The Kogan Creek Power Station is a 750 megawatt coal fired power station owned by CS Energy on the Darling Downs in Queensland.[4] The $1.2 billion plant is situated at Brigalow, in the Surat Basin between Dalby and Chinchilla.
| Kogan Creek Power Station | |
|---|---|
 Viewed from Observation Area | |
 | |
| Country | Australia |
| Location | Brigalow, Queensland |
| Coordinates | 26°54′59″S 150°44′57″E / 26.91639°S 150.74917°E |
| Status | Operational |
| Construction began | 2004 |
| Commission date | 2007 |
| Construction cost | A$1.2 billion |
| Owner | CS Energy |
| Operator | CS Energy |
| Solar farm | |
| Type | CSP |
| CSP technology | Fresnel reflector |
| Collectors | 14 |
| Total collector area | 0.25 km2 (0.097 sq mi) |
| Thermal power station | |
| Primary fuel | Bituminous coal |
| Turbine technology | Supercritical steam turbine |
| Site area | 30 hectares (74 acres) |
| Cooling towers | Air-cooled |
| Cooling source | 3 × deep groundwater boreholes supplying 1,500 megalitres per year (53,000,000 cu ft/a)[1] |
| Power generation | |
| Units operational | 1 × 750 MW |
| Make and model | Siemens Babcock-Hitachi (supercritical boiler)[2] |
| Units cancelled | 1 × 44 MW (Solar Boost CSP project) |
| Nameplate capacity | 750 MW |
| Capacity factor | 82.33% (2016–2017) |
| Annual net output | 5409 GWh (2016–2017)[3] |
| External links | |
| Website | Kogan Creek Power Station and Kogan Creek Mine |
Background
editKogan Creek consists of only one boiler-turbine-generator unit. At 750 MW, it is the largest single unit in Australia. Construction by a consortium led by Siemens commenced in 2004 and was completed in 2007.[5] It was opened by the Queensland Premier Anna Bligh and Minister for Mines and Energy Geoff Wilson on 27 November 2007.[6]
The fuel source is the Kogan Creek coal deposit, which is also owned by CS Energy and will provide 2.8 million tonnes of black coal annually.[7] The coal is delivered to the power station via a 4 km long conveyor belt. The coal mine is operated by Golding Contractors, who has a contract to run the mine until 2018.[8]
The plant's 40% efficiency is reached using supercritical steam technology[9] which raises the steam pressure to 250 bar at 560 °C,[10] however the less efficient air cooling keeps the power station from reaching the 45% efficiency of power stations like Stanwell Power Station. Kogan Creek uses air-cooled surface condensers, which reduce water consumption to 90% less water through the use of dry cooling technology when compared to conventional power stations using fresh water directly.[11]
Carbon Monitoring for Action estimates this power station emits 4.33 million tonnes of greenhouse gases each year as a result of burning coal.[12] The Australian Government announced the introduction of a now cancelled Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme commencing in 2010 which was expected to impact on emissions from power stations. The National Pollutant Inventory provides details of other pollutant emissions,[13] but, as at 23 November 2008, not CO2.
Facilities
editA 28 kilometres (17 mi), 275kV transmission line from the Braemar Creek substation, as well as the Western Downs substation adjacent to Kogan Creek, connects the Kogan Creek power station to the National Electricity Market, providing power to Queensland and New South Wales.[4]
Also located at the Western Downs substation are several grid battery projects; the 200 MW / 400 MWh Western Downs Green Power Hub battery with its photovoltaic 400 MW solar, the 100 MW / 200 MWh Chinchilla battery,[14] and the 150 MW / 300 MWh Ulinda Park battery.[15]
Kogan Creek Solar Boost
editIn April 2011, the Kogan Creek Solar Boost project was officially launched. Funding for the project includes a $70 million commitment from CS Energy and a commitment of more than $34 million from the Australian Government, of which CS spent $50 million and ARENA spent $6.4 million.[16] The project was to be constructed by Areva using superheated solar steam technology.[17] Kogan Creek Solar Boost was to be the largest integration of solar technology with a coal-fired power station in the world. Construction started in 2011 and was originally scheduled for completion by 2013.[18][19] Difficulties with the project and commercial issues delayed the project.[20][21][22]
It was stated that the project, involving the installation of a CLFR solar thermal system, was capable of generating 44 MW electrical at peak solar conditions.[23][24] But additional sources state that the 44 MW capacity was not additional to the full 744 MW net capacity of Kogan Creek, rather was an estimated contribution towards the total generation.[25] Instead, steam from the solar field was to be first further heated and then used to power the intermediate pressure turbine, thereby displacing coal.[26] The project was expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 35,000 tonnes per year,[17] which is 0.8% of emissions, at a cost of only A$3 per tonne of carbon for the first year's emissions alone.
