6 October 2009
SUGARLOAF POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGY
The power of the water flowing over the Great Dividing Range to the Sugarloaf Reservoir will be harnessed to create renewable energy.
A hydro electricity plant is being constructed adjacent to where water comes out of the Goulburn-Sugarloaf Pipeline on the northern side of the Sugarloaf Reservoir.
General Manager of Asset Planning, Paul Pretto, said the new hydro plant would recover energy used in pumping water over the Great Dividing Range to the Sugarloaf Reservoir.
“This plant will recover an estimated 40% of the energy required to power the two pumping stations which are needed to move water from the pipeline across steep terrain to Melbourne,” Dr Pretto said.
“The rest of the power for the two pumping stations will be offset through the purchase of energy from renewable sources, such as wind generators, meaning the Sugarloaf Pipeline would have a zero net impact on carbon emissions.”
The Sugarloaf hydro electricity plant will be the 9th installed in the water supply system, with others located at Cardinia and Thomson Reservoirs and six mini-hydro plants at other reservoirs in Melbourne.
The nine plants will create up to 51,000 megawatt hours per year of renewable energy, with no greenhouse emissions. “They will generate enough green power to offset more than 62,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year, which is equivalent to taking about 15,000 cars off the road,” Dr Pretto said.
“Melbourne Water uses a vast amount of electricity to move water and sewage around the system and we feel that we have an implicit obligation to lower our greenhouse gas emissions and source our energy from renewable sources.”
The organisation has already succeeded in reducing its greenhouse emissions by 50% and has set an ambitious target of achieving zero emissions by 2018.
The Sugarloaf Hydro Power Plant is being constructed by Hydro Tasmania and is due to be completed after the Sugarloaf Pipeline starts operating in 2010.
Media Contact: Gavin Rainsford – 03 9235 1587 M – 0400 690 502