ARENA funds Port Augusta solar thermal study

By a staff reporter

ARENA has committed $1 million for a solar thermal study in South Australia.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency today announced it would partner with natural gas and electricity provider, Alinta, and the South Australian Government to undertake a $2.3 million study into solar thermal power generation at Port Augusta.

Mr Frischknecht said the study would look into hybridised and standalone solar thermal power generation options for Port Augusta’s three power stations – Northern Power Stations 1 and 2 and Playford B Power Station.

“Many of our coal fired power stations are nearing the end of their life cycle, presenting a clear opportunity for renewable hybrid options,” Mr Frischknecht said.

“This timely study in South Australia will include a full feasibility stage exploring plant design, site and technical details.”

Alinta is also investing $1.2 million in the solar thermal project with the South Australian Government contributing $132,000.

It is scheduled for completion by April 2016.

A South Australia community group, Repower Port Augusta Alliance, has welcomed the granting of federal and state government funding for the study but argues that 'concrete state government funding commitments' are needed for a project to get past the study phase.



“Our community welcomes this study but we need our state politicians to make it clear if they will make funding available for the critical next stage: actually building a solar thermal plant” Lisa Lumsden, chairperson of Repower Port Augusta, said.



“This funding demonstrates just how serious and close the opportunity of solar thermal in Port Augusta is, but our politicians need to make sure we are ready to grasp it by committing funding to a project that will create jobs, clean air and be great for our state” Ms Lumsden said.



Repower Port Augusta has expressed concerns that the study is not solely focused on stand-alone solar thermal with storage, with it also looking into hybridisation of coal and solar.



“A hybrid plant would not deal with our communities ongoing health concerns from the coal station” Ms Lumsden said. “A solar/coal hybrid is just putting an old polluting power station on life support. Alinta and the government need to ensure we are investing in a full solution for our community which means solar thermal with storage, a technology which is operating around the world.”



Repower Port Augusta is an alliance of local community groups, the Port Augusta City Council, local business, unions, health and environment organisations campaigning for solar thermal in Port Augusta.