APA Ambania

Description

APA Group is a leading Australian infrastructure business that owns and/or operates $22 billion worth of energy assets, including gas storage facilities, gas-fired power stations, wind, and solar farms, and more. It delivers half the nation’s natural gas usage using 15,000 km of pipelines that link sources of supply and markets across mainland Australia.

APA has committed to achieving net zero operational emissions for its power generation and electricity transmission infrastructure by 2040 and for their gas infrastructure by 2050. The first tool for achieving this is using an “avoid or reduce” strategy.

APA identified parts of their operations where improved efficiency would yield dividends in emissions reductions, including better management of the ancillary power demands at compressor stations. Existing power generation technology at these facilities, sized for peak power demand which occurs only part of the year, delivered poor efficiency outside those times.

This is where Optimal came in with a technical solution that is flexible enough to meet variable power needs while maintaining efficiency and reliability, which was to replace legacy gas engines with Capstone’s microturbines. Multiple Capstone microturbines provide a modular solution designed to run only the capacity required based on on-site power demand. Additional turbine modules can be called on as demand increases or switched off as demand falls, maintaining fuel efficiency and associated emissions. A modular approach also provides power availability benefits, as individual modules can be serviced while the remaining units continue to operate.

Capstone’s stand-alone range of microturbines features an integrated battery that provides rapid load response, as well as black start capability. Coupled with the modular design, this makes the technology ideally suited as the core of a renewables-based microgrid, which in turn enables APA to continue their drive to reduce emissions at their compressor stations.

Moreover, Optimal provided additional custom package modifications requested by APA prior to delivering to the site, which included additional acoustic attenuation, additional air inlet filtration, sunshades, and external battery enclosures.

Hence, utilising astute engineering and innovative technologies, Optimal was able to provide APA Group with a solution, that will reduce their long-term energy cost and emissions at their compressor station facilities, allowing them to continue providing much-needed, reliable energy for millions of Australian consumers and companies.