Arcadis and Volt Advisory are designing a renewable microgrid for the Daintree region of Far North Queensland as an alternative to burning 4 million litres of diesel in generators a year.
The move is aimed at cutting emissions, improving people’s health, and preserving Daintree’s World Heritage-protected rainforest.
The area is cut off from Queensland’s electricity grid and its over-reliance on diesel has led to a decline in health for local people and damage to the region’s once-pristine environment.
The community is affected by ineffective solar panels and ongoing blackouts, while diesel generation hurts the area’s tourism brand, Arcadis said.
Knock-on effects include a lack of effective broadband and low availability of air-conditioned accommodation.
Arcadis proposed a combination of solar, battery energy storage, and hydrogen supply, connected by an underground cable network.
The project will also include a fiber optic network to supply the region with reliable broadband.
Arcadis sector lead Luke Keys said the project would “provide a 100% renewable, sustainable energy” for Daintree.
