A small outback community in the Barkly region now has Australia’s first fully First Nations-owned 100 kW grid-connected solar microgrid, provided by technology partner 5B, with 136 kWh battery storage, which proponents say could be a model for other remote communities across the Territory.

The Marlinja community, Original Power – a developer of Indigenous community-focused renewable energy projects – have worked in partnership for five years to build the solar microgrid before its launch on Thursday.

A key feature of the Marlinja project is an innovative benefit-sharing trial developed by Original Power with support from NT Government retailer Jacana Energy to share solar cost savings directly to the meters of Marlinja households.

For the first time, First Nations pre-paid meter customers will benefit directly and equitably from their solar investment, similar to the behind-the-meter benefits received by households with rooftop solar, proponents said.

Original Power Clean Energy Communities project coordinator Lauren Mellor said Marlinja residents invited them to partner on developing the renewable energy solution in 2019.

Ms Mellor said Original Power had managed the project development from design through to fundraising, installation and commissioning. She also said there were plans for ongoing support, training and employment for the community in the operational and maintenance phases.

“Low-cost, clean energy should be available to all, yet First Nations communities are being left behind in Australia’s energy transition,” she said.

“The Marlinja microgrid project demonstrates technical, regulatory and policy solutions to support the wider uptake of renewable energy in First Nations communities. This will drive improvements in household energy security, affordability and climate resilience.

“With the successful implementation of this project, we can now show the Northern Territory Government and other First Nations communities an inspiring blueprint for community-owned energy that supports a faster and fairer transition to renewable energy.”

5B chief strategy officer Nicole Kuepper-Russel said the project was special for the company.

“To see a remote community achieve greater self-determination through access to clean, affordable, reliable energy by leveraging the unique attributes of our 5B Maverick solar technology, being prefabricated and fast-to-deploy, is very special,” she said.

“The 5B Maverick is suitable for remote projects and environments. Community-owned power projects like Marlinja are crucial to the Territory’s energy transition.”

Marlinja resident and community organizer Chantelle Johns said the project should inspire other communities.

“We initially wanted rooftop solar on our homes but the Northern Territory government’s Department of Housing wasn’t prepared to work with us, so we chose to develop a solar microgrid project,” she said.

“We’ve overcome so many barriers getting this project up and running but now that we’ve proved it can be done, other remote communities should be able to do it too—in much less time.”

Original Power executive director Karrina Nolan said several more barriers must be removed by the federal and state and territory governments to ensure a fair transition and ensure no one is left behind.

“We are looking forward to seeing the lessons from the Marlinja microgrid development adopted by government and industry in a wider roll-out of community-determined renewables to support a faster, fairer energy transition in which First Nations communities play a vital partnership role in project delivery,” Ms Nolan said.

Marlinja Traditional Owner and one of the key drivers of the project Ethan Godrey says life in remote communities is extremely difficult when power is so expensive.

“Many times our whole community has lost power and water for weeks due to failures in the power network, and our families are being disconnected for days at a time when our pre-paid meter credit runs out…,” he said. “We knew there was a better way to live and that’s why we started this solar power journey so we could use cheaper, cleaner power from the sun.”

The Marlinja Microgrid is a beneficiary of partial funding through the Barkly Regional Deal. The remainder of the project’s $750,000 price tag was raised through philanthropic networks and the contributions of technology partners including 5B.