Off-grid,distributed generation,renewable, South Australia

The site
The Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands cover an area in excess of 100,000 square kilometres and are home to approximately 2500 people. The population is distributed among a number of communities of two to 500 people as well as many small outstations.

Technology
The CS500 dish employs Solar Systems’ high-concentration photovoltaic (PV) technology, using mirrored parabolic collectors to concentrate the sun approximately 500 times onto the highly effi cient PV receivers. Each dish has approximately 130m² of curved mirrors and its own control system and inverter. It tracks the sun on both azimuth and elevation axes,and is capable of operating independently from the rest of the power station. The dual axes allow the dish to track the sun from sunrise to sunset, maximising the output of the system.

Sponsors

Sponsors

Sponsors

The sunlight, which shines on the refl ector mirrors,is focussed to the cell bank in the receiver where it is converted directly to DC electricity. A matched inverter is used to produce 22 kWe of standard 3 phase, 415 Volt AC power at the output terminals. A fan-forced heat exchanger cools the solar cell receiver. The system is fully controlled by dynamic auto-educating software which continually optimises sub-system performance.
In-built telemetry allows remote monitoring and control, guaranteeing maximum power generation during the life of the plant.
The power station site includes a control room, and power conditioning container that includes inverters, UPS (uninterrupted power supply), transformers, pump system and heat exchanger.

Energy purchase and supply
The “Sun Farm”, as it is referred to by the locals, will interconnect the larger Umuwa and Ernabella communities to a mini-grid and complement a 3 MW diesel station.
The solar plant is expected to produce approximately 0.5 GWh of electricity per annum. The Pitjantjatjara Council received a $1 million Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program grant from the Australian Greenhouse Office, complemented by funds from the department of South Australian Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Commission for the project.

Fuel and connection
The solar power station was commissioned as a cost-saving measure that harnessed the abundantly available solar radiation. The power station will reduce diesel consumption by more than 160,000 litres each year, resulting in signifi cant fi nancial savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The facility can be further expanded if required.

Owner: Pitjantjatjara Council and South Australian Division of State Aboriginal Affairs
Capacity: 220 kW
Location: Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands, north-west South Australia
Commissioned: March 2003
Capital Cost: $2.5 million
Construction Contractor: Solar Systems
Operator: To Be Announced

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