Despite temperatures soaring to 50° Celsius in January, construction is now underway, with almost 2,000 solar panels about to be mounted across the Marble Bar and Nullagine sites.
The stations will be powered by the biggest solar farms of their type in Australia, incorporating the latest in energy storage technology. The new stations are expected to be operational by July 2010, and will be powered by 1,008 panels in Marble Bar, and 900 in Nullagine.
The Federal Government has committed $4.9 million, under the Remote Renewable Power Generation Program, to the $24.6 million project.
An energy storage system will stabilise power quality between the diesel power station and solar panels, as well as covering solar radiation fluctuations, for example during periods of cloud cover or through the night.
“If there is anywhere in the world that solar technology can work – it’s here,” says Mike Laughton-Smith, Horizon Power’s Islanded Systems Development General Manager, referring to Marble Bar and Nullagine’s high levels of sunshine.
“What we’ve learned is that the model we have used in Marble Bar and Nullagine is perfect for isolated systems. In Marble Bar and Nullagine it will reduce fuel consumption by more than 35 per cent and greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by more than 1,100 tonnes each year.”
Horizon Power’s analysis of the investment associated with installing the solar-diesel stations shows that the renewable solution delivers better value than equivalent diesel-only generation over the 20-year life of the asset.
Smaller scale renewables at Kalumburu and Yungngora
The Marble Bar and Nullagine projects follow Horizon Power’s MARS model for generation – one that is modular, automated, renewable and scalable.
With a service area of 2.3 million square kilometres, including many remote Aboriginal communities, the company is integrating renewable energy into its generation design to replicate the system in similar areas.
In the more remote Aboriginal communities of Kalumburu and Yungngora (formerly known as Noonkanbah) in the Kimberleys, smaller scale renewables are being incorporated into the design of new power stations. Along with the latest in demand side management (DSM) technology, the systems are aiming to improve power reliability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and costs.
The project is a scaled down version of the Marble Bar and Nullagine power stations’ project and is funded by the Western Australian State Government through the Office of Energy. As part of the Aboriginal and Remote Community Power Supply Project (ARCPSP), the communities are the first of another eight identified that will have power supplies regularised, including the Balgo and Jigalong communities.
In both Kalumburu and Yungngora, renewable solar energy will provide about 25 per cent of the new power stations’ capacity. Diesel generators will provide the balance of the energy needs and run as backup, delivering power at night and when the sun is covered by cloud during the day.
However there is more to the Kalumburu and Yungngora project than simply building new power stations. Pre-payment metering, energy efficiency education and changes to community housing will be introduced to ensure less diesel fuel is used in delivering power to these communities.
Power lines will also be placed underground to reduce disruptions caused by strong winds, fallen trees, animals and other interferences.
The project includes the use of DSM technology – that is, devices installed inside each customer’s power distribution panel, which will shut down non-essential appliances, such as air conditioning, if demand for power begins to outweigh supply and the continued operation of the power station is threatened.
By turning off non-essential items, demand is automatically reduced, as are the number and length of any power outages experienced by these communities. As soon as normal
operating conditions are re-established, the technology will automatically trigger the non-essential items to start up again. Horizon Power expects that the solar-powered systems in Kalumburu and Yungngora will result in a 26 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from these communities each year.
Smarter energy use
Horizon Power has also carried out energy efficiency audits in several communities, including Kalumburu and Yungngora, to identify issues leading to high power consumption and to bring about behavioural change among residents to help reduce their power bills.
Staff members visit residents to carry out energy efficiency audits and provide information about the use of appliances, particularly those that use the most energy, including air conditioners, heaters, refrigerators and water heating systems. A physical audit is also conducted in each home, including the measurement of existing roof and wall insulation.
Necessary refits may result in the installation of insulation, window seals, low flow water devices, shading and improvements to hot water systems. Such refits are designed to improve energy efficiency, reducing the demand for power, the residents’ annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Community engagement
Alongside the energy generation and management measures, Horizon Power is running a community engagement program that has so far included a school visit to Marble Bar and Nullagine, and a partnership with leadership organisation Role Models WA.
“The opportunity to showcase this work to the next generation in one of the most remote parts of WA is an important part of our strategy to create lasting value in the communities we serve,” says Horizon Power Managing Director Rod Hayes.
How the Marble Bar and Nullagine power stations work
Horizon Power, SunPower Corporation Australia and PowerCorp are developing the new high-penetration solar photovoltaic (PV) diesel hybrid power stations.
In Marble Bar, four 320 kilowatt (kW) generators will be connected to 300 kW of solar generation and a 500 kW PowerStore™. In Nullagine, three 320 kW generators will be coupled with 200 kW of solar and a 500 kW PowerStore.
The system is isolated, with the energy sent directly to the distribution network. Horizon chose a hybrid solution instead of straight solar generation because the hybrid system allows more solar energy to be delivered. Once installed, the diesel supplies the base of generation. The solar array will then synchronise with the generation base and support it, offsetting the maximum practical amount of fossil fuel consumption without compromising the stability or quality of supply to customers.
A key innovation of the system is the SunPower T20 Tracker, which operates by tilting high efficiency panels at 20 degrees and tracking on a single axis to follow the path of the sun. The tracker generates up to 30 per cent more energy than traditional, fixed-tilt systems and at low sun angles. The system employs a backtracking feature to prevent shading and optimise energy production.
The high-efficiency flat panel, single-axis tracking, monocrystalline PV arrays have a combined capacity of approximately 500 kW. The arrays are the largest of their type ever to be installed in Australia.
The PowerStore™, an integrated kinetic flywheel technology, will store the solar power, as well as stabilise power quality between the diesel power station and the solar array.
