CLEAN Cowra Inc will receive $32,450 from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment for feasibility study towards establishing a pilot project for an industrial scaled microgrid for a group of industrial customers across property boundaries.

Microgrids supply electricity to local connected customers, are connected to the broader grid and also can be developed to supply electricity in the event of supply outage. This local Microgrid aims to supply four customers in preparation for the development of Bioenergy electricity generation.

“This is the first part of a large scale plan to generate and provide energy locally in regional towns across NSW, CLEAN Cowra Project Manager Dylan Gower said. 

The broader project will establish how bioenergy as a clean energy source can be utilised and demonstrates how waste inputs from farms, businesses and towns can be converted to generate sustainable energy which would then be supplied to local energy customers.

The North Industrial Precinct where a number of Cowra industries are located will be the premier test site for the project within the State Governments Clean Energy Program and similar sites could eventually be rolled out state-wide.

“This is the first step towards Cowra becoming more self sufficient in energy generation,” says Mr Gower.

“Cowra could become the first community to produce bioenergy locally and a role model for other communities world wide.”

Chernco, Mulyan, Pinnacle and Central Milling are among a number of local businesses who are keen to know more about the project and potentially be part of the pilot.

“Receiving these funds from the State Government shows our project is innovative and this feasibility study will generate valuable learnings and will go further to establishing local electricity distribution networks in Cowra,” Mr Gower said.

For more information contact CLEAN Cowra by email contact@clean.org.au