Apace was funded by the Alternative Energy Development Board of the Western Australian Office of Energy to install a grid-connected wind and solar energy system. The project aims to demonstrate and actively promote the use of small-scale renewable energy in an urban situation with a working display made up of the following.

1. Grid connected inverter:
The system at Apace is based  on recently available grid-connected inverter technology. Renewable energy generated supplies lights and appliances normally used on site. Any excess is automatically exported to the Western Power Corporation grid. Thus the use of expensive battery banks is avoided. It is this newly available grid-connected technology which is making small scale renewable energy relevant in urban situations around the world.

2.Tower mounted wind turbine:

An Air 300 wind turbine (shown at left) with a rated output of 300 watts is mounted on a 12 metre windmill stand. The turbine is designed to reach its rated output at a wind speed of 25 knots, equivalent to a strong sea-breeze. These micro-wind turbines can also be roof mounted (see below) and are a useful complement to small photo-voltaic systems. 

The tower-mounted Air 300 turbine at Apace

3. Roof-mounted wind turbine. 
A second Air-300 turbine is mounted at a height of 7 metres above ground level on top of the Apace teaching building shown below. The two turbines are complemented by 450 watts of solar panels also mounted on the teaching building. Shown here is a 300 watt array on a tilting mount which allows the panel tilt to be varied throughout the year to best follow the seasonal movement of the sun. An additional 150 watt array, obscured in the photo, is also mounted on the roof.