Australia starts solar thermal power plant construction

(ADPnews) - Oct 26, 2010 - The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is breaking ground today on a concentrated solar power (CSP) station near Newcastle in New South Wales.

The solar thermal facility will comprise 450 mirrors, known also as heliostats, which are part of an advanced solar technology developed by CSIRO and manufactured by Performance Engineering Group. They reflect the sun on to a 30-metre (98 feet) solar tower through which passes compressed air and then expands on being heated and power a 200 kW turbine.

Funded by a Commonwealth Government Initiative and the Australian Solar Institute, the project is being rolled out in line with a AUD 5 million (USD 4.9m/EUR 3.5m) cooperation between the CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship and the Australian National University.

When completed in 2011, the 4,000-sq-metre (43,060 sq-foot) station will generate enough electricity to power over 100 homes.

(AUD 1.0 = USD 0.995/EUR 0.710)

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