Christoff Le Grange Development Director Entura, Hydro Tasmania
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Christoff le Grange Development Director Entura, Hydro Tasmania Hydro Tasmania’s experience with small, mini and micro hydros The island State of Tasmania - separate to mainland Australia Overview •Population: 500,000 people. •World heritage area: 1.38 million hectares. Figure 1. Tasmanian average annual rainfall distribution The island State of Tasmania - separate to mainland Australia • Covers 1% of Australia’s landmass. • Receives 12% of Australia’s annual rainfall. • Economic growth and development over the past century has been driven by hydro-industrialisation (forestry, tourism, agriculture, fishing). The facts • Government Business Enterprise - owned by the State of Tasmania but operates as a commercial business with a consulting unit (Entura). • Australia’s largest renewable energy generator: o $5.1 billion worth of assets o 2 500 MW of hydro-electric capacity in Tasmania o 10 000 GWh of output in 2009/10. Hydro power • Hydro power is the basis of our renewable energy business and expertise (special water licence that provides access to water). Hydro power • Almost a century of expertise in power engineering and dam construction, and renewable development. • Thirty hydro-electric power stations (60 machines from 1 MW to 165 MW) in an integrated system, more than 50 large dams. Lake Margaret in operation from 1914 • Redevelopment of the power station and wooden pipeline ($14.7 million) was completed July 2009. • Station has installed capacity of 8.6 MW. • Provides 50 GWh of additional energy powering around 4 000 Tasmanian homes. Lake Margaret in operation from 1914 • Lower Lake Margaret mini-hydro has also undergone redevelopment. • Installed capacity of 3.2 MW or around 22 GWh of extra output. Lake Margaret Power Scheme redevelopment • The original Lake Margaret Power Scheme is one of the oldest hydro power schemes in Australia, commissioned in 1914. Lake Margaret Power Scheme redevelopment • The Upper Lake Margaret Power Station was decommissioned in 2006, and the downstream lower station in 1985. • As part of Hydro Tasmania’s 1000 GWh program, the upper station was refurbished in 2009 ($14.7m) including construction of a new woodstave pipeline, refurbishing existing machines, dam repairs and communications upgrade. Lake Margaret Power Scheme redevelopment • The construction of a new Lower Lake Margaret Power Station commenced in May 2009. Project value was over $13m. • Works included: o construction of a new woodstave pipeline o construction of a GRP (fibreglass) penstock o installation of a 3.2 MW Turgo mini-hydro machine o Connection asset Lower Lake Margaret construction Tasmania in the National Electricity Market • Basslink – under sea cable 450V DC. • Commissioned April 2006. • Provides connection to National Electricity Market. • 300 MW import, 600 MW export. Moving from base-load system to National Electricity Market • Peak generation. • Mini-hydro installed for local capacity. • Major inter-basin transfers in all catchments. Taking skills to rest of Australia Containerised mini-hydros in Asia-pacific islands and Papua New Guinea. (Entura design) Case study - Melbourne Water • Entura has successfully implemented six mini-hydro schemes for Melbourne Water (total of 6.6 MW). • Melbourne Water is a large water authority similar in size to Umgeni Water, substantially smaller than Rand Water. Kl supplied pa (millions) Melbourne Water 484 000 Rand Water 1 333 345 Umgeni Water 403 615 Case study - Melbourne Water • Melbourne Water has installed six turbines ranging from 0.4 MW to 1.9 MW. • Their primary objective is to reduce the carbon footprint (CO2 per kilolitre of water produced). o in Australia the feed-in tariff is not attractive relative to cost of electricity, so Melbourne Water uses the electricity themselves rather than selling it. Case study - Melbourne Water • Have used it to effectively reduce their carbon footprint. Case study - Melbourne Water The following • Preston mini-hydro (1.9 MW) projects were • Olinda mini-hydro (1.0 MW) undertaken • Upper Yarra mini-hydro entirely by (0.9 MW) Entura, including • Nottinghill mini-hydro feasibility studies, (0.4 MW) detailed design • Mt View mini-hydro through to EPC (0.5 MW) contract: • Silvan mini-hydro (1.9 MW). Melbourne Water’s benefits • Reduction in carbon footprint: o 2000-2008: Melbourne Water reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 47% o Melbourne Water has the lowest carbon footprint per consumer of all the Australian water authorities. • Produces ⅓ of the energy it consumes from its process (hydro and biogas). Case study - Mt Stromlo mini-hydro, ACT • A mini-hydro facility constructed on existing 25 km long water supply pipeline from Bendora Dam to Mt Stromlo balance tank: o capturing wasted energy from Canberra’s water supply o careful consideration of pressure transients o GreenPower accredited. Case study - Mt Stromlo mini-hydro, ACT • Entura undertook feasibility studies on existing assets at Corin, Bendora, Cotter, and Googong dams, and Mt Stromlo pipeline. • Entura provided detailed design services (civil, electrical, mechanical and hydraulic) and specialist advice for Mt Stromlo mini- hydro. Case study - Mt Stromlo mini-hydro, ACT • The power station took the place of pressure reducing valves previously used to reduce head from the system prior to discharge to the balance tank. • The hydro system is operated from the ACTEW operations centre at Mt Stromlo. • A robust bypass system provides a high level of security to the water supply system in the event of failure. Other recent international mini- hydros • East Sepik, Papua New Guinea • Wairua, New Zealand • Purua, New Zealand • Tolukuma, Papua New Guinea • Gold Ridge Mine, Solomon Islands • Porgera, Papua New Guinea • Hubei, China Benefits for Africa • Simplicity - containerised or run-of-river systems. • Cost effectiveness. • Replace diesel - environmentally friendly. • Economic growth and development • Off the grid: o mining o isolated communities. Thank you. Christoff le Grange - Entura, Hydro Tasmania.