Community Renewable Energy Programs

While sun and wind have been around a long time harvesting their power is now the main game. Solar panels and wind turbines are the immediately available technologies. Others will follow. To keep our efforts fresh and ongoing we initiated research into hybrids (Sun/Wind) with The University of Adelaide.

Council is working with a local software developer to install telemetry equipment and software that will allow us to measure and observe the streetlight's power generation and lighting effects. You will be able to see the results soon.

We hope to have the first of three installations operational in early July 2012.

Our initial efforts have led to grants to measure power across the Fleurieu Peninsula and the installation of hybrid street lighting. The results of these efforts will be shared with other councils. It is hoped that local manufacturers like Wind Machine continue with their efforts to create new markets and jobs while at the same time benefiting the environment.

C-PREP Ongoing R & D

The City of Victor Harbor signed a research and development agreement with the University of Adelaide in Dec 2009. This was done in conjunction with Council's C-PREP solar retrofit program. A weather station has been installed on the Civic Centre roof by University researchers. The station collects wind speed data, temperature, humidity, solar radiation and rainfall results and relays the information via computer link to the Centre for Energy Technology.

Part of our R&D effort is looking closely at Mike Davidson's locally designed and manufactured Savonius turbine. (see photo gallery) Data gathered by the weather station will be used to derive the turbine's optimum size and position It is hoped that it will suitable for the Fleurieu area and will be permitted to be deployed in urban and commercial areas. One of the turbines main benefits is that it is silent. It is also capable of scaling to produce enough energy for one house for one day, wind conditions allowing.

Mike together with some local electrical engineers, has also turned his hand to designing and building a more efficient generator and the University will also test this device. When all the test specifications and qualifications have been met it will be time to deploy the turbines into urban and domestic situations. If all goes well then VH may have its very own renewable energy manufacturing opportunity and the associated employment that goes with it.

The program's first results are expected in late March 2010.

 

City of Victor Harbor and C-PREP –
Renewable power – proof of concept

The public response to cheaper PVPs has been robust. C-PREP addresses climate change while simultaneously enabling job creation. The issue is how to maintain the impetus now that Federal funding has ceased. Once the initial program winds down it would be negligent to miss any follow-on economic opportunities. C-PREP’s second initiative could be the design and construction of a hybrid sol/wind “renewable energy unit” that could be deployed in all council arenas and then scaled to allow - C-PREP Mk 2 - to add to the initial ratepayer installed base - to edge the region towards grid parity and greatly reduce the region’s carbon footprint.

Click her for Full Paper: C-PREP Ongoing R&D (PDF 76 KB)

 

The Environment Institute

Renewable energy powers SA councils
Listen to a case study presented by Roy Ramage.