The thermal energy storage tank at USC’s campus at Sippy Downs – designed and built in partnership with Veolia and dubbed ‘water battery’ – will be the first of its kind at an Australian university.
In contrast to traditional solar and battery systems, the system consists of a three-storey tank of water that will be cooled by a complex thermal process powered by more than 6,000 solar panels installed across the main campus. The cooled water will be stored and used for air conditioning, which is currently the single biggest user of electricity at the campus in Queensland, Australia. USC Vice-Chancellor Professor Greg Hill said the system’s launch was a significant milestone in the university’s bid to become carbon neutral by 2025.
