Power to harness a vision

Northern Territory News
Wednesday 17/6/2009 Page: 20

THE Territory boss of an innovative renewable energy company has won a national award. Powercorp managing director Alan Langworthy received the ATSE Clunies Ross trophy for his efforts in the development of remote renewable power. His Darwin-based company has grown to be the most advanced high-penetration renewable energy company in the world. And it is now widening its work to mine sites and industrial complexes.

"Under his leadership, the company has pioneered the development of high-penetration wind/diesel systems which is now enabling remote communities around the world, from Antarctica to Azores, to have large-city-quality power, almost entirely from renewable sources," he said.

Mr Langworthy said renewable energy, such as wind energy, was not easy. "The problem in remote areas, when you want to produce power using renewable energy, are the peaks and troughs," he said. "The gusts in the wind cause surges of electricity on the grid. "You have to be able to absorb that - and you have to provide power when there's no wind. "We're able to move MWs of power into the grid and out of the grid in five milliseconds, so we're able to anticipate the problem.

"We're able to dampen the system down well before the problem becomes an issue to create a blackout. The idea was to try to get renewable energy into remote areas to substitute for diesel fuel. "While diesel fuel was cheap that was not of interest to people. "But having a dedicated interest to do that throughout my lifetime has driven me to try to continue with the work against all the odds - against lack of money, against lack of interest and lack of understanding of what the hell I was talking about."