Industry News


Biogas South Australia


Biogas energy storage system launches at wastewater plant


A commercial thermal energy storage system that converts biogas from a wastewater treatment plant has begun operating in South Australia.


E


nergy storage company 1414 Degrees switched on its gas thermal energy storage system (TESS) at the Glenelg


Wastewater Treatment Plant in Adelaide 1 May, its first commercial pilot site. The company says the technology is the first in the world to solve the issue of effectively storing biogas as thermal energy to produce heat and electricity on demand. TESS technology takes gas or


electricity from any source and stores it as latent heat in silicon which melts at 1414°C. The energy from the latent heat can then be reclaimed and distributed as electricity and/or heat when required. A 10MWh storage unit is about the size of a 40-foot shipping container. 1414 Degrees Executive Chairman


Dr Kevin Moriarty said biogas from wastewater management to agribusiness and landfill gas was an increasingly important source of energy globally. “This marks a pivotal phase in


the commissioning process, firing the burners for the first time and heating up the thermal energy store. Importantly, we will pay for the biogas we use and sell electricity at


market prices to test the revenue model,” he said. “The wastewater management


industry is watching closely, as are many other heat dependent industries looking to reduce energy costs, save jobs and lower environmental impacts. “Renewables are about more than wind and solar. It’s time to put our vast sources of biogas to more efficient and sustainable use. Naturally occurring biogas has the potential to lower the cost and increase the stability of energy with reduced demand on fossil fuels.”


Biogas is produced when organic


waste, including human waste, is broken down in an anaerobic environment with the help of bacteria. The 10MWh GAS-TESS is co- funded by the South Australian Government’s Renewable Technology Fund and 1414 Degrees shareholders. It will enable the state’s water


utility SA Water to time-shift the use of its biogas to produce electricity and heat on demand, rather than use the biogas as it is generated. SA Water CEO Roch Cheroux said the utility was working to reduce


The wastewater management industry is watching closely, as are many other heat dependent industries looking to reduce energy costs, save jobs and lower environmental impacts


operational expenses to maintain stable water prices. “Time shifting of heat and


electricity output from the GAS- TESS is expected to provide more control over heat flows to maximise our biogas generation and result in reduced costs of our energy requirements,” Cheroux said. South Australia leads the nation in the uptake of wind energy and rooftop solar with renewable sources accounting for more than 50% of the electricity generated in the state. It also made global headlines in 2017 when Tesla installed the


18 Forest Bioenergy Review Summer 2019


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24