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Entura welcomes commissioning of Jabiru Power Station

13 April, 2022

Specialist power and water consulting firm Entura welcomes the recent commissioning of the Jabiru Power Station, located in the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park.

The project, funded by the Northern Territory Government and developed, owned and operated by EDL, will supply the town of Jabiru with reliable energy drawn from at least 50% renewable sources. It comprises a 3.9 MW solar farm, 4.5 MW diesel generation and a 3 MW/5 MWh battery, with the ability to power 2,000 homes annually and cut 6,000 tonnes CO₂e emissions per year.

The Jabiru Power Station includes ‘Zero Thermal’ functionality, meaning the diesel generators can be turned off entirely during times of adequate sunlight.

Entura’s development on the project began in June 2021. Construction then started in August and was completed less than six months later.

Entura proudly supported our client EDL in coordinating commissioning of the power station, drawing on our experience in hybrid off-grid power systems.

Jabiru Power Station

“Testing was rigorously conducted to prove all of the power station functions. This is an investment towards a future of highly reliable operation,” said Greg Koppens, Entura’s Specialist Engineer for Hybrid Renewable Systems.

“A feature of the Jabiru power station is the ability to ‘black start’ without any fossil fuel generation available,” he added. “Starting a town is very challenging for any power system because there is a large inrush of energy immediately after reconnection of power.”

“In Jabiru, it’s now possible to restart following a blackout using only the battery system and solar power. This could prove useful in the future if an emergency situation prevents transport of diesel fuel, that the town could be energised and powered off solar power.”

EDL Jabiru Hybrid Renewable Project Manager Aidan Davies said Entura’s expertise was instrumental in enabling the hybrid power station to deliver reliable, renewable energy for Jabiru.

“EDL is pleased to have worked with Entura on this landmark project, which contributes to the Territory’s target of 50% renewable energy by 2030.”

Entura is one of the leading consultants in renewables development and integration in Australia, and the Indo-Pacific region, with significant experience in grid connection, hybrid renewable energy systems, utility-scale battery energy storage, solar and wind farms, hydropower and pumped hydro.

Entura’s services have been instrumental to the success of other hybrid renewable projects, including the Agnew Hybrid Renewable Project and the Flinders Island Hybrid Energy Hub in Australia, and the delivery of hybrid renewable energy systems in Yap, the Cook Islands and Marshall Islands.