Euroa’s grassroots solar microgrid plan to avoid summer blackouts

A small town in north-east Victoria is driving a renewable energy strategy that will generate power off the grid, give the town greater reliability in its power supply, and reduce local demand for electricity in times of flux.

Members of Euroa's Environment Group and the
 business community with Labor MP Jaclyn Symes.

The Euroa Environment Group is behind the $6 million grassroots project to install 589 kilowatts of new solar photovolatic (PV) panels, and up to 400 kilowatts of new batteries.

It will work with Mondo Power and Globird Energy as well as 14 businesses within Euroa which will install the technology.

The project may eventually extend to the residential community of Euroa and to other towns as it will demonstrate how a microgrid can operate.

Read the ABC News story by Rhiannon Tuffield - “Euroa’s grassroots solar microgrid plan to avoid summer blackouts.”

Loy Yang B failure sends prices soaring, triggers supply safeguards

The Australian Energy Market Operator has kicked off emergency measures to protect power supply after Victoria's Loy Yang B brown coal-fired power station failed on Thursday afternoon, sending electricity spot prices soaring.

As temperatures rose around southern Australia Loy Yang B's generators failed at around 4pm, instantly taking around 528 megawatts of energy out of the state’s grid.

Read Cole Latimer’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Loy Yang B failure sends prices soaring, triggers supply safeguards.”

Latrobe Valley plans for diesel generator back-up power supply

Plans are underway to set-up diesel generators in the Latrobe Valley in eastern Victoria, to be used as a back-up power supply on days of high electricity demand.

The Loy Yang A power station went offline last
 month, adding to power supply issues.

The ABC understands diesel generators will be brought in to the former Morwell Power Station site, where they will be used as a back up in times of peak demand.

It is not known at this stage whether the generators will be used to power the entire state or just eastern Victoria.

There have been reliability problems at two of the region's coal-fired power stations in recent weeks.

Environment Victoria's campaign manager Nick Aberle said it was a band aid solution to potential power shortages this summer.

Read the ABC News story - “Latrobe Valley plans for diesel generator back-up power supply.”