Cougar Energy renewable energy storage project
Posted: 3 May 2007
Cougar Energy Limited has been offered $1.83 million in project funding under the Australian Government's Advanced Electricity Storage Technologies (AEST) programme to establish Australia's first multi-installation demonstration project for renewable energy storage using its vanadium redox battery (VRB) technology.
The initial stages of the project will centre on the isolated fishing and holiday village of Windy Harbour, 200 kilometres west of Albany in Western Australia.
The project will ultimately involve the installation of up to 90 VRB units at suitable sites throughout Australia over the next three years.
Managing Director, Dr Len Walker, said VRB Energy Storage System (VRB ESS) units, which store electricity produced by solar or wind generators, are ideally suited to Windy Harbour where residents run small diesel or petrol generators to meet their electricity needs.
“The aim of the Windy Harbour project is to significantly reduce or eliminate the use of diesel and petrol driven engines for electricity generation,” Dr Walker said.
“Renewable energy electricity generation sources, primarily solar photovoltaic or small wind turbines, coupled with appropriately sized VRB ESS and power conversion equipment will be used to create a number of reliable, environmentally friendly and continuously available high quality power systems,” he said.
“Cougar is delighted to receive this offer of a $1.83 million grant under the Australian Government’s AEST Programme, and we look forward to finalising the required contractual arrangements.”
Cougar Energy’s grant was one of five successful funding applications, totaling $17.6 million, jointly announced by Industry Minister, Mr Ian Macfarlane, and Environment Minister, Mr Malcolm Turnbull.
The grant announcement follows Cougar’s recent review of the VRB technology that confirmed there was significant potential for the technology to be incorporated as part of Australia’s Remote Area Power Supply requirements, at both the residential and township levels.
“The Australian Government grant is a major boost to Cougar’s business plan to extend this innovative technology on a national scale,” Dr Walker said.
Posted by Richard Price, Editor, EnergyME.com
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