Love News

Replacing coal smoke with mirrors

SOUTH Australia has a new Premier. Now it's a good time to talk about a different type of power - the power that turns your lights on.

The Playford B coal power plant in Port Augusta has been operating since the early 1960s. Having been a key part of the state's electricity system for decades, its retirement is imminent.

Playford B's owner Alinta is seeking federal funding to shut it down, finally putting an end to a major source of climate-changing carbon emissions and the pollution that afflicts the local community.

Research by the Climate Group confirms the ageing coal plant is the nation's most emissions intensive. The Government's own figures show that Playford B spews out mercury, lead and particulate matter all over the township of Port Augusta each year, materials which are known to cause health problems. We know for certain that Playford B will close. The question now is what to replace it with?

The independent energy think tank Beyond Zero Emissions has looked at the options. Our new report, Repowering Port Augusta, presents concentrating solar thermal power towers as the best replacement for Playford B, and while we're at it, its bigger neighbour the Northern power plant, which actually emits four times the amount of dangerous ultra fine particles as the Playford plant.

A packed town hall meeting in Port Augusta late last year signified strong support for the plan to power South Australia's economy without the unwanted climate change or public health impacts.

Solar thermal power plants work to the same fundamental principle as a coal thermal plants, but use the sun and a field of mirrors rather than polluting fossil fuels to generate the heat needed to power a steam turbine.

The solar thermal "power towers" we recommend generate electricity day or night. The sun's heat is stored in tanks, much like a thermos, and released to create electricity whenever it's needed.

Mayor Joy Baluch and even the owner of Playford and Northern Jeff Dimery support solar thermal in Port Augusta.

Now is the time for the Government and Opposition to get serious about the future of the SA's electricity supply and support the proposal to build baseload solar power in Port Augusta. Strong support at this critical stage will ensure the state is home to Australia's first solar power towers.

To know more about solar power tower, read Adelaide Now's full story.

For residential or commercial solar solutions, contact Love Energy in South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.