The Repowering Port Augusta proposal details a plan to replace the Alinta Energy Northern and Playford B coal-fired power stations at Port Augusta with concentrating solar thermal power plant.
Port Augusta is the ideal location in South Australia for a solar thermal power plant, due to its very good direct annual solar radiation and its proximity to a strong piece of grid infrastructure.
The South Australian Parliament committed to looking seriously at building solar thermal in Port Augusta.
The South Australian Parliament will establish a Select Committee to investigate the merits of concentrated solar thermal plants proposed for Port Augusta.
Fifteen hundred people rallied on September 30 in Adelaide to support solar thermal power in Port Augusta to replace the aging coal stations, set to retire.
Research by Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE) shows that six solar thermal power towers and 90 wind turbines could be built in Port Augusta to generate the same amount of electricity as the current coal stations.
More than 4000 people voted for big solar plants to replace the city’s two aging coal-fired power stations, while just 43 people voted for gas power.
Beyond Zero Emissions is concerned that the confusion on CST costs caused by the AETA could lead to false results in AEMO’s modelling. CST is the key technology for achieving 100 per cent renewable energy in Australia.
Australia can lead the world in making another critical technology cheaper than fossil fuels: Concentrating Solar Thermal (CST) with storage.
The group said its purpose was to raise awareness and build broad support in the community for concentrated solar power to replace the ageing coal-fired power stations in Port Augusta.
State Parliament would this week be briefed on the benefits of replacing the coal-fired power stations in Port Augusta with concentrating solar thermal power.
Port Augusta's ageing brown coal power stations should be replaced with base-load concentrating solar thermal power to improve the town's health and create jobs, Beyond Zero Emissions says.
When it comes to baseload renewables, concentrated solar power power is the number one draft pick.
