SAY NO TO A NUCLEAR AUSTRALIA
Cloncurry to get a Solar Thermal Tower
The western Queensland town of Cloncurry is expected to run entirely on solar thermal power by the year 2010. The Queensland government is set to spend $7 million dollars on the project, a solar thermal tower which will store heat by using 8000 mirrors to concentrate the sun's rays onto graphite blocks. Water is then pumped through these blocks, generating steam which turns turbines and generates electricity. As graphite is such a good conductor of heat, the tower will be able to successfully generate electricity well into the night. The station is set to deliver about 30 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, enough to power the entire town continuously 24 hours a day.Premier Anna Bligh states, "We're going to build a 10-megawatt solar thermal power station. It's a real breakthrough for electricity generation. The technology we’re going to use in Cloncurry, will ensure the power station keeps generating electricity even when the sun is not shining. The town of Cloncurry has long claimed the title of having recorded Australia's hottest day -- 53 degrees (Celsius) in the shade in 1889, so I reckon we're on a winner. "
Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, Andrew McNamara said of the project, "While the introduction of alternate energy sources and the reduction of emissions comes at a price, the refusal to do so comes at a potentially much higher cost."
Mines and Energy Minister Geoff Wilson agrees, adding, “This project’s a winner on several fronts. It will cut greenhouse gas emissions with clean energy powered by the sun and it will save money in the long term with less money being spent on upgrades to the local network.”
Find the full Ministerial Media Statement here.
$7 million dollars to power a whole town with a population of over 3000 people? Considering that Australia is still one of the worst greenhouse gas emitters in the world, it's a drop in the ocean, I would say... and a step in the right direction. Now we need to start leaping.
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