The Australian Government has selected the AREVA Solar, an AREVA subsidiary, CS Energy and Wind Pros-pect CWP consortium’s “Solar Dawn” as the preferred solar thermal power project in Round 1 of the Australian Government’s Solar Flagships Program.
The Solar Flagships Program aims to provide the foundation for large-scale, grid-connected solar power and accelerate the commercialization of this energy source in Australia.
Solar Dawn is a proposed 250 megawatt solar thermal gas hybrid power plant. The Australian Commonwealth and Queensland Governments announced their commitment to contribute AUS.$ 464 million and AUS.$ 75 million, respectively, to the project.
The consortium will now work with government and stakeholders to finalize all relevant approvals and financing arrangements, as well as engineering, procurement, construction, operations and maintenance contracts, by the end of 2011.
- Solar Dawn will be located in South West Queensland, near CS Energy’s recently announced 44 megawatt Kogan Creek Solar Boost Project. These two projects will use AREVA Solar’s Compact Linear Fresnel Reflector (CLFR) solar thermal technology.
- As a solar thermal gas hybrid power plant, Solar Dawn will combine AREVA Solar’s CLFR steam generators with a gas boiler back-up system, giving it the ability to deliver around the clock power.
AREVA Renewables CEO Anil Srivastava declared: “Solar Dawn will be an international showcase for Australia - using the region’s abundant solar resource and AREVA Solar technology, to efficiently produce clean, reliable power to meet growing energy demand.”
“Once completed, the proposed project will be the largest of its kind and one of the most environmentally responsible power production plants in the world. Its innovative hybrid design will deliver energy as needed, even when the sun isn’t shining,” he added.