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September 3, 2008
A sign of the times, Canberra may soon have a $141million solar power station capable of generating enough electricity for more than 10,000 homes after a pre-feasibility study last night ''gave the project the nod''.
The study, commissioned by the ACT Government and ActewAGL, looked at a 22MW-capacity plant using solar thermal trough technology, and suggests a gas-fired generator be added as an auxiliary system. It estimated that it would cost $141million to build and about $2million a year to run, while powering 10,000 homes with 80GWh a year. It could be operational by 2012.
The project will require a substantial level of subsidy from the ACT and federal governments. The report suggests up to 57per cent or $80million would have to come from taxpayers to make the project viable. However, it is too small to be economically viable. Doubling the size of the plant would make it 27 per cent cheaper.
When will the ACT shift to a gross feed-in tariff for solar power on household rooftops?
Something sure has shifted as I remember ActewAGL being deeply opposed to solar power last year and arguing against it in public.
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The only thing that has "shifted" is the foundations of the ACT Government as an election looms!
Suddenly the ACT Government is flashing its green credentials at passer-bys!
The same colours it so disingenuously raised as a justification for slaughtering hundreds of kangaroos!
Won't it and the other useless ACT political parties get a shock when tens of thousands of Canberrans scrawl "no cull" on their ballot sheets!