Ergon Energy’s Birdsville Geothermal Power Station is the only utility operated geothermal power station in Australia and the business has ambitious plans to upgrade it.
Planning is advanced on a project to replace the existing 85kW net screw expander system at the power station with new plant expected to increase net output to between 150 and 200kW.
The project will challenge Ergon Energy to integrate the new geothermal power station with the existing diesel power station to enable a renewable energy penetration of up to 70% of the total energy generated.
The higher penetration of geothermal energy will displace up to 80 per cent of the 500,000 litres of diesel used annually in Birdsville, south-west Queensland.
As a result, it is expected to save up to $340,000 a year on diesel fuel, with additional significant savings on engine maintenance, thereby extending the life of the diesel plant and reducing its environmental impact.
