In The Courier this week

Canadian company Hydrostor will convert Terramin’s Strathalbyn Angas Zinc Mine into Australia’s first advanced compressed air energy storage facility – a technology that Federal Senator Simon Birmingham, left, and Hydrostor chief executive Curtis VanWalleghem said would improve energy reliability.

New life for disused mine

A disused local mine will be converted into Australia’s first compressed air energy storage demonstration facility, capable of powering 4000 homes.
The $30m project – led by Canadian company Hydrostor and backed by $9m in State and Federal Government funding – will use existing underground infrastructure at Strathalbyn’s former Angas Zinc Mine to construct an advanced compressed air energy storage (A-CAES) facility.
The technology uses water and compressed air to store energy taken from the grid during off-peak times, converting it back into electricity and returning it when demand increases.
Hydrostor’s technology is already operating in Canada and larger projects with storage capacities of up to five gigawatt hours are in advanced development.

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Also in this week’s issue

  • Climate action: The Mt Barker Council will push for State and national leaders to take action on the global climate change emergency and do more to combat its effects on the environment.
  • Cream of crop: Double cream made by a local dairy processor, whose secret to success is using Hills milk, has been named the best cream in Australia.
  • Chinese tourism: The Adelaide Hills Wine Region has begun a project aimed at drawing Chinese visitors to the region.
  • Pool push: Attendance at Mt Barker’s aging Mountain Pool has more than doubled over the past five years, cementing the need for a new swimming centre.
  • Spending in spotlight: A move to force councils to publish credit card expenditure online has been opposed by the Mt Barker Council because it would be too “onerous”.