can reap the benefits of renewables, including reduced energy bills, earlier than expected.”

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With anticipated industrial growth in the Pilbara and an expected load increase of more than 140% by 2045, the project is key to achieving an integrated energy grid and providing renewable energy for both existing and new industries in the region.

The Pilbara Green Link involves the installation of 550km of high-voltage 330kV transmission lines intended to connect Horizon Power’s current transmission infrastructure with the Australian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) and other proposed large scale renewable developments. This connection will enable the provision of green energy to consumers in Port Hedland and the Central Pilbara.

GHD is responsible for delivery of the preliminary design of the transmission lines and substations, with the preliminary engineering phase scheduled for completion by March 2025.

Aligned with the Western Australian Government’s Sectoral Emissions Reduction Strategy, which has identified decarbonising the North West Interconnected System as a priority to meet Western Australia’s 2050 net zero emission targets, the Pilbara Green Link is set to transform the energy landscape in North West Western Australia.

Related article: Horizon Power’s Smart Connect Solar expands to NWIS

It marks a significant step in transitioning the Pilbara region towards a low-carbon future, driving economic prosperity and the activation of Strategic Industrial Areas, including Boodarie in Port Hedland and Maitland in Karratha.

The post GHD named engineer for WA’s Pilbara Green Link appeared first on Energy Source & Distribution.

The state-of-the-art technology will increase access to renewable energy to the towns and is as part of a state-wide program which was launched by Horizon Power in Carnarvon last month.

Related article: Solar access for WA’s regions with Smart Connect Solar

The Smart Connect Solar project is removing hosting capacity constraints which limits solar installations across regional towns, enabling thousands of additional customers to install rooftop solar, realise energy bill savings, and improving the safety and stability of the state’s electricity network.

The technology has been launched in the NWIS towns of Karratha, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Point Samson, Cossack and Roebourne, in the Pilbara.

It has also been rolled out in 20 towns in the Kimberley, Mid West and Gascoyne and Esperance and Goldfields regions. This includes Derby, Wyndham, Halls Creek, Lombadina, Kalumburu, Warmun, Coral Bay, Cue, Meekatharra, Wiluna, Yalgoo, Hopetoun, Laverton, Leonora, Norseman, Camballin, Ardyaloon, Beagle Bay, Bidyadanga and Nullagine.

Karratha was the only town among the 26 which had exhausted its hosting capacity limits, however, Smart Connect Solar removes the requirement to apply future restrictions and enables towns to continue to realise their future solar potential.

Karratha has had active hosting capacity limitations from late 2023. Smart Connect Solar will enable homes and businesses in Karratha to apply and connect solar without existing restrictions.

“By 2025, Horizon Power, WA’s regional energy provider, will have deployed Smart Connect Solar to all towns in its service area, which is a significant milestone in increasing access to solar energy to residents across Western Australia,” Horizon Power CEO Stephanie Unwin said.

The staged rollout will also support regional solar installation businesses, with demand for solar expected to increase once hosting limits are removed.

“Not only does Smart Connect Solar use cutting-edge technology, it will also be a key contributor to the State Government’s goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050,” Unwin said.

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“Furthermore, it equips Horizon Power with the necessary technical capabilities to fulfil our commitment to ensuring ‘zero customer refusals when connecting rooftop solar by 2025’ across our networks.”

Harnessing the power of predictive analytics, Smart Connect Solar analyses weather patterns, and accurately forecasts energy generation and demand. This enables real-time orchestration of a customer’s solar generation, effectively mitigating the risk of voltage and frequency fluctuations that could destabilise the electricity system and cause supply disruptions.

The post Horizon Power’s Smart Connect Solar expands to NWIS appeared first on Energy Source & Distribution.

The successful connection of Roy Hill to Horizon Power’s North West Interconnected System (NWIS) – the electricity network that covers the Pilbara – comes after two years of consultations, designing and building specialist infrastructure and equipment, and comprehensive testing.

The project began in 2016 and required the underground installation of two 33kv feeder lines, both 5km long, between Horizon Power’s South West Creek Substation and Roy Hill’s main switchboard at the port in Port Hedland.

Horizon Power managing director Frank Tudor said reaching the milestone was cause for celebration by both parties.

“We are pleased to be providing power for Roy Hill’s iron ore mining, rail and port operations in Port Hedland,” Mr Tudor said.

“The connection of Roy Hill to our Pilbara network, and the partnership we have embarked on together, represents strong investment in the Pilbara that West Australians can place their confidence in.”

The 15-year power purchase agreement (PPA) between Horizon Power and Roy Hill officially commenced in April 2018.

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