Several large-scale solar farms in the Northern Territory (NT) have been sitting idle for years, primarily due to grid stability concerns and the need for new generator performance standards to be met. These standards, implemented by the NT Utilities Commission, require significant investment in things like batteries to ensure the stability of the isolated Darwin to Katherine grid. This has led to delays in connecting these solar farms to the grid, despite the NT government's push for renewable energy.
The NT's grid is smaller and more isolated than the National Electricity Market (NEM), and the introduction of large-scale solar farms, which generate intermittently, could potentially destabilize the grid.
The NT Utilities Commission implemented new generator performance standards that require solar farms to meet a high level of control and reliability, which can be expensive and challenging to achieve without battery storage.
To meet the new performance standards, solar farms may need to install large batteries, which can be a significant cost.
These delays are hindering the NT's progress towards its goal of achieving 50% renewable energy by 2030.
Examples include the solar farms in Manton, Batchelor, and Katherine, which have been sitting idle or producing only a small amount of power since being completed in 2020.
Some solar farms are now being gradually connected to the grid, albeit with reduced capacity and limitations on output.
