Over many years Macquarie Generation has invested in a range of renewable energy projects to better understand the economics and efficiency of various technologies.
Biomass Co-firing
In 1999 Macquarie Generation launched Australia's first biomass co-firing program. This permits co-firing biomass and recycled oil with coal at a maximum blend rate of 5%, and produces renewable electricity for over 5,000 homes each year.
Solar Thermal Energy
Originally in partnership with Ausra Australia, Macquarie Generation has built Australia's largest solar thermal energy project, at Liddell Power Station. This is the first time anywhere in the world that solar thermal technology had been integrated with a coal-fired power station. The original pilot mirror array has been expanded to cover an area of 18,000 square metres or approximately 3 football fields, with over 500 mirror panels, each 12 metres by 2 metres. The project can produce enough renewable energy for over 500 homes annually.
With support from the NSW Government Renewable Energy Development Fund, this project is now being expanded in partnership with Novatec Solar. Construction is now underway and when complete later in 2011, the project will supply renewable energy for over 1000 home each year.
Hydro Power
A 0.85 MW capacity hydroelectric generator is also in service. The turbine is driven by water fed to Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations via a canal from the Corporations Plashett Reservoir. The generator extracts energy from the movement of the water to the power stations.
Turbine Upgrades
Liddell Power Station has completed a $90 million technology upgrade to provide additional capacity and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By replacing all the generating units with modern design turbines, efficiency of the power station has improved. This enables the production of more electricity from the same amount of coal, and reduces greenhouse emissions by up to 750,000 tonnes annually.
