The university plans to use the system, comprised of 900kWh of redT flow machines coupled with a 120kW C1-rated lithium battery, as an active energy storage infrastructure asset at its new Biomedical Learning and Teaching building. It will be coupled with on-site solar PV assets. By combining redT’s vanadium flow machines with lithium batteries, the individual strengths of the two complementary technologies can be harnessed and provide a complete energy storage solution.
This is expected to significantly reduce energy costs for campus buildings as well as open up potential new revenue streams, in the form of both contracted and merchant grid services in the future.
Scott McGregor, CEO, redT energy, said, ”This project demonstrates energy storage flow machines integrated with power storage lithium batteries to meet the full range of customer requirements. By combining these technologies the customer gets a long term energy infrastructure solution which best matches their requirement for low cost, secure and clean energy.”
The goal of the project is to integrate distributed renewables on Monash’s campuses to increase reliability and stability within the local grid and in the future, allow for innovative, market based peer-to-peer energy trading.
Commenting on the project, Tony Fullelove, Program Director, Monash University said, “Energy storage is an integral part of the Monash Microgrid and also offers a vital opportunity for further understanding, as the Australian energy industry grapples with the trilemma of providing sustainable power whilst keeping costs low and maintaining energy security.
The hybrid solution offered by redT is particularly exciting as Monash will be using the energy component (flow machine) to shape the building load profile to minimize costs on a daily basis, whilst using the power component (lithium) to assist with the connection of the building to a highly intermittent and sustainable embedded generation network.”
Photo: redT Energy Storage
