Renewable energy company Sunshine Hydro has clinched the prestigious 2024 Telstra Best of Business Award in Queensland, acknowledging its efforts in promoting sustainability.
Chairperson of Sunshine Hydro, Michael Myer, lauded the recognition, emphasizing the company's dedication to addressing a fundamental challenge in the clean energy transition: ensuring the availability of reliable, affordable, and 24/7 carbon-free energy and green fuels. Myer pointed to their Superhybrid business model as a compelling solution, vividly exemplified by the Djandorigung-i project near Gladstone, which carries the name "Spirit in the Water," given by their First Nations partners.
Sunshine Hydro's CEO, Rick McElhinney, elaborated on their innovative Superhybrid technology, which utilizes proprietary software known as AESOP to seamlessly integrate renewable wind and solar energy with pumped hydro energy storage while simultaneously facilitating the production of green fuels like hydrogen and methanol. The Djandori project, currently awaiting approval, is slated to include 600MW of pumped hydro energy storage and 350MW of electrolysis, with the potential to power up to 400,000 households and support a fleet of 4,400 long-distance trucks.
“The Award is recognition of the dedication of our team to develop our technology and our commitment to our First Nations partners, the local community, and helping Queensland in its quest to decarbonise its economy,” McElhinney said. “This Award is timely, because it comes when Sunshine Hydro is inviting the broader community to join us on our journey to sustainability. This opportunity is available to the public on the Birchal crowdfunding platform.”
The Telstra Best of Business Awards celebrate the contributions of small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in advancing Australia's economic, social, and cultural prosperity. The national awards ceremony, where Sunshine Hydro will compete at a national level, is scheduled for February 8, 2024, in Canberra.
