Synertec Corporation Limited announced a key development in relation to its Powerhouse technology, a unique proprietary technology that allows the utilisation of renewable energy to power industrial applications in remote locations. Powerhouse was installed on Santos' gas well site in remote central Queensland in July this year following completion of extensive Factory Acceptance Testing during Fourth Quarter of FY22. During most of First Quarter FY23 the Powerhouse System has undergone extensive SAT under varying loads and conditions to determine operational limits and establish the remote control and communication system network, while establishing, performing and documenting routine operating and maintenance procedures.

The performance of the Powerhouse System under SAT conditions has exceeded expectations, with key results including; average load under testing in the range of 20-50% above site requirements; prediction accuracy of solar irradiance and available energy has been proven to be within 5% of actual performance; battery performance has been within Synertec's expectations and supplier's operating recommendations, indicating long and reliable battery life as highly achievable; and other key Synertec modelling has been proven to be within 5-10% of actual performance. Given the positive performance of Powerhouse over a prolonged SAT period, the data reported to Santos by Synertec, and Santos' own daily monitoring of Powerhouse's performance, the cutover to the final field trial phase has been agreed. Whilst the approval to move to the final field trial phase has been agreed, the timeframe has been delayed by approximately two weeks from the original plan due to Santos' reprioritising operational resources.

The parties are working to identify a suitable operational window for the cutover process. It is anticipated that the cutover process will be completed during October. The field trial is the final stage of the testing and verification process for Powerhouse.

Key benefits of Powerhouse include: Reduced carbon emissions through 100% renewable energy (without requirement for fossil-fuelled backup). Flexible and re-deployable infrastructure. Increased safety and operational efficiency with reduced maintenance and remote operability.

Potential for removal of, and/or reliance upon, mains power connections in remote areas.