Turbine brings new wave of energy to Gladstone

Expansion of this project, currently in trial mode, could lower the city's electricity prices.

SWITCHED ON: GPC chief executive Peter O'Sullivan, MAKO Tidal Turbines chief executive Douglas Hunt and Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher all expressed their support for the hydrokinetic energy initiative. Picture: Noor Gillani

GLADSTONE'S renewable energy portfolio has expanded with the installation of a tidal turbine at the Barney Point terminal.

The project officially launched yesterday for a six-month trial period and is a collaboration between Gladstone Ports Corporation and Sydney-based company MAKO Tidal Turbines.

MTT chief executive Douglas Hunt said the MAKO turbine currently generated about the same amount of energy used by one household in 24 hours.

"But ... as we ramp up operations here, more power will be produced and we have dreams that one day there'll be many turbines in locations like this producing vast amounts of power for industrial or household use," Mr Hunt said.

He said the tidal turbine operated similarly to a wind turbine but had added advantages.

"Water is much more dense than air so a tidal turbine can be much smaller than a wind turbine," he said.

"Another advantage of tidal energy is it's 100per cent predictable years and years in advance."

PHASE 1: The MAKO Tidal Turbine installed at the Barney Point terminal will undergo a six-month trial period. Picture: MAKO Tidal Turbines

Mr Hunt said MTT was liaising with university partners to assess the environmental impacts of the turbine on underwater life, with "no evidence of any adverse impact" during the month since it began operating.

He said the collaboration with GPC, "a well-equipped, well-resourced potential customer", complemented Gladstone's already established renewable energy sector.

"We're working very closely with solar, we're an ideal adjunct to solar to stabilise an energy grid because we add predictability," Mr Hunt said.

"Tidal energy will work very well with other existing renewable energy sources and also with batteries."

GPC chief executive Peter O'Sullivan said the tidal turbine installation was a milestone for the corporation.

"Here is a real opportunity to partner with a progressive company, to undertake some research and look at potentially having a renewable energy source that could provide future energy for the Gladstone port," Mr O'Sullivan said.

He said the six-month trial period would be spent calculating the turbine's environmental and maintenance impact, after which considerations would be made for the next phase.

"The great thing about the port of Gladstone is that we have a lot of infrastructure already in the water so there is the opportunity to expand the program," he said.

"While Gladstone has tidal ranges up to 5m, as we go further north there's tidal ranges of 7-8m and that produces a fair amount of velocity in the right spots, and that velocity of course equates to spinning turbines."

Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher welcomed the partnership between MTT and GPC, which furthered the State Government's target of having 50per cent renewable energy by 2030.

Mr Butcher said the introduction of more renewable energy sources would lower the region's electricity prices.

"These turbines ... drive with tidal flow - the water running past it is free," Mr Butcher said.

"We've already seen (prices) coming down and down and down ... It will continue to drive prices down.

"Now we have solar, we're looking at ammonia, we're looking at hydrogen, we're looking at wind farms, we're looking at hydro. This is an amazing day today to see this trial taking place.

"This is just another feather in the cap for what I'm calling the energy hub of Queensland."

Mr Butcher said Gladstone companies were increasingly investing in renewable energy to achieve long-term financial benefits.

Originally published as Turbine brings new wave of energy to Gladstone