Solar power in Australia
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Australia has an estimated 115 MW of installed PV power (July 2009) [1][2][3], contributing an estimated 0.1 to 0.2% of total electricity production despite the hot, dry, and sunny climate that would make it ideal for utilisation. This unreached grid parity is mainly due to the higher cost per kW than other power sources because of the cost of solar panels. Feed-in tariffs and mandatory renewable energy targets are designed to assist renewable energy commercialisation in Australia.
A 154 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar power station in Victoria is planned and is expected to cost $420 million. It is expected to be the biggest and most efficient solar photovoltaic power station in the world. The power station is expected to concentrate the sun by 500 times onto the solar cells for ultra high power output. The Victorian power station will generate electricity directly from the sun to meet the annual needs of over 45,000 homes with on-going zero greenhouse gas emissions.[4]
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[edit] Incentives
[edit] Rebates
Up until recently the Australian Government provided a rebate program that offered up to AU$8,000 rebates for installing solar panels on homes and community use buildings (other than schools), through the Solar Homes and Communities Plan.[5] However, on 8 June 2009, this program was phased out, to be replaced by the Solar Credits Program, where an installation of a solar system would receive 5 times as many Renewable Energy Certificates for the first 1.5 kilowatts of capacity under the Renewable Energy Target (see below)[6]
Schools are eligible to apply for grants of up to AU$50,000 to install 2 kW solar panels and other measures through the National Solar Schools Program beginning 1 July 2008, which replaces the Green Vouchers for Schools program.[7]
[edit] Feed-in tariffs
Feed in tariffs are being introduced by a number of states to increase the amount of solar PV power generated. can be defined by a number of factors including the price paid, whether it is on a net or gross basis, the length of time for which the scheme is guaranteed, the maximum size of installation allowed to benefit, the type of customer allowed to participate. Current Australian State tariffs are only net basis tariffs, whereas conservation groups are arguing for gross feed in tariffs. From March 2009 the Australian Capital Territory ACT has introduced a solar gross feed in tariff. For systems up to 10 kW the payment is 50.05 cents per kWh. For systems from 10 kW to 30 kW the payment is 40.04 cents per kWh. The payment is made quarterly based on energy generated. The tariff rate is guaranteed for 20 years.ACT Govt. Feed In Tariff factsheetFeed In Solar Power Calculator In Germany, a guaranteed PV tariff means that Germany now has the highest PV capacity per capita – at 10W for every person in Germany compared to Australia at 2.6W per capita. [8]
[edit] Mandatory Renewable Energy Target
The Federal Government MRET will ensure renewable energy obtains a 20% share of electricity supply in Australia by 2020. The MRET will increase from 9,500 gigawatt-hours to 45,000 gigawatt-hours by 2020. The scheme lasts until 2030.[9]
The MRET requires wholesale purchasers of electricity (such as electricity retailers or industrial operations) to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), created through the generation of electricity from renewable sources. These sources include Wind, Hydro, Landfill Gas and Geothermal, as well as Solar PV and Solar Thermal, providing a stimulus and additional revenue for these technologies.
[edit] Subsidy Funding
The 2009 Australian budget delivers 1.35 billion dollars, over 6 years, for solar power. The government funding is for 4 new solar plants that produce coal plant scale power (in total up to 1000MW - coal plants typically produce 500 to 2000MW). This subsidy would need additional funding from the plant builders and/or operators. As a comparison Abengoa Solar, a company currently constructing solar thermal plants, put the cost of a 300MW plant at 1.2 billion euros in 2007. In 2009, the Arizona state government announced a 200MW plant for 1 billion US dollars.[10][11]
[edit] Projects and status by state
The list of solar power projects below is not complete as there are many more sites that have solar power or hybrid solar/wind systems to generate their own power needs. Projects with a power rating less than 3 kW are not listed.
