Peninsula Downs Dairy Farm Goes Off-Grid with Hybrid System

0:00This is Corey with Sydney News Today, powered by the Daily News Now. Western Australia's largest dairy farm, Peninsula Downs, is shifting to its own power supply with a new hybrid solar and battery system. The operation, which has run for over 70 years across eight properties in the southwest, is spending $650,000 to power. It's irrigation pumps. This set up combined solar panels, batteries, and a diesel generator to cut down on grid electricity and fuel use. Rising power costs and frequent outages push the change. Electricity prices jumped 50% in the last year, and the farm faced 21 blackouts last year plus seven already this year. Before, diesel generators ran around the clock, but now they will operate just seven hours a day. The dairy industry in the state has shrunk dramatically from about 400 farms to under 100. Highland prices now over $11,000 per acre compared to 1,000 before plus rising costs and fewer young workers have driven.

1:04Many out. Peninsula Downs leaders say tech upgrades like this help keep things viable. Managing Director Ross Woodhouse sees the hybrid system as a smart fix for reliability and expenses. Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis calls it a positive step, noting it supports milk supply even as farm numbers drop. She says going off grid makes sense for heavy energy users. Looking ahead, the farm aims to go fully renewable and automate operations to reduce labor needs. Woodhouse believes this approach could keep the business thriving for centuries, tackling key challenges head on. Thanks to our sponsor for supporting today's coverage, podcasts hit different when the sound comes from your pillow. Once you try it, it just makes sense.