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Australian PM unveils plan to make island state the "battery" of nation

Xinhua, April 21, 2017 Adjust font size:

The island state of Tasmania could become Australia's renewable energy hub through increased dam storage, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said.

Turnbull was joined by Tasmanian Premier Will Hodgman and Federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg at the Trevallyn Power Station to announce plans to double the state's hydropower output.

Feasibility studies currently being undertaken are investigating the impacts of redeveloping the state's old Tarraleah scheme and enhancing the Gordon Power Station.

Hydro Tasmania has also made an application to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to explore several schemes that would deliver up to 2500 megawatts (MW) of hydro power which would double the hydro system's current capacity.

"What we're seeing here in Tasmania is the opportunity in this state to provide even more renewable energy, wind and hydro, than it does today," Turnbull told reporters in comments published by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Friday.

"There's the opportunity here in Tasmania to double the capacity of Hydro Tasmania with new investment and with pump storage, and of course it has the best win assets in Australia."

Turnbull said if the plans came to fruition they would make Tasmania the "battery of Australia."

Steve Davy, chief executive of the state-owned Hydro Tasmania, said the company was collaborating with ARENA on two studies.

"One study looks at how to increase the energy output from our system," Davy said.

"The biggest component is the replacement of the Tarraleah Power Station which was built in 1938, that would increase the output by 40 per cent.

"The second study looks at 13 separate pumped hydro opportunities to test them for feasibility."

Rather than requiring the construction of new dams, the plan to double the hydro capacity relies on the current dams re-using water by pumping it back to be used again.

The pump system would be powered by energy from South Australia, with a second power cable linking Tasmania to mainland Australia being considered to ensure efficiency in moving the power. Endit