| State | Project/Location | Coordinates | Capacity kW | Status | Council | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | No site chosen | 35°19′S 149°08′E / 35.31°S 149.14°E | 33,000 | Proposal announced 20 March 2008 [1] | No site chosen | ActewAGL | A 33 megawatt plant, which might cost $100million to build. Such a plant might cover about 100ha or 20 football fields. It should service 10,000 homes. The study should be finished in July and the plant by mid next year. The technology used could be either photovoltaic or solar thermal. |
| VIC | North West Victoria, (See Solar power station in Victoria) |
35°20′S 143°34′E / 35.34°S 143.56°E (Swan Hill used) | 154,000 | preparation stage | Either: Gannawarra, Swan Hill or Mildura | Solar Systems | concentrator photovoltaic |
| VIC | Tullamarine-Calder Interchange Solar Freeway Noise Wall, Essendon Airport, Melbourne | 37°43′48″S 144°52′48″E / 37.73°S 144.880°E | 24.4 | Complete | Melbourne | Going Solar | Building Integrated PV - Australia's first Solar Noise Wall: Solar Panels used as a noise barrier on a freeway. |
| NSW | Buronga | 34°02′06″S 142°19′48″E / 34.035°S 142.330°E | 50,000 | proposal | Wentworth | EnviroMission | solar tower technology |
| NSW | Dubbo | 32°15′S 148°37′E / 32.25°S 148.62°E | 50 | commissioned 1998 | Country Energy | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Building 46, Newington Armoury | 33°51′S 151°04′E / 33.85°S 151.07°E | 64 | commissioned 1999, refurbished 2007 | Sydney Olympic Park Authority | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Newington | 33°51′S 151°04′E / 33.85°S 151.07°E | 10 | commissioned 1996 | Energy Australia | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Leichardt | 33°51′54″S 151°07′48″E / 33.865°S 151.13°E | 3 | commissioned 2000 | Leichardt Council | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Liddell Power Station[2] | 32°22′29″S 150°58′44″E / 32.374851°S 150.979013°E | 1,000 | complete | Solar Heat and Power / Macquarie Generation | Solar thermal | |
| NSW | Little Bay | 33°52′S 151°11′E / 33.87°S 151.18°E | 4 | commissioned 1994 | University of New South Wales | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Lord Howe Island | 31°33′00″S 159°04′48″E / 31.550°S 159.080°E | 10 | commissioned 1997 | SEDA | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Newcastle Foreshore | 32°55′48″S 151°46′12″E / 32.930°S 151.770°E | 6 | commissioned 1996 | Energy Australia | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Pine Bluff | 33°34′12″S 148°33′36″E / 33.570°S 148.560°E | 6 | commissioned 2002 | Trinity Grammar School | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Queanbeyan | 35°21′00″S 149°13′48″E / 35.350°S 149.230°E | 50 | commissioned 1999 | Country Energy | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Singleton | 32°35′28″S 151°10′37″E / 32.591°S 151.177°E | 400 | commissioned 1998 | Energy Australia | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Sydney | 33°52′12″S 151°12′36″E / 33.870°S 151.210°E | 7 | commissioned 1997 | SEDA | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | Sydney Superdome | 33°52′12″S 151°10′12″E / 33.870°S 151.170°E | 70 | commissioned 1999 | Energy Australia | Photovoltaic | |
| NSW | White Cliffs Solar Power Station, New South Wales | 30°51′22″S 143°05′20″E / 30.856°S 143.089°E | 45 | Constructed 1981 25 kW, upgraded 1996, decommissioned 2004 |
White Cliffs | Originally steam piston then photovoltaic |
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| VIC | Brunswick | 37°46′48″S 144°58′48″E / 37.780°S 144.980°E | 20 | Citipower | Photovoltaic | ||
| VIC | Fosterville | 36°47′06″S 144°29′10″E / 36.785°S 144.486°E | 24 | Solar Systems Pty Ltd | Photovoltaic | ||
| VIC | Queen Victoria Market | 37°48′25″S 144°57′36″E / 37.807°S 144.960°E | 200 | commissioned 2003 | Melbourne City Council | Photovoltaic | |
| VIC | Ballarat University, SMB Campus, Grant Street, Ballarat | 37°38′S 143°53′E / 37.63°S 143.89°E | 8.5 | Complete | Ballarat | Going Solar | Building Integrated PV - the largest contiguous BIPV vertical facade in Australia. |
| VIC | 50 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne | 37°48′35″S 144°58′15″E / 37.8096°S 144.9707°E | 4 | Complete | Melbourne | Going Solar | High-rise installation in Melbourne's CBD. |
| QLD | Caboolture | 27°09′36″S 152°56′24″E / 27.160°S 152.940°E | 5 | commissioned 2000 | Stanwell Corporation | Photovoltaic | |
| QLD | Tewantin (PO) | 26°23′35″S 153°02′17″E / 26.393°S 153.038°E | 5 | commissioned 2001 | Australian Postal Corporation | Photovoltaic | |
| SA | Adelaide Showgrounds | 34°56′43″S 138°35′12″E / 34.945355°S 138.586626°E | 1000 | Completed 2009 | Built Environs and Solar Shop Australia | Photovoltaic [3] [4] [5] | |
