Monday 6 July 2009

Sun rises on a world-first

Adelaide Advertiser
Friday 3/7/2009 Page: 5

Whyalla's 301 days of annual sunshine will be driving the world's first solar energy station, producing electricity 24 hours a day by this time next year. The $15 million plant will again put South Australia's regional areas at the forefront of sustainable and emission-free energy production. It will also address the problem of finding an emission-free electricity source capable of providing a base-load, or 24-hour, power supply, which is a necessity for the world to combat climate change.

Construction of the solar thermal power plant, Whyalla Solar Oasis, began last week. It will initially comprise four "Big Dishes" while the technology is demonstrated, generating power for up to 1000 homes. The long-term plan is for 600 dishes to be built, each 500sq in in area, in a 2km by 1km area at the city's northern entrance.

The expanded plant is expected to generate about 130 GWs of power a year, enough for 19,000 average homes and preventing 129,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions being produced - equal to that generated by 36,000 cars each year. Whyalla Council deputy mayor Eddie Hughes said it was "incredibly exciting" for work to start after 12 years of planning and 30 years of research by the Australian National University.

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