Solar thermal energy in Australia
Encyclopedia
Australia
is well placed to harness solar thermal energy
. Solar thermal energy is used in three main ways: solar hot water heating, production of steam for electricity generation and space heating through building design.
emissions. The IPCC
has recommended that developed nations such as Australia cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020 and 80 to 95% by 2050. The Garnaut Climate Change Review
found that Australia is highly vulnerable to global warming
caused by climate change
because of the effects of global warming on Australia
. The Great Barrier Reef
, Kakadu
and Murray Darling Basin are all threatened by climate change. Sea level rise threatens much of the highly populated Australian coast line, including the Gold Coast
. The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
and Mandatory Renewable Energy Target are intended to reduce Australia's emissions and the further development of techniques to harness solar thermal energy are critical to that effort.
, Australia has the highest average amount of solar radiation per square metre per annum. The amount is from 1500 to 1900 kWh/m2/yr, mainly depending on location. Australia’s total current primary energy consumption of approximately 5500 PJ/a could be met by an area of 4000 km2 of solar collectors with an average of 20% conversion efficiency. If this were built as a power station
with land coverage of 20% it would be 138 × 138 km. The collector area needed is approximately the same as the area of domestic house roofs available nationally.
The ANU Solar Thermal Group at Australian National University
in Canberra
works on solar thermal energy, with emphasis on high-temperature concentrators, solar air conditioning
, and thermochemical energy storage.
industry.
has a concentrating solar thermal adjunct to the coal fired power station. It was designed by Solar Heat & Power Pty Ltd, now part of AUSRA
Cloncurry, Queensland
is to be the site of a 10 MW power station using 8,000 mirrors to reflect sunlight onto graphite
blocks. Water pumped through the blocks will be turned into steam
to power a conventional steam turbine
connected to a generator
. The estimated cost is AUD30M of which the Queensland
government has committed AUD7M.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
is well placed to harness solar thermal energy
Solar thermal energy
Solar thermal energy is a technology for harnessing solar energy for thermal energy . Solar thermal collectors are classified by the United States Energy Information Administration as low-, medium-, or high-temperature collectors. Low-temperature collectors are flat plates generally used to heat...
. Solar thermal energy is used in three main ways: solar hot water heating, production of steam for electricity generation and space heating through building design.
Environmental importance
85% of electricity in Australia is generated by coal fired power power stations. They produce 42% of Australia's greenhouse gasGreenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
emissions. The IPCC
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is a scientific intergovernmental body which provides comprehensive assessments of current scientific, technical and socio-economic information worldwide about the risk of climate change caused by human activity, its potential environmental and...
has recommended that developed nations such as Australia cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 to 40% by 2020 and 80 to 95% by 2050. The Garnaut Climate Change Review
Garnaut Climate Change Review
The Garnaut Climate Change Review was a study by Professor Ross Garnaut, commissioned by then Opposition Leader, Kevin Rudd and by the Australian State and Territory Governments on 30 April 2007...
found that Australia is highly vulnerable to global warming
Global warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
caused by climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
because of the effects of global warming on Australia
Effects of global warming on Australia
Predictions measuring the effects of global warming on Australia assert that climate change will negatively impact the continent's environment, economy, and communities...
. The Great Barrier Reef
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world'slargest reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,600 kilometres over an area of approximately...
, Kakadu
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
and Murray Darling Basin are all threatened by climate change. Sea level rise threatens much of the highly populated Australian coast line, including the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
. The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme
The Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme was a proposed cap-and-trade system of emissions trading for anthropogenic greenhouse gases, due to be introduced in Australia in 2010 by the Rudd government, as part of its climate change policy. It marked a major change in the energy policy of Australia...
and Mandatory Renewable Energy Target are intended to reduce Australia's emissions and the further development of techniques to harness solar thermal energy are critical to that effort.
Solar resources of Australia
Of all the continentsContinent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
, Australia has the highest average amount of solar radiation per square metre per annum. The amount is from 1500 to 1900 kWh/m2/yr, mainly depending on location. Australia’s total current primary energy consumption of approximately 5500 PJ/a could be met by an area of 4000 km2 of solar collectors with an average of 20% conversion efficiency. If this were built as a power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
with land coverage of 20% it would be 138 × 138 km. The collector area needed is approximately the same as the area of domestic house roofs available nationally.
Research
The CSIRO conducts research into solar thermal energy. The newly established UNSW Centre for Energy Research and Policy Analysis also conducts research into solar thermal energy and associated topics.The ANU Solar Thermal Group at Australian National University
Australian National University
The Australian National University is a teaching and research university located in the Australian capital, Canberra.As of 2009, the ANU employs 3,945 administrative staff who teach approximately 10,000 undergraduates, and 7,500 postgraduate students...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
works on solar thermal energy, with emphasis on high-temperature concentrators, solar air conditioning
Solar air conditioning
Solar air conditioning refers to any air conditioning system that uses solar power.This can be done through passive solar, solar thermal energy conversion and photovoltaic conversion . The U.S...
, and thermochemical energy storage.
2009 Commonwealth budget announcement
The Australian Government, under the Clean Energy Initiative and the Solar Flagships Program, will invest $1.5 billion in up to 4 large-scale solar power generation projects. The Program will aim to create an additional 1000 megawatts of solar power generation capacity in Australia. The largest solar energy project currently operating anywhere in the world is only one third of that size.Solar hot water
Australia has a small but long established solar hot waterSolar hot water
Solar water heating or solar hot water systems comprise several innovations and many mature renewable energy technologies that have been well established for many years...
industry.
Electricity generation
Liddell Power Station, New South WalesLiddell Power Station, New South Wales
Liddell Power Station is located at Lake Liddell near Muswellbrook, in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia. It is coal powered, with four 500 MW GEC steam driven turbo alternators for a combined capacity of 2,000 MW....
has a concentrating solar thermal adjunct to the coal fired power station. It was designed by Solar Heat & Power Pty Ltd, now part of AUSRA
Ausra (company)
Ausra Inc. is a company that provides solar thermal power, steam and energy systems for industrial processes and utility-scale electricity generation...
Cloncurry, Queensland
Cloncurry, Queensland
-Notable residents:*Writer Alexis Wright grew up in Cloncurry.*Association Footballer Kasey Wehrman was born in Cloncurry . He went on to play domestically and in Scandinavia. His achievements include winning a NSL Championship in 1996-1997 with the Brisbane Strikers and being capped several times...
is to be the site of a 10 MW power station using 8,000 mirrors to reflect sunlight onto graphite
Graphite
The mineral graphite is one of the allotropes of carbon. It was named by Abraham Gottlob Werner in 1789 from the Ancient Greek γράφω , "to draw/write", for its use in pencils, where it is commonly called lead . Unlike diamond , graphite is an electrical conductor, a semimetal...
blocks. Water pumped through the blocks will be turned into steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
to power a conventional steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
connected to a generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
. The estimated cost is AUD30M of which the Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
government has committed AUD7M.