The King Island Renewable Energy Integration Project (KIREIP) provides a glimpse of what's achievable in renewable energy.
As a remote island community, King Island is not connected to a mainland electricity supply. Electricity on the island was generated entirely from diesel fuel, from the 6 megawatt (MW) power station; serving 12 gigawatt hours (GWh) of annual customer demand and peaking at 2.5 MW.
The King Island Renewable Integration Project (KIREIP) was an initiative of Hydro Tasmania, with the assistance of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to develop a world-leading, hybrid off-grid power system to supply 65% of King Island’s energy needs using renewable energy. The system is capable of 100% renewable operation, the first megawatt class off-grid system with this capability in the world.
The aim of KIREIP was to allow the system to rely less on diesel generation and provide a reliable and stable electricity supply. As a result of increased renewable generation, there has been a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and it will assist in reducing the Community Service Obligation subsidy in the longer term.
The project uses an innovative approach, using new and existing technologies with the aim to provide times of 100% renewable energy while maintaining system stability and reliability.
The scope, which incorporates renewable energy development and existing dynamic resistor, low load diesel and hybrid power system controller enabling technologies, includes:
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We developed an integrated solution using wind and solar generation supported by a range of innovative enabling technologies coordinated by our hybrid control system. In the early phases, 2.45 MW of wind generation and 470 kW of solar PV were installed.
While these renewable energy sources are well-established, the enabling and storage technologies are highly innovative.
The hybrid system includes a 3 MW/1.5 MWh battery, two 1 MVA flywheels that significantly aid system security and stability, a 1.5 MW dynamic resistor to manage surplus renewable generation, and an aggregated, fast-acting customer demand response system to provide additional reserves.
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We developed the project concept, completed the specification and design of the enabling systems and managed the development to ensure a timely and successful delivery of the $18 M project.
Several technologies were developed by Hydro Tasmania during the project. These included the fully automated hybrid power system controller; the dynamic resistor technology; aggregated demand management; and the integration designs for the flywheels and batteries sourced from third party suppliers.
King Island has a world-leading hybrid power system that provides reliable and secure electricity supply using a high proportion of renewable energy (65% per annum). When conditions are suitable our hybrid power system delivers 100% of island's power from renewable sources, reducing diesel fuel costs.
The system has, on average, more than 20% per annum of 'diesel-off' or 100% renewable operation, including periods of several continuous days with no use of diesel generation, a world record for a grid of this scale.
KIREIP was awarded the Energy Supply Association of Australia (ESAA) Innovation Award 2013 and the United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day Award 2014.