Australian Low Load & Variable Speed Technology Case Studies
Australian utilities are at the fore of innovative diesel based enablers, able to substantially reduce the cost and complexity of high penetration renewable integration. The technology progression can be traced back to 2003, with low load diesel units commissioned within the Denham wind diesel system. More recently the application has been validated across a range of utility application including Rottnest Island and King Isand. King Island has set a number of records including a sustained and stable diesel off capability, in addition to hosting Australia’s largest battery energy storage system. This presentation also covers the development of variable speed diesel platforms, a natural extension to low load application, providing for efficiency improvements of 40% at low load. The technology provides a pathway to renewable integration without a requirement for battery storage, significantly reducing the cost and compexity of system hybridisation.
Biography
James Hamilton
University of Tasmania
James Hamilton is a researcher at the University of Tasmania, leading implementation of the King Island low load diesel research and Rottnest Isand variable speed diesel programs. He is currently a director with Renewable Ready and has formerly held roles as director of Joule Logic, a specialist renewable energy IPP and consultancy who develop, deliver and own embedded wind power systems across Australia (including Flinders Island), and as Senior Commercial Engineer with Windlab Systems. James has worked within the renewable sector for over a decade, across roles in Australia, Indian, China and South Africa.