Australian town powered with 100% renewable energy using microgrid

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The solar function of the microgrid used by Horizon Power and PXiSE. Image: Horizon Power.

Horizon Power and PXiSE Energy Solutions have successfully powered the Australian town of Onslow solely using renewable energy, demonstrating the potential of microgrid technology.

Full renewable power provision was achieved for 80 minutes using a distributed energy resource system (DERMS), which uses predictive analytics to maximise the amount of renewable energy used in the microgrid while maintaining network stability.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

It is the first time DERMS have been used for this purpose in Australia and further testing will continue to increase understanding of the potential of the technology before functionality is commissioned later this year.

The technology has “broad applications for the world at large,” said PXiSE Energy Solutions CEO Patrick Lee. “The DERMS and microgrid-facilitated hydrocarbon-free period in Onslow demonstrates the possibility for certain communities to run solely on solar plus battery storage,” he added.

Read Next

June 10, 2025
Australia’s Queensland government has confirmed an AU$2.4 billion investment in the CopperString transmission project, aiming to extend the National Electricity Market (NEM) to the North West Minerals Province.
June 6, 2025
Australia’s Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has called on Australia’s climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, to “urgently intervene” on a rule change that could threaten to derail the uptake of rooftop solar PV.
June 6, 2025
ElectraNet has revealed that renewables supplied 100% of South Australia's electricity demand for 27% of 2024, roughly 99 days.
Premium
June 3, 2025
In May 2025, utility-scale and rooftop solar PV dipped by 579GWh month-on-month in Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) to 2,861GWh.
June 2, 2025
Government-owned electricity retailer Jacana Energy has contracted 45MW of solar PV from utility-scale projects in the Northern Territory, Australia.
May 30, 2025
Tasmania’s George Town council approved plans for a 288MW solar PV power plant this week, which is being pursued in Australia by German renewable energy developer ib vogt.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece