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Why are remote Western Australians installing renewable energy technologies in stand-alone power supply systems?

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  • McHenry, Mark P.

Abstract

As people living in remote areas rely on SPS systems for their electricity and water needs, they hold a practical and non-idealistic perspective towards using renewable energy technologies. This research explores pastoral owner-operators’ personal experience and opinion of stand-alone power supply (SPS) systems over 30years in remote pastoral regions Western Australia (WA). This research was undertaken qualitatively in terms of the experience of remote Australians of energy service delivery and SPS system performance to obtain personal opinions of remote pastoral people who rely on SPS systems to provide basic needs. This research concluded that the impressive growth in total renewable energy capacity in remote off-grid SPS systems in WA is primarily due to subsidies that aim to fuel-switch to renewable energy sources. Despite this, other major reasons for the increases in renewable energy capacity are escalating conventional fuel costs, difficulties in attracting qualified service contractors, increasing desire for quiet, 24-h energy services, and a range of unique situations. Despite the increased use of renewable energy technologies, this research reinforced previous research conclusions that consistently found both the conventional and renewable energy service sector wanting in remote areas. Three areas needing attention to sustain the growth in renewable capacity are: technical SPS system integration, service infrastructure, and technical reliability.

Suggested Citation

  • McHenry, Mark P., 2009. "Why are remote Western Australians installing renewable energy technologies in stand-alone power supply systems?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1252-1256.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:34:y:2009:i:5:p:1252-1256
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2008.10.003
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. McHenry, Mark P. & Doepel, David, 2015. "The ‘low power’ revolution: Rural off-grid consumer technologies and portable micropower systems in non-industrialised regions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 679-684.
    2. McHenry, Mark P., 2012. "A technical, economic, and greenhouse gas emission analysis of a homestead-scale grid-connected and stand-alone photovoltaic and diesel systems, against electricity network extension," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 126-135.
    3. John Foster & Liam Wagner & Liam Byrnes, 2014. "A Review of Distributed Generation for Rural and Remote Area Electrification," Energy Economics and Management Group Working Papers 3-2014, School of Economics, University of Queensland, Australia.
    4. Ross, S.J. & McHenry, M.P. & Whale, J., 2012. "The impact of state feed-in tariffs and federal tradable quota support policies on grid-connected small wind turbine installed capacity in Australia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 141-147.
    5. Valizadeh Haghi, H. & Tavakoli Bina, M. & Golkar, M.A. & Moghaddas-Tafreshi, S.M., 2010. "Using Copulas for analysis of large datasets in renewable distributed generation: PV and wind power integration in Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 1991-2000.
    6. McHenry, M.P. & Doepel, D. & Onyango, B.O. & Opara, U.L., 2014. "Small-scale portable photovoltaic-battery-LED systems with submersible LED units to replace kerosene-based artisanal fishing lamps for Sub-Saharan African lakes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 276-284.
    7. McHenry, M.P., 2012. "Technical, mitigation, and financial comparisons of 6kWe grid-connected and stand-alone wood gasifiers, versus mineral diesel and biodiesel generation for rural distributed generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 428-437.
    8. McHenry, Mark P., 2012. "Are small-scale grid-connected photovoltaic systems a cost-effective policy for lowering electricity bills and reducing carbon emissions? A technical, economic, and carbon emission analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 64-72.
    9. McHenry, Mark P., 2012. "Small-scale (≤6 kWe) stand-alone and grid-connected photovoltaic, wind, hydroelectric, biodiesel, and wood gasification system’s simulated technical, economic, and mitigation analyses for rural region," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 195-205.
    10. Auld, Trisha & McHenry, Mark P. & Whale, Jonathan, 2014. "Options to mitigate utility-scale wind turbine impacts on defence capability, air supremacy, and missile detection," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 255-262.

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