A 250kW Tesla Powerpack system has been integrated with a a 660 kW wind turbine at a a salt manufacturing factory at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. The first project of its kind in Australasia, it’s about to be switched on.
Vector Energy Solutions is the company working with Dominion Salt to integrate the battery storage system, which aims to meet 75 per cent of the site’s energy needs on-site, rather than from the national grid. The system will be fully functional before the end of the year, Vector says.
“The solution Vector has created for Dominion Salt provides sustainability and resilience benefits to the salt producer,” says Vector’s Group General Manager Development, Brian Ryan. “The Tesla Powerpack will help with peak shaving and load management while ‘firming or smoothing’ the often-intermittent energy generated by wind turbines.”
Ryan says the addition of a 250kW battery storage system, storing up to 570kW hours of energy, will allow Dominion Salt to maximise the use of its wind turbine and store any excess generation for use at other times. The control system was built specifically for this project, and will be remotely monitored around the clock.
Ryan says Vector is pursuing other opportunities in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands for both on-grid and off-grid battery storage systems.