Indigo Shire - renewable energy mapping - Indigo Shire Council

Earth Systems
Mapping and Brokering Local Energy Solutions in Indigo Shire
Executive Summary
Indigo Shire has commissioned Earth Systems to provide a broad evaluation of Shire-wide renewable
energy options to support the Shire’s electrical energy needs for the future. The study considers realistic
resource options for a transition to locally-based energy generation for the equivalent electrical demands
of 13,000 households out to 2050. This equates to an installed generation capacity of about 13 MW e .
The study constitutes Phase 1 of a 2 part program funded through the Victorian Government’s
Sustainability Accord Programme:
Phase 1 - a survey of renewable energy resources in the region and development potential;
Phase 2 - a detailed report evaluating the potential of bioenergy in the region specifically.
This document reports the results of Phase 1 of the study, some findings from which will help to define
the scope of Phase 2.
The objective of Phase 1 was to evaluate in a desktop study the extent of the renewable energy
resources within Indigo Shire, including solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric and biomass resources.
Utilising information on the current state of the relevant technologies, geophysical and topographical data
and other information resources relevant to the Shire, the likely cost and technical feasibility of renewable
energy deployment in the Shire has been reviewed.
Study Inputs
Key inputs to the study were:
Electricity grid infrastructure and capacity for embedded generation in and near to the Shire
Major electricity consumers within or near to the Shire
Land uses and exclusions which would affect where a new renewable energy project is located
Shire-wide solar data
Shire-wide wind data
Geothermal resource review
Hydropower resource review
Waste biomass availability in and near to Shire
Potential for energy cropping within Indigo Shire.
Exclusions
The study did not consider:
Thermal-only energy requirements (although co-generation of electricity and heat has been
discussed with regards to specific industrial sites)
Transport energy (eg local fuel production)
Energy efficiency measures.
Resource Data Analysis
The various renewable resources available to Indigo Shire were analysed in a variety of ways, depending
on the type of renewable resource data available and the type of technology to utilise them. In the case
of geothermal and hydropower resources, no detailed resource analysis or modelling was undertaken as
these do not appear to be viable for large-scale generation within the Shire. Biomass resources were
ISC1240_Phase_1_Report_Rev0_public report 2