Monthly Archives: May 2010

REDP Funding Finally Announced for Two Big Solar Projects

11 May 2010

John Grimes, CEO
Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES)
Website: www.auses.org.au
Email: CEO@auses.org.au

The Australian Government has awarded $92 million to two large-scale solar energy demonstration projects.

The two projects are:

1) 23 megawatt solar boost to coal-fired turbines at Kogan Creek, near Chinchilla in western Queensland ($32 million), using Ausra (now Areva) Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector technology

2) 40 megawatt concentrated solar thermal demonstration plant at Whyalla, South Australia, using Australia’s own “Big Dish” technology ($60 million).

Combined with investment from the successful applicants, the two projects will deliver about $320 million in solar energy investment in Australia and more than 60 megawatts equivalent of solar peak load generation capacity, within the next four years. These projects will save almost 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

Additional details of the projects follows:

• CS Energy Pty Ltd – $31.8 million
The CS Energy project at Kogan Creek in Queensland will demonstrate the Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) solar array technology developed in Australia by Ausra Pty Ltd. This technology is now being marketed world-wide by the Areva Group. The project will be attached to the existing Kogan Creek A Power Station to provide a 23 megawatt equivalent superheated steam solar boost to the coal-fired turbines. This will allow an increase in energy output as well as saving around 35,600 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. CS Energy is a Queensland Government-owned corporation.

• N.P. Power Pty Ltd (Whyalla Solar Oasis Consortium) – $60.0 million
The Whyalla Solar Oasis Consortium will demonstrate Wizard Power’s ‘Big Dish’ concentrated solar thermal power generation technology developed at the Australian 2 National University in 1994. The 40 megawatt demonstration plant at Whyalla will utilise 300 ‘Big Dish’ solar thermal concentrators that will be built on site using Wizard Power Pty Ltd’s proprietary factory-in-the-field concept. The technology is easily scalable and a successful demonstration of the ‘Big Dish’ technology will open the way for further deployment of the technology, both within Australia and overseas. The project will generate power for about 9,500 average households and save about 60,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. The Whyalla Solar Oasis Consortium consists of N.P. Power Pty Ltd, Sustainable Power Partners Pty Ltd and Wizard Power Pty Ltd.

AuSES welcomes this funding announcement, and congratulates the two projects selected. We look forward to seeing the emergence of large scale solar as a result of this announcement.

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Australian Solar Institute Funding Announced

11 May 2010

John Grimes, CEO
Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES)
Website: www.auses.org.au
Email: CEO@auses.org.au

The latest Australian Solar Institute (ASI) funding for solar energy has announced five projects that will receive grants worth a total of $18.5 million.

The latest grants are:

• $5.0 million for a $24.1 million project run by the University of New South Wales in collaboration with Silex Solar and Suntech Power to improve the performance of screen printed solar PV cells
• $2.25 million for a $5.4 million project run by BT Imaging Pty Ltd to improve the performance of photovoltaic manufacturing
• $2.25 million for a $15.6 million project run by Sapphicon Semiconductor Pty Ltd to develop a high-efficiency solar module on a wafer based thin film
• $4.0 million for a $9.0 million project run by CSIRO and the Australian National University to develop advanced solar thermal energy storage technologies
• $4.95 million for an Australian National University led $13.4 million applied research project in collaboration with industry partner, Transform Solar (an Origin Energy JV) to help develop the next generation of solar cells.

AuSES would like to congratulate all of the successful projects, and restate our support for the Australian Solar Institute.

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Australian Centre for Renewable Energy – Board Appointed

11 May 2010

John Grimes, CEO
Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES)
Website: www.auses.org.au
Email: CEO@auses.org.au

The Australian Government today announced the appointment of the seven member inaugural Board of the Australian Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE).

The ACRE Board Members are:

• Chair – Professor Mary O’Kane, NSW Chief Scientist and Scientific Engineer
• Dr Bruce Godfrey, Chair of the Australian Solar Institute Research Advisory Committee and a member of the AusIndustry Climate Ready Committee
• Mr Steve MacDonald, CEO of Transfield Services Infrastructure Fund and a member of the Clean Energy Council Board
• Ms Amanda Heyworth, CEO of the Playford Capital technology seed fund
• Dr Brian Spalding, a Commissioner of the Australian Energy Market Commission
• Dr Beverley Ronalds, Group Executive, Energy, at the Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organisation (CSIRO) and a member of the Board of Innovation Australia
• Mr Richard Bolt, Secretary of the Victorian Government Department of Primary Industries.

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Renewable Energy Future Fund Announced

11 May 2010

John Grimes, CEO
Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES)
Website: www.auses.org.au
Email: CEO@auses.org.au

The Australian Government will commit $652.5 million over four years to establish a Renewable Energy Future Fund to support Australia’s response to climate change.

The Fund will provide additional support:

* for the development and deployment of large and small scale renewable energy projects, for example further investments in geothermal, solar and wave energy; and

* to enhance take-up of industrial, commercial and residential energy efficiency, helping Australian businesses and households reduce their energy consumption.

The Fund will include partnerships between the Government and the private sector to make critical early stage investments to leverage private funds to support the commercialisation of renewable technologies. The Renewable Energy Future Fund will be delivered through a number of departments and agencies, with the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency coordinating Fund priorities and progress. Details of the specific commitments under the Fund will be announced shortly.

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