Northern Territory electricity provider Power and Water Corporation has commissioned a micro-hydro generator at Manton Dam, marking milestone for renewable energy in the Northern Territory.
The project uses an available, renewable resource that had previously not been utilised.
The micro-hydro generator will be registered with the Clean Energy Regulator as an accredited renewable energy power station.
It will be the first grid-connected hydro power station in the Northern Territory.
The generator will run around the clock using the environmental flow discharged from the dam and will produce enough energy to power four average Darwin homes. Manton Dam is currently full and spilling so the generator is working at capacity resulting in an even higher than expected 4kW.
Charles Darwin University’s Centre for Renewable Energy was involved in the very early stages of the project, exploring the feasibility of hydro-power at Manton Dam. A future stage two of the project will aim to use the potential of wet season spill from the dam.
Interpretive signage will be installed at the hydropower station explaining its operation to visitors to the site, which is located near the entrance gate to Manton Dam.
Power and Water’s renewable energy portfolio now includes solar PV, landfill gas, wind and hydro power as well as solar hot water generation at a customer level.
