BUSINESSES in Penola are feeling the crippling impact of the state’s dire power situation, with some looking to turn to solar options in the future in an effort to combat the price crisis.
A clean energy development company recently vowed to return to the Limestone Coast to identify potential sites for a large-scale solar farm or roof top projects.
CountryWide Energy – which is building a $40m solar farm near Wangaratta – revealed it would investigate installing a technological advanced battery storage system if a large scale farm became a reality in the Limestone Coast.
Company director Geoff Drucker said he was encouraged by the interest shown in the region, which was crying out for power security and affordability.
“We will look at anything that would generate renewable electricity – biomass, pumped hydro and solar,” Mr Drucker said.
Penola IGA owner Shane McPherson said his business was noticing the effects of power prices and following a level two energy audit, they have highlighted areas to reassess.
“Changes will include improving LED lighting, redesigning the doors on fridges and possibly looking at solar power in the near future,” Mr McPherson said.
The owner said energy consumption was a difficult issue to tackle due to the size and conditions in which the store had to operate.
“We have to heat the store around 350 days a year due to combating the cool air produced from cooling fridges,” Mr McPherson said.
“The industry is tough enough without increasing the cost of energy.”
Mr McPherson said the prices were the worst he had seen over the years he had owned the store.
“We will finish our electricity contract in December and then look at our options moving forward,” he said.
Penola’s DJ and CA Meek Butchers also said power prices were hitting the store hard.
“We have definitely noticed the impact of the energy prices, but we are doing our best with what we can,” butcher Rene Boesher said.
Mr Boesher said in the future there was a probability solar would be introduced to the store.
He also praised plans for the state’s major lithium ion battery development and welcomed any solution to assist with tackling the issue.
“The introduction of the battery is definitely a positive step forward,” Mr Boesher said.
Meanwhile, businesses across the region will watch with interest whether the development of the large-scale solar farm or other mooted renewable energy projects proceed.
CountryWide Energy will continue its investigation into the region’s potential, while biomass has also long been seen as a valuable energy source still to be effectively harnessed for the broader market.
When explaining power grid connectivity, Mr Drucker said his company’s goal was to look at areas where they could inject energy and then be connected to the grid to provide growth.
He said targeting growth regions meant there was a long-term opportunity to sell power into the marketplace.
