Tag Archives: solar power

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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Solar Flagship Shortlist 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 has announced eight projects that will be invited to participate in the second stage of assessment for Round One of the $1.5 billion Solar Flagships Program. The shortlisted projects will share up to $15 million in feasibility funding going into the second stage of assessment:

Solar photovoltaic
o AGL Energy proposes a multi-site project using thin film cadmium telluride solar photovoltaic technology generating up to150MW at multiple sites across Australia including ACT, NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia;
o TRUenergy proposes a single site near Mildura, using thin film cadmium telluride solar photovoltaic technology to generate up to 180MW;
o Infigen Suntech’s crystalline silicon solar photovoltaic technology would be deployed at up to three sites in New South Wales or Victoria to generate up to 195MW; and
o BP Solar proposes a single axis tracking photovoltaic system to generate 150MW from plants constructed at several locations in New South Wales.

Solar thermal
o ACCIONA Energy Oceania proposes to generate 200MW using solar thermal parabolic trough technology at a single site in either Queensland or South Australia;
o Parsons Brinckerhoff proposes to construct a 150MW solar thermal parabolic trough power station at Kogan Creek in Queensland; o Wind Prospect CWP proposes to use linear fresnel technology at Kogan Creek in Queensland to construct a 250MW power plant; and
o Transfield proposes to convert the Collinsville coal-fired power station in Queensland into a 150MW solar thermal linear fresnel power plant.

The Solar Flagships Council has also made recommendations relating to the siting of photovoltaic projects.

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Sun Rises on Big Solar

11 May 2010

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

The sun is rising on Australia’s Big Solar industry following some important announcements in last night’s Federal Budget. “The Australian Government is really starting to back Big Solar in Australia”, said John Grimes, the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES). “Last night’s announcement of two major solar projects, the short-listing of eight Solar Flagships proposals and funding for solar research and development mean the sun is starting to shine on Big Solar”. “AuSES congratulates its member companies Wizard Power and AREVA Solar and their partners for successfully obtaining funding to build 40 and 23 megawatt solar power plants. I look forward to seeing the ground turned on these major infrastructure projects, and I can’t wait to see clean energy jobs being created in Queensland and South Australia.” “However, Big Solar won’t become a reality in Australia until Federal Parliament approves the Enhanced Renewable Energy Target, and AuSES calls on all political parties to pass the legislation as soon as possible.” “Once the legislation is passed, the Australian Government should turn its attention to expanding a strong and sustainable Big Solar industry. Without a price on carbon, that means ensuring Big Solar delivers its fair share of an expanded Renewable Energy Target, and introducing a competitive feed-in tariff, tax reform and loan guarantees for Big Solar.”

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