The Australian Government is supporting affordable and reliable power for the resources sector through a pilot project with Santos Limited.

Through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), the Government has provided grant funding through the Advancing Renewables Program to Santos Limited for a pilot project converting crude oil-fuelled beam pumps in the Cooper Basin to run off solar PV and battery storage.

The project will be ARENA's first off-grid project with the oil and gas industry, and the first off-grid project that involves switching to 100 per cent renewables. 3.2 MW of solar PV, backed up by battery storage, will be installed to convert 56 oil beam pumps to 100% renewable energy.

The Australian-first project will also assist Santos to reduce its production emissions.

Through ARENA, the Government has provided $4.2 million towards the $16 million project.

If the pilot project is successful, Santos will look to convert all 208 beam pumps across the Cooper Basin to solar and batteries.

This project is supporting an industry that is reliant on 24/7 power to ensure continuous operation. It demonstrates the potential of renewable energy, backed up by sufficient storage, to provide affordable and reliable energy at remote and off-grid locations around Australia.