Hopetoun is an isolated town on the south coast of Western Australia with a permanent population of approximately 350. The diesel fuelled generators in the town power station consumed approximately 980,000 litres of diesel fuel annually, until D&WS installed an advanced wind/diesel system during 2004. Town load growth from 2006 has led to plans for a second wind turbine to be installed, along with additional diesel generators in 2006/07.
D&WS's unique high wind penetration system, with its advanced controls, DGITM and LLDTM, maximises the wind energy input into the system while enhancing grid reliability and power quality and reducing diesel fuel consumption. The graph below shows the system performance for one week in November 2004.
Town load, wind turbine output and instantaneous wind penetration data
This project built on the experience with a similar system, installed in the Denham power station, which proved highly successful in optimising electricity supply quality and fuel savings. In Hopetoun, a single 600kW Enercon E-40 wind turbine was installed along with two Low Load Diesel (LLDTM) generators, each rated at 320kW. The advanced control system comprises a Master Controller, Generator and Feeder Controllers, and two Dynamic Grid Interface (DGITM) Systems. The power system will be upgraded during 2006/2007 to include additional LLDTMs and an enhanced control system to accept increased wind energy input from the second wind turbine.
The first wind turbine was expected to supply approximately 42% of the town's electricity requirements per annum. Instantaneous wind energy penetration of over 90% has been achieved. The Hopetoun wind/diesel system is expected to save approximately 400,000 litres of fuel annually with the first wind turbine. Additional fuel will be saved once the second wind turbine is installed.
