Solenco 1
Background - SEC and its international project partners have applied for Government funding to develop a grid connected solar thermal power station – Solenco 1 – to be built near Mildura in Victoria.
Solar Thermal Technology – The emission-free plant, with a capacity of 80MW – enough to power around 30,000 homes, will be one of the first large scale applications of Ausra’s solar thermal technology developed in Australia by Dr David Mills. Ausra has recently been acquired by French infrastructure conglomerate Areva as the basis of its new Solar Infrastructure Division.
The linear fresnel solar mirror array generates steam from solar radiation which is fed into conventional steam turbines to produce electricity. Maximum power output occurs during the hottest part of each day, so a solar thermal power plant is ideally matched to peak power demand from air conditioning systems.
Location – Solar energy data for north western Victoria ranks it among the best in the world for a solar energy project. SEC has entered into an agreement with a local landowner to lease a large tract of dry farming land south east of Mildura.
Apart from its excellent solar access, Mildura also offers the advantage of having a workforce and manufacturing capacity readily available, and during construction of the plant millions of dollars will be injected into the local economy.
Grid Capacity and Access - The electrical grid infrastructure has been extensively assessed across north western Victoria prior to final site selection to ensure adequate capacity and efficient access exist. The chosen site is well placed to connect efficiently to both the local grid and a substantial terminal station planned for the area in 2011.