The South Australian Parliament will establish a Select Committee to investigate the merits of concentrated solar thermal plants proposed for Port Augusta.
Proponents of the Repower Port Augusta plan hope the renewable energy source will eventually replace the region’s existing coal-fired power stations.
The motion was successfully moved today by Opposition Regional Development spokesperson Dan van Holst Pellekaan.
“I am very pleased for Port Augusta and our state that my motion to establish this Select Committee received the full support of the Parliament,” Mr van Holst Pellekaan said.
“The establishment of this Select Committee will ensure that the solar thermal proposal is fully investigated by our Parliament.
“We need to know whether solar thermal can be the solution to the problem we are going to have when coal from Leigh Creek runs out.”
Port Augusta is a town at a crossroads. With two coal-fired power stations closing, there is the opportunity to decide what they are replaced with: Australia’s first solar thermal plants or a combined cycle gas plant.
The Repower Port Augusta Alliance has developed a solid proposal to replace the coal plants with 6 solar thermal plants and 95 wind turbines. This will create 1800 jobs, save 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, improve the health of the local community and ensure energy security and stable electricity prices.
The local community, the council, local businesses and the power company all want solar – but to make this happen we need the support of the Premier and the Federal Government. Join the Alliance in calling for a solar future for South Australia.
http://repowerportaugusta.org/
http://media.beyondzeroemissions.org/Repowering_PortAugusta.pdf
