Thursday 21 May 2009

Nth Qld vies for solar energy project

www.abc.net.au
Thu, 21 May 09

North Queensland will be lobbying the Federal Government to become the site of the world's largest solar energy project. A study released by North Queensland economic agencies has highlighted the region's renewable energy credentials.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced plans to build up to four solar plants at a cost of $1.4 billion. However, a location for the plants have not been determined. Advance Cairns chief executive officer Ross Contarino says Queensland has a strong case, with several locations near the national grid that have high UV levels. He says the results of the study will be used to persuade the Commonwealth to base the project near Mount Isa in the west or Mareeba in the far north.

"The study highlighted the UV map of Australia. If you look at it, it's very concentrated over the northern part of Australia," he said. "Except for Queensland, it's a fairly unpopulated place and it's a long place away from the distribution grid. "In Queensland we're quite close to those distribution grids."

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