Hall & Wilcox advises ARENA on First Nations led project to improve energy security for a Northern Territory community

Hall & Wilcox advised the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) on a First Nations-led microgrid project that will deliver cleaner and more reliable electricity to a remote Northern Territory community. 

The Ngardara Project in Borroloola in the NT Gulf region forms part of ARENA’s $11 million funding of community-owned utility-scale renewable energy initiatives. The project is co-led by Original Power and the Ngardara Cooperative, a First Nations community owned and led cooperative that represents the community’s interest in the project. 

The Ngardara Project aims to be Australia’s first First Nations-owned utility scale solar and battery microgrid, providing a scalable model to reduce reliance on diesel consumption in remote communities. 

Electricity reliability is a challenge in these communities, as there is often no alternative if power goes down, meaning people suffer from a lack of heating or air-conditioning (depending on the season), as well as adverse impacts on food security. The microgrid project will enable a constant source of electricity, mitigating this challenge. 

Hall & Wilcox advised ARENA on structuring and implementing its grant to Original Power Limited and a project-specific vehicle. Our team has worked with ARENA for several years across a range of energy sector projects, as ARENA helps drive Australia’s energy transition.

The Hall & Wilcox team was led by Partner David Cooper and Associate Nancy Harb. 

David Cooper said, ‘The Ngardara Project will have a tangible impact on the security, reliability and affordability of energy for the community in Borroloola. This project represents a further example of ARENA ensuring the energy transition provides opportunities across Australia and across technologies but, more importantly, across communities.’