Warumungu elder Norman Frank-Jupurrurla and his family wanted to plug into abundant sunshine and make their home safer and more comfortable
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But the connection agreement meant access was denied to the solar credits than many Australians take for granted to help pay the bills.
Indigenous-led charity Original Power stepped in and worked with the Australian National University to install a 6.6-kilowatt demonstration project on the government-owned, council-managed home.
"It was a pilot project built through Norman's persistence - he was able to get a prepay meter connected," researcher Brad Riley told AAP.
"Before that, there was literally no box to tick."
Australia may be a world leader in rooftop solar with more than 3.4 million households enjoying the benefits of rooftop solar, but it is a rarity for First Nations households in the Northern Territory.
In many communities where governments have responsibilities as the landlord, they are also the monopoly energy provider.
"These are some of the poorest communities in the country, in terms of income-poor communities," said Mr Riley, research fellow at ANU's Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research.
Mr Frank-Jupurrurla's home is in one of the town camps in Tennant Creek, which is one of four regulated networks in the Northern Territory along with Darwin, Alice Springs and Katherine.
Releasing the results of the pilot study on Monday, the researchers said the trial set an important precedent for prepay households.
The study found rooftop solar eased energy insecurity and made housing safer by reducing the frequency of so-called self-disconnections, where electricity is cut off because of a lack of credit.
Prior to installation in November 2021, the family was disconnecting 12 times a year.
"Now we have solar, we get support from the sun," Mr Frank-Jupurrurla said.
"It gives us more money for our pocket and it's more sustainable. We don't worry about disconnecting anymore."
Co-author Simon Quilty said the benefits of solar installation in the trial were significant.
Keeping the fridge running means food and medicines no longer spoil in the heat and access to affordable cooling during extreme heat means the family is more able to sleep at night.
Mr Riley said there were benefits for utility companies in getting off diesel and moving communities into renewable energy generation.
"But there are these additional benefits that we should be talking about - the social benefits for the residents themselves," he said.
Australian Associated Press
