The federal and Western Australian governments have completed the rollout of the Kimberley Communities Solar Saver (KCSS) initiative, giving remote households across WA’s North West more than AU$240,000 in energy-saving credits.
Delivered by regional energy provider Horizon Power, the shared rooftop solar initiative was designed for residents who would otherwise face barriers accessing individual solar systems. Rooftop solar panels are installed on selected homes, with the resulting generation shared among participating local households in the form of regular electricity credits to alleviate living costs.
The joint government venture has delivered more than AU$240,000 in energy-saving credits to approximately 480 households across six remote Kimberley communities: Warmun, Bidyadanga, Ardyaloon, Yungngora, Beagle Bay, and Mowanjum.
Following the final installations in Mowanjum, the region now boasts roughly 1.5 megawatts of operational rooftop solar capacity. In addition to offering immediate financial relief, the transition to locally generated solar power reduces reliance on costly, diesel-fuelled generation across regional mini-grids.
Commonwealth Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson noted that shared solar models demonstrate how practical renewable initiatives can lower power bills while improving local grid reliability.
“The Kimberley Communities Solar Saver program is demonstrating how shared solar can reduce power bills and improve energy security in remote communities,” Wilson said.
WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson added that joint government investment ensures remote regional communities actively participate in and benefit from the national energy transition.
Kimberley MLA Divina D’Anna praised the project’s practical impact, noting that regional families are seeing tangible cost-of-living savings while cleaner energy replaces heavy fuel reliance.
Jointly funded under the Australian and Western Australian governments’ broader Community Solar Banks Program, the completed project establishes a scalable model for expanding household solar access across remote regional communities.