The Water Corporation will buy the entire energy output from a solar and wind farm in the Mid-West to help offset the energy needs of the new $955 million Binningup desalination plant.
In what has been described as a “historic” deal by the State Government, the water utility will buy the output from the $50 million Greenough River Solar Farm and the Mumbida wind farm, both set to come online next year.
Both farms, which are both joint ventures between Verve Energy and private companies, will produce a combined 65 megawatts of renewable energy.
Water Minister Bill Marmion said the deal by Water Corporation to buy the output from the farms is the last major agreement to be put in place for the desalination plant, which will be commissioned later this year.
“These exciting renewable energy projects will not only enable the Water Corporation to achieve its environmental objectives associated with the SSDP, but also provide a major boost for WA’s renewable energy sector,” he said.
Energy Minister Peter Collier said while the farms will not be ready in time for the start up of the desalination plant, agreements were in place to buy additional renewable energy from the farms in the future.
