In a further exciting development for renewable energy projects in Queensland, it has been announced that $1.2 billion investment into solar energy and other renewable energy sources will take place in the outback by the year 2013. The “Solar Dawn” project will utilise Australian technology to further transform Chinchilla and other remote parts of Queensland into the Australian capital of renewable energy.
The proposed project is part of the Australian Government’s Solar Flagships Program, which aims to provide the foundation for large-scale, grid-connected solar power. The aim is to accelerate the commercialisation of solar power in Australia and encourage the major investments and job opportunities this will create. It is part of the Australian Government’s $5 billion Clean Energy budget.
Construction will take place just 300 Km west of Brisbane and the project will commence at the beginning of 2013, just a year after the carbon tax is implemented. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that Queensland’s extremely favourable solar radiation profile will help power the state profitably and reduce its high carbon emissions at the same time. She added that the project is a proof that the carbon tax will make it possible to propel the economy while at the same time keeping the environment protected.
The project is expected to open doors to about 300 jobs directly and another 1000 jobs indirectly. The 250 megawatt solar thermal gas hybrid project is expected to power nearly 70,000 homes and reduce about 500,000 tons of carbon every year.
PM Gillard said that projects like this will make solar power in Brisbane, in Chinchilla and in all of Queensland cheaper and more viable and soon enough throughout the nation.
The Solar Dawn project is also expected to boost more solar power and renewable energy investment throughout the region and will serve as proof that the carbon tax will help industrial scale investments become more feasible and appealing to major investors both from Australia and overseas.
No comments:
Post a Comment