Love News

Port Augusta could clean up with solar

AdelaideNow reports a bid has been lodged to shut Port Augusta's Playford B power station, with the view to possibly replacing it with solar thermal energy.

Alinta Energy, the operators of the power station, want a payment to shut the plant under Carbon Tax regulations so they can begin operating with solar thermal or gas.

Playford B power station is one of the dirtiest in Australia, producing 50% of South Australia's CO2 emissions in conjunction with the neighbouring Northern power station.

No details have yet been released on the size, output or design of a Port Augusta solar thermal power station, however if approved it would be the first to be built in Australia.

Solar thermal works by harnessing solar energy for heat, and can take on a number of different designs. A small scale, low-temperature example of solar thermal can be found in household solar hot water heaters or solar pool heaters.

Love Energy previously reported that Port Augusta's two coal-fired power stations, including Playford, could be replaced with solar thermal in a plan put to the State Government by Beyond Zero Emissions.

For more information, read AdelaideNow's full story...