Australian electricity distributor EnergyAustralia has commissioned a solar power plant in Singleton Shire County, New South Wales (NSW).
The $1.6 million photovoltaic scheme delivers 200 kW to the NSW grid.
The plant comprises 3456 solar panels, spread over an area of 1.5 ha. The electricity company plans to spend a further $1.3 million to double the capacity of the installation.
The solar scheme is expensive compared to fossil fuel fired power generation, but customers are prepared to pay more for the power it generates. The photovoltaic project forms part of EnergyAustralia’s renewable energy portfolio.
The company is offering customers the option of paying extra to have a proportion of their electricity generated from renewable sources. Since April 1997, 5600 customers have opted for this scheme, paying between 25 per cent and 100 per cent more for their power.