The announcement of the winner and two runners up of the inaugural Renewable Energy Technology Challenge has brought a generation management solution for residential renewable energy systems of five kilowatts (kW) one step closer to the market.
Horizon Power supported the challenge, run by the Department of Commerce, in conjunction the Pilbara Development Commission.
MPower Solar Systems won the $50,000 first prize for developing a low-cost energy generation management unit which can be fitted to most renewable energy inverters. Runners-up Magellan Power (Bibra Lake) and Oztron Energy (Parkwood) were each awarded $10,000 for their respective innovations.
Horizon Power requires all commercial customers and most residential customers to install renewable energy systems with generation management capability. Generation managed installations enable the electricity output from renewable energy systems to be stored or managed, increasing the total amount of renewable energy that can be connected to the electricity system.
Manager Sales Marketing and Product Development Scott Davis said the winning solutions had different commercialisation schedules but that MPower Solar Systems’ technology should be available by the end of the year.
“The five kW generation management solution will assist many of our customers to connect renewable energy systems that comply with our technical requirements in towns where hosting capacity has been reached,” he said.
“Horizon Power currently has 40 megawatts (MW) of available renewable energy hosting capacity available, with strong demand from regional customers for renewable energy to use this, and we are thrilled that we are able to support this demand through the Technology Challenge.”
“There were a total of fourteen entries for the Renewable Energy Technology Challenge and the quality of all of the submissions and technologies impressed the judging panel.
For further information about the competition, please view the media statement released by the Department of Commerce, or the Technology Challenge page. For more information about renewable energy and generation management, please click here.