On 18 March 2016, CS Energy announced that the Solar Boost demonstration project would not be completed, blaming "technical and contractual problems".[27][28] By 2017, the equipment was being dismantled.[16] CS Energy recorded a $70 million impairment in its 2016 accounts because of the project.[29]
CS Energy explained in a report to ARENA why the project was cancelled. Kogan Creek being AREVA Solar's first commercial project, compounded by the supply chain inexperience, resulted in delays and rework. Works where suspended when an alternative local supplier had to be selected. The technology design was new and not completely optimised, causing more site labour. AREVA Solar treated the economiser boiler tubes with a "Solonyx" internally developed coating. But most of the economiser boiler tubes rusted both before and after installation. AREVA Solar stopped production of that coating after that. Culminating that, in August 2014, AREVA announced its solar business exit.[30]
Per CS Energy, the project (having no thermal conservation/storage capacity) had problems with "rapidly moving clouds". Site Manager Ian Canham noted he had observed multiple problems with Areva Solar communication and planning. Also, workers brought in from the US lacked safety training and safety gear. On the supply side, after sitting in 2011 floodwaters at the Port of Brisbane during a dispute between Areva and shipping company DHL, 80 per cent of pipes for the project were damaged by rust. Other steel ordered for the project was completely unusable and had to be scrapped. Some necessary parts became unavailable when a Newcastle supplier went out of business.[29]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Kogan Creek Coal-Fired Power Station, Queensland - Power Technology". Power Technology. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ "Kogan Creek: a king-size supercritical project for Queensland - Modern Power Systems". www.modernpowersystems.com. 13 September 2004. Archived from the original on 2 June 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ "2016/17 Annual Report". 29 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Kogan Creek Power Station". CS Energy. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 30 November 2008.
- ^ "Kogan Creek Case Study" (PDF). Siemens. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2013.
- ^ Drought proof generator powers Queensland growth Archived 2008-04-29 at the Wayback Machine. Ministerial Media Statement. 27 November 2007. Retrieved on 4 December 2007.
- ^ Kogan Creek coal-fired power station, Queensland Australia Archived 2007-12-07 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 23 November 2007.
- ^ Golding Contractors Mining and Civil Construction Projects Archived 2008-04-07 at the Wayback Machine. Golding Contractors. Retrieved on 6 April 2008.
- ^ "A glance beyond renewables". Graham Lovell. 15 May 2012. Archived from the original on 8 March 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ^ "Advanced 800+ MW Steam Power Plants and Future CCS Options" (PDF). energy.siemens.com. Siemens AG. September 2009. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
- ^ Media Release. Kogan Creek Power Station Project Commences Archived 2007-09-01 at the Wayback Machine. CS Energy. 20 May 2004. Retrieved on 23 November 2007.
- ^ Kogan Creek Power Plant: Plant overview Archived 2010-07-13 at the Wayback Machine. Carbon Monitoring for Action. Retrieved on 23 November 2008
- ^ "National Pollutant Inventory". Australian Government. 24 July 2023. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Chinchilla big battery connects to the grid near Australia's biggest coal unit". RenewEconomy. 22 November 2023. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Akaysha lands "first of its kind" debt finance for two new Australian battery projects". RenewEconomy. 29 April 2024. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ a b Solomons, Mark (21 May 2017). "'Fast-moving clouds': How CS Energy's Kogan Creek Solar Boost project failed". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019.
- ^ a b "$35 Million Government Funding For Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project". Energy Matters. 14 April 2011. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ "Australia plans massive coal-solar combo". United Press International, Inc. 13 April 2011. Archived from the original on 16 April 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ "Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project". CS Energy. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ Parkinson, Giles (7 February 2014). "Commissioning of Kogan Creek 'Solar Boost' project delayed until 2015". Solar Choice. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ^ "AREVA notes 'difficulties' with Australian solar project". Business Spectator. 7 February 2014. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ^ "World's biggest solar booster project delayed by "difficulties"". Renew Economy. 6 February 2014. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2016.
- ^ "Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project" (PDF). Energy News. 29 (2): 32. June 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 January 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ^ "KOGAN CREEK SOLAR BOOST PROJECT, STEP-BY-STEP". Areva Solar. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Queensland Summary". csenergy.com.au. CS Energy. 2014. Archived from the original (XLSX) on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project" (PDF). csenergy.com.au. CS Energy. August 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
- ^ CS Energy has announced that the Solar Boost demonstration project will not be completed. Archived 2011-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (CS Energy) Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project Archived 2016-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "'Fast-moving clouds': How CS Energy's Kogan Creek Solar Boost project failed". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 May 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "End of project report on the Kogan Creek Power Station Solar Boost Project" (PDF). CS Energy. 5 September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2022.