Renewables + Battery Storage + Air Conditioning

Renewable energy sources like photovoltaic cells and wind turbines combined with battery storage has received massive media coverage in recent months. In theory, a battery system with an inverter, will smooth the uneven energy production associated with renewables and also provide balanced voltage and frequency.

Ultimo TAFE is currently conducting a research study on the viability of using photovoltaic solar power to run air conditioning units via a battery storage unit.

Understanding how a “renewables + battery storage” system functions when operating modern air conditioning is definitely worth knowing, which is why this research facility at Ultimo TAFE in Sydney is so interesting and important.

Temperzone has again partnered with Ultimo TAFE in this venture providing an Hitachi Wall Split unit which is being used in the study.

A standalone room, that is not connected to the grid, is being used as the test facility. It has an array of solar panels on the roof which feed the energy gathered into a battery which in turn runs the air conditioning unit.

Students are running this project as a tightly controlled research case study. They are using a BMS to monitor the system and gain an understanding of the impact the power source is having on the units. Everything is temperature controlled, just as it would be in most real world applications.

The BMS data is available online and is being shared with several other universities and TAFE colleges.

It is great to see Ultimo TAFE using its educational system to invest in the future of not only their students, but possibly a better, cleaner future for everyone.