A collaboration between the State Government and an international energy company could see a world leading solar project established near Chinchilla in Queensland’s Darling Downs.
Premier Anna Bligh and Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones said the proposed solar project would increase the efficiency and electrical output of an existing coal-fired power station and should ultimately make electricity cheaper in Queensland.
“International solar thermal energy provider Ausra and State Government owned company CS Energy have joined forces to investigate a solar boost project for the 750 megawatt Kogan Creek Power Station near Chinchilla,” said the Premier.
“The project involves installing a solar thermal addition to power Kogan Creek’s feedwater system to increase the station’s overall efficiency and generate more than 23 MW of electricity per year.
“That’s enough electricity to power 25,000 homes every year and will make a real difference to carbon emissions and ultimately should make electricity production cheaper.
“Ausra and the State Government signed an memorandum of understanding earlier this year and have now applied to the Australian Government to fund a portion of the project which is expected to cost around $200 million.
“We expect an answer from the Federal Government by the end of this year and if we get their go-ahead we will be in the position to encourage private industry to get on board with the State and help make this project a reality.”
Speaking at the annual Solar Conference in Townsville Ms Jones said Ausra will use a solar collector and steam generation system for the Kogan project, which would make it the largest demonstration of the technology in the world.
“The technology was conceived at Sydney University in the 1990s and there are pilot plants at Liddell Power Station in New South Wales and Kimberlina in California,” said Ms Jones.
“But this would be a working example on an industrial scale that could greatly improve the efficiency of our power plants.”
Ausra CEO Bob Matthews said he looked forward to working with CS Energy and the Queensland Government in advancing Australia’s solar energy goals.
"The solar thermal booster project is shovel ready, subject to Government funding, and could be generating zero emission solar power within a year," he said.
CS Energy Chief Executive David Brown said the project could augment the conventional feedwater process at Kogan Creek Power Station, which currently uses steam from the turbine to preheat water entering the boiler.
“The solar boost project would use solar technology to preheat the feedwater, meaning the steam we were diverting from the turbine can instead be used to generate extra electricity,” Mr Brown said.
Climate Change Minister Kate Jones said Queensland needed projects like the solar boost proposal if the State is to successfully transition to a low-carbon future.
”Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation have more than doubled since 1990 – in a carbon-constrained world this is clearly unsustainable,” she said.
“As our nation gears up for global talks in Copenhagen, it’s important that we demonstrate leadership on cleaner energy.
“The Bligh Government has also recently released the Queensland Renewable Energy Plan which has set a clear target for 20 per cent of energy to be produced from renewable sources by 2020.
“The plan will help leverage up to $3.5 billion in new investment, create up to 3,500 jobs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40 million tonnes.
“We’re also investing heavily in ways to use coal in a cleaner way.
“We’ve committed $300 million to the Coal 21 Fund which is working to accelerate the development and deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies.
“In addition, we’ve moved to ensure that any new coal fired power stations being built in Queensland use only the world’s best practice low emission technology.
“They will also need to be CCS ready and be committed to retrofit that technology within five years of it being proven on a commercial scale.”
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30 September 09
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