The Repowering Port Augusta proposal details a plan to replace the Alinta Energy Northern and Playford B coal-fired power stations at Port Augusta with concentrating solar thermal power plant.
South Australians calling for the development of solar thermal power in Port Augusta – to replace the region’s aging coal power stations – have been left disappointed, after a Select Committee set up to investigate the merits of the proposed development failed to offer a clear mandate.
The Repowering Port Augusta proposal, put together by Beyond Zero Emissions (BZE), details a plan to replace the Alinta Energy Northern and Playford B coal-fired power stations at Port Augusta with concentrating solar thermal power plant.
In its interim report, just released, the Committee said it “considers the health of the Port Augusta community to be a very significant factor in support of BZE’s Repowering Port Augusta proposal.” But while the report leaves open the possibility of CST, it doesn’t go so far as to recommend a speedy path to implementation.
An earlier study had found that CST was viable for the region, but it needed support to bridge the gap between “first of its kind” operating costs – estimated at more than $200/MWh – compared with what it could possibly earn on market (around $100/MWh).