| SA | Wilpena Pound | 31°34′12″S 138°34′48″E / 31.570°S 138.580°E | 100 | commenced 1998 | AGL | Photovoltaic | |
| SA | Whyalla | 33°02′06″S 137°33′36″E / 33.035°S 137.560°E (Town, not project) | announced March 2008 [6] | Wizard Power Pty Ltd | Solar Thermal with ammonia thermochemical storage (1000 homes) | ||
| WA | Carnarvon | 24°54′00″S 113°43′01″E / 24.900°S 113.717°E | 46 | 15.8 commissioned 2005; 30.2 added 2007 | Carnarvon Shire | Alexander Fullarton | Photovoltaic |
| WA | Kalbarri | 27°43′S 114°10′E / 27.71°S 114.16°E | 20 | commissioned 1995 | Verve Energy | grid-connected tracking system | |
| WA | Noranda | 31°52′48″S 115°53′24″E / 31.880°S 115.890°E | 3 | commissioned 2001 | Noranda Primary School | Photovoltaic | |
| NT | Bulman | 13°39′36″S 134°19′48″E / 13.660°S 134.330°E | 56 | commissioned 2002 | NT PowerWater | Photovoltaic | |
| NT | Hermannsburg | 23°55′59″S 132°46′01″E / 23.933°S 132.767°E | 192 | commissioned 2005 | Solar Systems | Photovoltaic | |
| NT | Kings Canyon | 24°15′00″S 131°34′12″E / 24.250°S 131.570°E | 241 | commissioned 2003 | NT PowerWater | Photovoltaic | |
| NT | Lajamanu | 18°20′17″S 130°37′59″E / 18.338°S 130.633°E | 288 | commissioned 2005 | Solar Systems | Photovoltaic | |
| NT | Yuendumu | 22°15′29″S 131°47′49″E / 22.258°S 131.797°E | 192 | commissioned 2005 | Solar Systems | Photovoltaic | |
| QLD | Cloncurry | operational in 2010 | Solar thermal |
[edit] Major solar power companies
[edit] Solar Systems
Solar Systems is a world leader in high concentration solar photovoltaic applications, and the company is preparing to build the world's largest photovoltaic Solar power station in Victoria, Australia. [7] This project will use innovative concentrator dish technology.
Solar Systems has already completed construction of three concentrator dish power stations in the Northern Territory, which together generate 720kW and 1,555,000 kWh per year. This represents a saving of 420,000 litres of diesel fuel and 1550 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. [8]
In 2003 Solar Systems completed construction of the first concentrator dish power station at Umuwa in South Australia.[9]
[edit] BP Solar
BP has been involved in solar power since 1973 and its subsidiary, BP Solar, is now one of the world's largest solar power companies with production facilities in the United States, Spain, India and Australia.[10]
[edit] Dyesol
Dyesol researches and manufactures dye-sensitized solar cell components and is on the verge of bringing the technology to production.
[edit] See also
- List of countries by electricity production from renewable sources
- Renewable energy in Australia
- Solar power station in Victoria
- Wind power in Australia
- Solar power plants in Central Australia
- Solar Cities in Australia
- Solar hot water in Australia
- Andrew Blakers
- BP Solar
- Building-integrated photovoltaics
- Martin Green
- Photovoltaics
- Photovoltaic and renewable energy engineering in Australia
- Solar power
- Solar power in Germany
- Green Power
[edit] References
- ^ ABARE - Energy in Australia 2009 - Renewable Energy
- ^ Solar Homes and Communities Plan Program Statistics
- ^ National Survey Report of PV Power Applications in Australia 2006
- ^ 154MW Victorian Project
- ^ Solar Homes and Communities Plan
- ^ Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator
- ^ The National Solar Schools Program is on the way
- ^ Supply side options for WA stationary energy: An assessment of alternative technologies and development support mechanisms in the Final report to WA Greenhouse and Energy Taskforce by Next Energy in 26 September 2006
- ^ [Australian Government: Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator http://www.orer.gov.au/legislation/index.html]
- ^ Big Solar Power Plants for Australia
- ^ Arizona Government
[edit] External links
- List of useful links about renewable energy projects in Australia
- Why does Green Power cost extra?
- A daily solar map of Australia from Bureau of Meteorology
- Australian Greenhouse Office list of operating renewable energy generators
- A 220kW power station in the Northern Territory
- 154MW Victorian Project
- Details of Kalbarri & Rockingham projects
- Solar panels give conventional power a beating
- Sunburnt land has energy in store
- Solar-roofed ‘immigration bridge’ floated for Canberra
- South Australia’s grid payback makes solar easier
- Brumby planning to plug Victoria into the sun
- SunPower Installing Solar Power System In Western Australia
- Solar Power rebates in Australia
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