Kalgoorlie-Boulder Community High School is the first school to be confirmed in the WA Government’s Schools Virtual Power Plant (VPP) pilot project.
The first Schools Virtual Power Plant, located at the Goldfields school, is the direct result of the WA Government’s investment in Kalgoorlie’s new energy future.
The solar panels and battery are expected to be installed over the coming months.
As part of the WA Recovery Plan, the WA Government will invest $4 million towards transforming up to 10 schools into smart VPPs – installed by Synergy.
A VPP is a network of distributed energy resources such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles that are integrated and shared with an energy retailer.
Schools will be provided with commercial batteries to store their excess energy for later use, which will also assist with grid stability. This is a step towards a more sustainable future.
The trial will run for 24 months and it is expected at the end of the pilot, schools will save on their electricity bills and learn more about the benefits of solar power.
Participating schools, determined in conjunction with the WA Department of Education, have been chosen based on grid suitability and are all from within the South West Interconnected System. More schools will be announced over the coming weeks.
The announcement forms part of the WA Government’s $66.3 million renewable energy technologies package, recently launched, which will boost innovative, clean energy projects throughout Western Australia.
Source: WA Government