Coniston Station Solar Power System

Off-grid, distributed generation, hybrid system
Location: NT

The Site

Coniston Station, located 200km north-west of Alice Springs is hot, dusty and remote. This remoteness has long seen stations such as Coniston relying heavily on diesel generators to supply their power needs, with the constant throb of the diesel generator being a part of day to day life in the outback. In 2001, with funding from the Australian Greenhouse Office's, Renewable Remote Power Generation Program Coniston's owners decided to switch to solar.

Technology

The system design was based on a site electrical load of 50kWh/day during summer to supply the energy needs of two houses, one cool room, one demountable and a workshop. The system incorporates eighty 80W solar panels, sixty 2V/600Ah batteries and a 10kW inverter. The system provides at least 60 per cent of the station's electricity needs in summer and 75 per cent in winter. At the set depth of discharge the batteries can provide the essential needs of the station for two days, without use of the back-up diesel generator.

Environmental Impacts

The system produces 9.8MWh of electricity per annum which amounts to a saving of 27 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and 10,000 litres of fuel per annum.

Further Information

For further information regarding this project please contact:
Prem Panickar
Senior Technologist Department Business & Resources NT,
Prem.panickar@nt.gov.au
Tel: (08) 8999 7348