This project arose as a result of a study by NDY, commissioned by the Department of Agriculture. The study was undertaken to determine the feasibility of providing alternative power systems for the offices and checkpoint shelter on the WA/SA border. At the time of the study the facility was powered from the Border Motel diesel generator system with a 12.5 kVa on site emergency backup generator. The study demonstrated the financial feasibility of powering the site with a combination of wind turbines and solar panels utilising the existing on site emergency diesel generator as backup.
Subsequently, NDY was commissioned to design, document and manage construction of a hybrid power system at the site. The system designed and installed comprised:
- Two 10 kW rated wind turbines
- Seven arrays of solar panels of 112 kW total rating
- A 1000 amp hour capacity battery bank
- A 20kW rated inverter to convert power from direct to alternating current
- Integration of the existing emergency 12.5 kVA diesel into the system
- Switchboard and submains.
Other works undertaken to facilitate operation of the hybrid power system included:
- Installation of soft start inverter type air conditioning
- High efficiency lighting in offices
- High efficiency flood lighting in the inspection shelter
- Lighting controls in the shelter to minimise time of full power lighting application
- Substitution of boiling water and hot water units with more efficient units.
In the first year of operation the system had demonstrated:
- Total consumption 40,150 kWh
- Renewable energy contribution 36,500 kWh
- Greenhouse has saving of 31 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
