Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Senator Penny Wong, yesterday announced $1.132 million in funding for a $2.264 million solar farm project at Alice Springs Airport.
The 235kW solar farm is expected to cover an area larger than the average soccer field and will generate approximately 600 megawatt hours (MWh) of solar energy a year once completed; enough to power 70 homes.
The solar farm will produce around 28% of the electricity required by Alice Springs Airport and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 470 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
Ms. Wong said the project will help Australia to meet its Renewable Energy Target of 20 per cent of energy coming from renewable sources by 2020.
The solar farm will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. It will use panels consisting of triple junction solar cells capable of operating at twice the efficiency of standard solar panels and at much higher temperatures. Mirrored dishes about 300mm in diameter will concentrate the sun’s rays onto the panels.
Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) systems are an emerging solar technology offering significant potential for reducing costs in establishing photovoltaic (PV) systems. The installation will comprise 28 SolFocus arrays, each eight metres wide and seven metres high.
Visitors to the airport terminal will be able to view an interactive display showing the amount of energy being produced by the solar farm in real time. The airport’s solar power station is expected to be fully operational by August 2010
Funding for the solar power station is part of the Rudd Government’s $94 million Solar Cities program. According to Member for Lingiari, Warren Snowdon, 600kW of solar energy capacity had been installed so far on Alice Springs roofs under the Solar Cities program.
