Seventeen off-grid remote Indigenous communities are set to benefit from solar energy and reduce their reliance on diesel fuel.
The communities, located in Central Australia, Katherine, Top End and Tiwi Islands regions of the Northern Territory, will be provided with a total 5.6 MW of solar energy.
The Federal Government, through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), has provided $31.5 million in funding towards the $59 million project known as the Solar Energy Transformation Program (SETuP).
Eleven other off-grid remote Indigenous communities have already benefitted from 4.325 MW of solar energy under the program, including Daly River where the 1 MW solar energy site is also equipped with a battery.
"This project provides opportunities for off-grid remote Indigenous communities to decrease their reliance on diesel fuel which is subject to price fluctuations and seasonal transport issues," Minister for the Environment and Energy the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP said.
Minister for Indigenous Affairs Senator the Hon Nigel Scullion said the project is an important step towards transforming the way energy is supplied to remote communities in Australia.
The project is jointly funded by ARENA and the Northern Territory Government and managed by the Northern Territory Power and Water Corporation.