Ms ANDERSON - 2005-08-24
The increasing cost of diesel-powered generation of electricity supply is a serious concern in many remote communities. In my own electorate of Macdonnell, this problem also highlights a need to research alternatives. Can you update the Assembly on progress of the solar-powered generation project at Ntaria?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. This is a very important project. and, aAs the member foreshadowed, diesel consumption in remote communities to generate power - including to cattle stations and other commercial enterprises in the bush - is cause for concern. We are all aware of the escalating nature of fuel costs, so solar power certainly seems the way to go.
I was impressed when I went to Ntaria earlier this year and inspected the facility there. The solar power station is privately owned and operated. They will sell the electricity generated under contract to the Power and Water Corporation. The capital cost is subsidised under the Commonwealth’s Renewable Energy Rebate Program. This subsidy and the long- term contract Solar Systems Ltd has with the Power and Water Corporation enables the project to compete with diesel generation.
The solar array consists of eight solar thermal dishes. Each dish is mounted on a tower about 15 m high. The dishes actually track the sun from sunrise to sunset,. so iIt is a very impressive set-up. Each solar dish concentrator is 14 m wide, with a total of 130 m2 of individual curved mirrors. These concentrate the sun up to 500 times, and can generate 24 kW of electricity.
Talking to the scientists at that facility, it was very interesting for me to learn that this is really cutting edge technology that is being developed in Australia, the way they focus each one of these solar mirrors and the temperatures that are achieved at the focal point. Basically, the whole system has to be cool because of the very high temperatures that are reached. The sum total is that it is a very efficient way of converting solar power into electricity. The technology is well suited to upgrades, with the installation of more efficient cells at the focal point of the dish as research improves the efficiency of the technology.
The solar dish is capable of converting about 30% of the peak day time demand for electricity at Ntaria, and about 10% of the total annual output. Obviously, diesel generation is still required for night time supply and, I suppose, during particularly overcast days to supplement the day time output. All involved with this project are very keen. The technology is being exported to Europe.
This is something that is happening in the very heart of the Northern Territory, in the member for Macdonnell’s electorate. It is pointing the way of the future for power generation in remote parts of the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Macdonnell for her question. This is a very important project. and, aAs the member foreshadowed, diesel consumption in remote communities to generate power - including to cattle stations and other commercial enterprises in the bush - is cause for concern. We are all aware of the escalating nature of fuel costs, so solar power certainly seems the way to go.
I was impressed when I went to Ntaria earlier this year and inspected the facility there. The solar power station is privately owned and operated. They will sell the electricity generated under contract to the Power and Water Corporation. The capital cost is subsidised under the Commonwealth’s Renewable Energy Rebate Program. This subsidy and the long- term contract Solar Systems Ltd has with the Power and Water Corporation enables the project to compete with diesel generation.
The solar array consists of eight solar thermal dishes. Each dish is mounted on a tower about 15 m high. The dishes actually track the sun from sunrise to sunset,. so iIt is a very impressive set-up. Each solar dish concentrator is 14 m wide, with a total of 130 m2 of individual curved mirrors. These concentrate the sun up to 500 times, and can generate 24 kW of electricity.
Talking to the scientists at that facility, it was very interesting for me to learn that this is really cutting edge technology that is being developed in Australia, the way they focus each one of these solar mirrors and the temperatures that are achieved at the focal point. Basically, the whole system has to be cool because of the very high temperatures that are reached. The sum total is that it is a very efficient way of converting solar power into electricity. The technology is well suited to upgrades, with the installation of more efficient cells at the focal point of the dish as research improves the efficiency of the technology.
The solar dish is capable of converting about 30% of the peak day time demand for electricity at Ntaria, and about 10% of the total annual output. Obviously, diesel generation is still required for night time supply and, I suppose, during particularly overcast days to supplement the day time output. All involved with this project are very keen. The technology is being exported to Europe.
This is something that is happening in the very heart of the Northern Territory, in the member for Macdonnell’s electorate. It is pointing the way of the future for power generation in remote parts of the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016