This report details the Rottnest Island Renewable Energy Water Nexus (WREN) Project and how it is set out to develop an innovative high renewable energy penetration hybrid off grid power system on Rottnest Island.
Report extract
The Rottnest Island Renewable Energy Water Nexus (WREN) Project set out to develop an innovative high renewable energy penetration hybrid off-grid power system on Rottnest Island. The WREN Project also aimed to address the nexus between energy and water supply, a common dilemma in remote locations in Australia and regionally, through the use of demand side management of the water desalination plant for use as energy storage. We planned to achieve this without using significant ‘enabling technologies’ such as batteries and flywheels and instead utilised demand management and co-ordination of the existing system to implement high renewable penetration.
The WREN project was successful in increasing targeted levels of annual renewable contribution from 30% to 45%, and instantaneous renewable penetration of up to 95%. The project installed an additional 600 kW DC solar farm, 500 kW dynamic resistor, distribution line, diesel and feeder management system and demand side management and integrated to the existing 600 kW wind turbine and low load diesel generators. All these elements where integrated through the implementation of an advanced automated hybrid power system controller.