By KARINA MAY
NOOSA is to be the supplier of clean, cost efficient and renewable energy to remote communities after tests of a new water turbine showed positive results.
The in-current hydrokinetic turbine, designed by Nextera Energy, was tested on the Noosa River with the help of the Coastguard last week.
CEO of Nextera Energy Paul Camilleri said the tests far exceeded their expectations for the turbine.
“Based on the results we got yesterday, we were quite staggered, to be honest with you, we got two and half times the capacity that we originally designed for, at much slower speeds,” he said.
“So that means previously we were looking at currents in the tropics, thinking that’s probably where it should go but now we find that in currents of less than one knot we can actually generate electricity, so it’s quite amazing.”
Running at two knots, the turbines have the ability to produce electricity for 45 homes. It is also estimated the final product will be up to 15 per cent more efficient once the design has been refined.
This means the turbines, first to be used in Aceh, Indonesia, have even greater applications than first thought.
Member for Noosa Glen Elmes said the floating turbine could be used in places such as Australia’s Indigenous remote communities that relied on diesel power.
“Most are built on rivers or by the seaside so to have one of these in the river or the ocean where there is a flow of current, and as you’ve seen today, we operated at between one knot and two and half knots, so it generates an enormous amount of power that will help these communities significantly,” he said.
“They will cut maintenance costs right down and virtually eliminate fuel costs. Anywhere that you’ve got water that flows, even flows very slowly, has an application.”
Mr Elmes said the turbines didn’t only benefit remote communities, but also the Noosa community.
The entire production for the turbines is being completed in Noosa and with 80 turbines to design and build; this will see an increase in the local workforce.
Mr Elmes said he was excited to see such a great export coming from Noosa.
“It’s got all the great applications and the fact it’s being made in Noosa, through a Noosa-based company, is fantastic,” he said.
