A group of renewable energy leaders has proposed plans to build a 6GW wind and solar hybrid power plant in Western Australia to export renewable electricity production to Indonesia via subsea electrical cables.
According to Digital Journal, the Asian Renewable Energy Hub (AREH) is a team effort between renewable energy project developers CWP Energy Asia, InterContinental Energy, and Vestas.
The project will cover 7000 square kilometres in the East Pilbara region, with construction expected to start in 2023 and operation scheduled for 2029. Electricity will be generated from 4MW of wind capacity and 2MW of solar capacity.
The submarine cables used to export the power will also be able to carry optical fibres for data transmission or temperature measurement, in addition to the high-voltage electrical current.
While the plant will be located in Australia, the generating equipment will be manufactured in Indonesia, creating skilled job growth and the development of a local supply chain.
