The award winning TKLN Solar projects supply three of Australia's most remote aboriginal townships with essential power. TKLN provides high penetration solar power to maximise fuel savings at the existing diesel power stations, helping to minimise supply interruptions and mitigate energy price rises.

Ark Energy owns and operates the facility, with the power sold to Power and Water Corporation under a long term power purchase agreement.

Ark Energy's TKLN Solar takes its name from an abbreviation of three Northern Territory communities – Ti Tree, Kalkarindji and Lake Nash (also known as Alpurrurulam) where three solar power stations have been installed.

TKLN Solar has a combined capacity of 1MW and has been contributing emission-free power to remote communities in the Northern Territory since January 1, 2013. The three solar power stations are capable of providing high instantaneous solar penetration (up to 80% of power demand at any instant) and up to 30% of the average daily electricity consumed at each community.

Each of the TKLN Solar power stations has a sophisticated battery backup Grid Stability System (GSS) which maximises solar energy input to the existing diesel grid without affecting the diesel generators or the continuous supply of power to the community. The large size of these systems and their high renewable energy contribution distinguishes them from other remote hybrid systems in Australia.

Ark Energy has integrated and is now using a CloudCAM cloud detection and short term solar forecasting system to help optimise the overall system management by predicting fluctuations in instantaneous solar power output. This allows better management of the energy storage system, increasing its lifetime as well as allowing improved performance.

Ark Energy designed, developed, financed, constructed and operates the project which was built with the assistance of grant funding from the Federal Government. TKLN Solar sells all of its output to the NT’s Power and Water Corporation.

In July 2013 TKLN Solar won two prestigious awards from the Northern Division of Engineers Australia – the Engineering Excellence Award for Research, Development and Innovation and the Australian Solar Council Award for Sustainability.