Daintree Power / Microgrid project pushes closer to being shovel-ready

NATALIE JOHNSON

Approximately 60 interested residents attended a presentation in Diwan yesterday by Daintree Renewable Energy Inc.’s Russell O’Doherty and Volt Advisory Project Manager Richard Schoenemann, as the Daintree microgrid project pushes further toward shovel ready.

Key Points

• Federally funded report almost complete with view to shovel ready end of July / early August
• Some questions unable to be answered due to non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality clauses
• Up to 30 investors interested in taking on the project
• Several private property owners north of Alexandra Range have expressed interest in hosting infrastructure including 10 to 15 containers and up to 8 megawatts (approximately 8 hectares) of solar fields
• 120 kilometres of cabling to be laid utilising Council owned roads and easements
• Approximately 300m of land in the Wet Tropics World Heritage area required to have cabling 20 feet below the surface
• The intention of the proposed development is residents pay roughly the same as those on mains power – 28 cents per kilowatt
• Total cost of the project still to be determined
• Warren Entsch notes connection to the microgrid will increase property values

Full analysis of the meeting tomorrow.