Travel Sponsorship: Australian Energy Conference 2017

Date Issued:2017-06-30

Abstract

In the last few years Australia's renewable energy sector has gone from niche to mainstream, resulting in cost reduction and a reduced need for government.

This travel sponsorship enabled one researcher to attend the 2017 Australian Energy Storage Conference to investigate the latest energy storage technology which may be applicable to irrigated cotton pumping systems, with the view to lowering energy costs.

The following highlights were reported:

a) major findings and outcomes

• Lithium-ion battery technology is becoming more affordable in some scenarios. Several case study presentations on incorporating solar/batteries into hospitals and schools revealed low payback periods and high penetration (~80%) lowering the dependence on grid technology;

• Flywheel energy storage - a potential addition to energy storage for irrigators. Flywheel provides short term energy and offers flow-on benefits through longevity of battery storage systems, which are renowned for a short (10 y) life;

• Cost of solar - the cost of solar has continued to be reduced through productivity gains. The reduction in RECs from 15 to 14 years has been mnore than offset by a reduction in panel prices; and

• Engineering contacts and providers to regional areas - I have made contacts of companies servicing cotton areas. Competition among service providers has been an issue in remote areas where cotton is grown.

• Hydrogen as an energy source - some interesting R&D going on in this space which will be investigated further in the next 3 year project term.

b) other highlights

• Hybrid vehicle technology

• Industrial storage technology - large projects in California

• Roundturn and battery storage - "energy in vs energy out" on a charge cycle for a range of different battery technologies

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