Roadmap for Alice Springs to reach 50% renewables by 2030

A lot of sun means a lot of potential for solar energy. Alice Springs gets about 30% of its energy from renewables, from solar modules like the ones you can see around us at the moment. The town’s grid, which serves 28,000 residents, was originally designed for 100% gas and diesel power. But simply increasing solar production isn’t enough to transition to renewables. Too much solar is going to the grid and we don’t have anything to absorb it. Under the Alice Springs Road map to 20. Thirty, 50% of the town will be powered by renewable energy within six years. And there are four ways to get there, using different combinations of wind, solar, electric, battery and gas. One of the groups involved says maintaining grid stability with new technologies is key. Having blackouts in the middle of summer is not ideal. So grid security and and grid stability is a key part of any energy system. Implementing one of these scenarios could cost around $150 million / 20 years, but those behind the project think it’s a worthwhile investment. Consumer demand and climate change are driving us to having to consider how do we increase renewables in the grid. For Alice Springs to be able to have a road map and a pathway, looking at a range of different ways of getting there are really sets us in a really important place not just in Australia but also globally. It’s now up to the NT Government to decide the grid’s future. We want to see budget commitments to this. There needs to be commitment both financially and policy and regulatory by government to move this forward, both here but also across the territory. Solutions to complex problems now needing action.