Page 16 - Tropic Magazine Issue 11

Industry
Energy

MSF Sugar CEO Mike Barry
Powering ahead

Green energy is coming soon
to the Tablelands as
construction of a green energy
power plant nears completion.
Construction of Tableland Green Energy Power Plant
Words Gail Sedorkin
MSF Sugar’s ambitious $75 million green Once the plant comes online it will using other materials including cane
energy power plant is expected to be produce 24 megawatts of electricity, trash and sawdust wastes.
ready for a mid-year commissioning after enough to power 26,280 homes. The MSF Sugar is also actively exploring
reaching several major construction electricity produced will be sold to the additional crops that will stabilise power
milestones since the start of 2018 power grid and is equivalent to powering production for 12 months of the year,
The Tableland Green Energy Power Plant every home in the Tableland region. including blue agave which is able to be
(TGEPP) project manager Mark Construction of the green energy power grown on arid farm land with no
Magnanini said the green energy power plant started in May 2017, with the irrigation.
plant at the Tableland Mill near Mareeba number of workers on site increasing A trial farm has been set up close to the
turns 100 per cent renewable sugarcane from up to 80 to 150 as construction mill which aims to establish the
fibre, bagasse, into green energy. ramped up. feasibility of the plant as a viable crop for
“The power plant is our flagship project The company expects the sugar mill will the Tableland region.
where agricultural waste will be produce sufficient bagasse to run the
transformed into baseload power,” Mr power plant for about 8-9 months of the MORE: msfsugar.com.au
Magnanini said. year. This could be extended to 11 months

Switch flicked Lakeland Solar and Storage Project

Australia’s very first grid-connected, heat of the day – that’s the By the numbers
utility-scale solar and battery combined production output
energy storage facility is now capacity of Lakeland I and II.”
powering homes north of Cairns. Federal Environment and Energy 13MW of power
generated
And the proponents Conergy are Minister Josh Frydenberg said the
already pushing ahead with stage 2 project would help ensure “the 41,440
of the project. The $42.5 million lights stay on even when the sun Solar Panels
Lakeland Solar and Storage Project isn’t shining”.
is now providing power to more than “Combining solar generation and
3000 households living on the fringe battery storage means energy 3,000 homes
of the electricity grid in Cape York. generated throughout the day can powered 50 Workers
But Conergy managing director be captured and stored for use
Christopher West said the company when it’s needed overnight or 1.4MW/5.3MWh
wasn’t stopping there. “The region is during peak usage times,” he said. smart energy
abundant in solar resource, so it’s “The overall reliance of the 11,000 pile storage system
an ideal place to deliver solar community on the grid is reduced foundations
projects like Lakeland and now and smart controller software
Lakeland II,” Mr West said. “Once manages energy intermittency to
completed, Lakeland and Lakeland create reliable power generation.
II will provide 30 MW of local solar The project will serve as a great
generation, with storage. Imagine example for other regional
powering up approximately 4015 communities on the fringe of the
average home air-conditioning units electricity grid.”
and running them all at the same
time for eight hours through the