Logan City Council's Logan Water Infrastructure Alliance have taken a technological approach to energy and cost-efficient sustainability by combining solar power and the Tesla Powerpack to bring the city a new solution for water disinfection.
With the help of battery and solar provider CSR Bradford, Logan council installed the first off-grid system powered by Tesla Powerpack products in Australia for any application. The project has been able to deliver a capital cost saving of $1.9 million and operational cost savings valued at almost $50,000 per year.
The Tesla-supported micro-power grid and electro-chlorinator will provide around the clock solar-power to help maintain local drinking water quality 24 hours a day. Up to 200,000 people will benefit from the solution by the time the region is fully developed.
City of Logan Mayor Luke Smith said the 20 megalitre round mountain reservoir was brought into service in 2014 to provide drinking water for residents in Flagstone, Yarrabilba, North Maclean, Spring Mountain and Woodhill.
“This is set to be one of the fastest growing areas in South-East Queensland over the next two decades but with that growth comes the issue of building assets larger than are needed right now,” Mayor Smith said.
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“We were concerned until demand increases, water stored in the network may age and not stay at the highest possible quality.
“We decided there was a need for a dedicated water chlorination station at the reservoir.
“The reservoir site is not connected to mains power or accessible via a sealed road so an innovative approach was required to maintain water quality from the reservoir.”
Mayor Smith said a number of options were investigated, with a solar powered electro-chlorination facility confirmed as the preferred technology and CSR Bradford was engaged to supply and install the system.
CSR Bradford business manager Ashleigh O’Brien said the project was the first off-grid commercial solar and battery system in Australia powered by Tesla Powerpack, and showcased the growing potential for Australian assets to achieve energy security through solar and battery technology.
“The electro-chlorinator is powered by 323 solar panels and a 95kWh capacity Tesla Powerpack, that will help provide water quality 24 hours a day," she said.
“With commercial power prices soaring and homeowners increasingly struggling to pay their bills, CSR Bradford stands ready to demonstrate how improvements in battery technology and solar can empower asset owners, bring down prices, and safeguard them against the risk of shortages in the electricity market.”
“The project involved the Bradford team working with Tesla to design and install a solar PV and commercial battery solution which will work harmoniously in response to the site’s real-time energy requirements, and its success signals further potential to roll this technology out across the country”
