www.abc.net.au
13 Apr 2012
The first of 150,000 panels needed to run Australia's largest solar farm, which will power a south-west Western Australian desalination plant, have been installed at its site in the mid-west. The Minister for Energy, Peter Collier, attended the ceremony at the $50 million Greenough River solar farm to lay down the first two panels. The project, about 50 km south-east of Geraldton, was financed by Verve Energy and GE Energy, as well as a contribution from the State Government's Royalties for Regions fund.
One-hundred% of the energy it produces will be used to power the Binningup desalination plant in Bunbury. However, Verve Energy's Tony Narvaez says local businesses and community members will benefit from the economic and environmental opportunities the project provides. "What it will provide for Geraldton is a number of jobs but more importantly a lead into new technology and building up your skill set to ensure you can work off that technology and experience for future expansions", he said.
He says although no energy will be generated for the mid-west at this stage, there is a potential for future expansion. "That will create, clearly, some jobs and other levels of expertise in moving the scale from 10 MWs to 40 MWs and that energy could go anywhere", he said. "The first 10 MWs is being contracted to the Water Corporation, the next 40 could be contracted to anyone". Mr Collier says the Greenough River solar farm is just the start of a multi-faceted approach to meeting the energy needs of the mid-west.
He says the Government will continue to invest in renewable energy projects in the region. "In terms of energy projects, the mid-west is a magnificent opportunity place", he said. "You've got an abundance of wind, you've got an abundance of sun, you've got an abundance of potential with geothermal, you have an abundance of potential with wave.
"So as far as I'm concerned and as far as the Government is concerned,.. we'll continue to invest in the mid-west region to ensure those opportunities are fulfilled. "This is just the start of much more,.. I can say the best is yet to come in terms of the energy needs of the mid-west. "It is a very symbolic gesture, it is 10 MWs of clean, green energy for the future and as I said it really is the start of a multi-faceted approach to renewable energy for the mid-west and for Western Australia as a whole".
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