Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:56
Australia’s state governments are taking up the challenge of turning the country into a haven for solar power. The state of Victoria has committed AUD $100 million to the Mallee Solar Park, a 180-megawatt plant proposed by TRUenergy using technology from Arizona-based First Solar. Meanwhile, the state of Western Australia has committed AUD $20 million for a 10-megawatt photovoltaic solar power plant developed in partnership with BP Solar.

The moves, though small, suggest that the Australian solar market is heating up.
In April, a Siemens executive said there was “a powerful business case” for Australia to lead in solar and even sell its energy to other countries. The government of Victoria has set a goal of generating 5 percent of its electricity from solar by 2020 and is also pushing the construction of a $420 million plant being developed by Silex Systems nearby.

The developers of the proposed Victoria plant have applied for funding from the federal government’s $1.5 billion solar flagships program but the total cost of the plant was not disclosed. The funding announcements are expected early next year. TRUenergy Chief Executive Richard McIndoe said the plant, slated for completion in 2015, would use First Solar’s thin-film cadmium telluride PV technology, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Western Australia plant, which will be run by state-owned Verve Energy, would anticipate larger projects in the future, according to state Energy Minister Peter Collier. It carries a total pricetag of AUD $58 million and will be the largest grid-connected solar plant in Australia.

Written by Green energy Reporter

Original source: http://www.bellingencourier.com.au/news/local/news/general/solar-scheme-outofcontrol/1966242.aspx

We have not been paying for our electricity so that is much more of an incentive for householders and industry to consume considerable amounts of electricity

Murdoch University business and development lecturer Peter McMahon warns West Australians will pay dearly through their hip pockets for living in one of the least-sustainable societies in the world.

His report, which examines the energy, transportation,environment, farming and mining sectors, covers WA sustainability from 1829 to 2020.“The energy-intensive WA economy faces huge challenges as carbon-control schemes and peak energy trends will raise energy costs dramatically,” Dr McMahon said.

“Rising living standards in WA have led to the state being the highest energy-user and the worst polluter and waste generator in the country.”

In his report, WA2020, Dr McMahon said the state needed to make significant policy changes in the next decade to avoid dramatic price increases and tackle drought, soil erosion and salinity problems.

Energy Minister Peter Collier said the state’s thirst for energy was because West Australians had been living in a “fool’s paradise” for too long.

“We have not been paying for our electricity so that is much more of an incentive for householders and industry to consume considerable amounts of electricity,” Mr Collier said.

“It has sent all the wrong messages to the community.
“We are moving towards a user-pays system with electricity and that has a two-fold effect.

Number one, it means that the State Government won’t continue to bail out Verve Energy to the tune of billions of dollars and number two, the community are much more aware of the fact that it costs to use electricity so it sends the right message.”

But he said the state was making progress, especially when it came to the switch to renewable energy. By 2012 WA would produce 8.9 per cent of its energy from green sources including wind, solar and wave generators, he said. So far 18,000 households have installed solar panels, which feed energy directly into the grid.The state pays householders 40c a kilowatt hour for excess power.

Environment Minister Donna Faragher did not respond to questions about Dr McMahon’s report. Dr McMahon claimed WA’s isolation, size and diverse landscape was delaying much-needed action. The report urged the Government to make urgent policy changes in areas such as energy, transportation and mining.

Original post: http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/special-features/west-australians-to-pay-for-dirty-living/story-e6frg19l-1225914730176